Apologies to you Bear Feeders whom aren’t so in love with me that you don’t follow my Facebook, but I had an announcement there that I forgot to let the rest of you know.  Honestly, I was hoping that the news would change when it first came up, then got tied up with trying to survive a week in the Boston area, then … just got lazy.  The announcement was about two monkeys, one I lifted off my back, the other was the new one (or old one) that replaced it.

As what seems to be the general trend of late, this is basically an updated to the Habitual Master Plan – or the quest to find me and my pup a place to live.  A month ago, I was excited to announce I was officially in Escrow with a property in Pasadena.  It seemed like a relationship that went sour with time.  The long term of the property was the biggest upside, since it was in an improving community and could be an invest with a lot of return.  At first glamoured with the “what ifs” of the place, doubt started to grow.  It was a really big house, way bigger than I really needed.  It was priced high for what I could afford as well.  It needed updating, and it would be a while before the community it was in would improve.

Part of the problem was I constantly fought to get consistent support from my agent.  Because I’ve been though this home buying thing a few times — and I have had a lot of help from The Dr. Heather ‘Lola’ Creed (unsolicited shout out to her clinic – State of Eight – if you are ever in the Temecula area, check it out) — I knew what generally was needed to make the escrow go through.  I used the seller’s agent, expecting that her involvement on both sides would mean easy mediation.  That didn’t happen –  when I needed an agent to support me, I wasn’t getting that support.  Appointments were missed, communication broke down, and negotiations were one sided.   Things turned when the inspection reports came out.  The house had a deteriorated sewer line, a leaking roof, 30+ year old water heater, underrated electrical, and plumbing with just a couple of years left in it.  What’s normal is that when things like this are found, a negotiation takes place on covering the cost.  The seller only agreed to cover the cost of repairs mandated by a city inspection – which was just making sure smoke detection was working properly.  I adjusted my ask twice, but the seller still wouldn’t budge.  When I disclosed I was backing out – I angerly wrote to my agent:

“There is $40k in repairs needed, much of it is needed immediately.  I’ve agreed to cover nearly three-quarters that.  He’s agreed to change the batteries in the smoke detectors.”

Officially, I am still in escrow … because this high performing agent has failed to submit an official cancellation, five days after letting them know.  Which wouldn’t be a problem unless … I’ve moved on.

And I have.

I am waiting to hear on a counter offer from an offer I put in on another property.  This one now in Montrose, literally a few blocks down the street to my rental house.  They are Montrose blocks, which are crazy long, so when the pup and I walked there on a steamy 90 degree night he about died … plus he is lazy, which is saying something coming from me.  But the new house is everything the last one wasn’t – move in ready, beautifully maintained, high in the mountains, great views, perfect size for me, and just comfortable.  I’m in a full on battle to get this place, the price already $30k above asking, but it’s still within my affordability range.   Even if I don’t get it, this new place says to me “You still have time, you still have options, you still have a chance.”

So, the new monkey fits well.  He’s been there before.  Yes it means I have to spend the weekend on house tours and open houses, but I no longer feel suffocated by what feels like a bad decision looming.