The duplex
So... here we are... ready to make that next big move...
And I find myself hesitating.
Though I'm not sure why.
When we saw the home that we live in now, it was a no-brainer. We saw it. We liked it. We made an offer. We bought it.
That was it.
Easy enough right?
Well now, looking back on it, we were naive.
Very.
We had no idea how much it ACTUALLY cost to close on a house.
We were clueless about the "extra" charges that places like the water and electric company charge as a "start-up fee."
We really did not know what we were doing. But, in the end, by the grace of God, and a little help from our parents, we were okay.
Now, we are just starting to feel a bit secure, ya know? Money in savings. Credit cards getting paid off. Maybe time for some decent furniture?
And then we decide... it's time for a new place.
And for some reason, I am scared this time.
Perhaps it is because I know more now than I did back then.
Maybe I realize that we could be teetering on the edge of life-time debt.
I hear one person say, "Rent is going down because Athens keeps over-building."
And there are SO MANY duplexes for sale. Why are people getting out? Is it just not profitable any more?
So why should we be getting into it?
Do you see why I have my hesitation this time?
Also, I'm not totally confident in our lender. The guy managing our account is a bit of an Ass, if you'll pardon my French.
He loses our paperwork... and then calls and accuses ME of never getting it to him.
So I sweetly remind him that he DID in fact receive it because he called me WHEN he received to ask me some QUESTIONS about it.
"Oh, yeah." he says, "Let me call you back."
And do I get a callback?
No.
So I call him.
And he says, "Yeah, I was waiting for you to fax me those papers."
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
And another thing.
$20.00
Remember?
Via Mrs.DD's prophecy, the Lord promised me a house.
And she gave me $20.00 to sew.
I did.
And I believed for $2,000.
100 fold return.
Because she said I could.
And she makes it sound so easy.
Just sew it.
Believe for it.
And it will come.
Well, guess what?
It hasn't come.
And I'm just not too sure what to do about that.
Am I doing something wrong? Praying the wrong prayer? Quoting the wrong Scripture? Do I have too much sin? Or not enough discipline?
And when I hear myself asking those things... I know in my heart that God doesn't work that way... by if that's true... then why does it seem so simple for her? And so difficult for me?
So, you see, I'm just not too sure.
But... here is what I do know...
We NEED a bigger place. It is not a "want" or a "like to have." No, it is a qualified honest-to-goodness NEED.
I know that right now we are in a BETTER place financially than we were when we got the first duplex.
I know that the place we are looking at is secure... with a good tenant... and good rent.
I know that it's in a much safer neighborhood for me to bring my baby home to.
I know that, if EVERYTHING goes wrong, we can move in with the parents, rent out both sides of the duplex, and still make the mortgage payment... without declaring bankruptsy or anything like that.
I know that my husband is confident in making an offer.
I know that we would trust our buyer's agent with our lives. And so why shouldn't we trust him with our home?
I know that B's parents are willing to do everything they can to help us "fix-up" the house before the baby comes.
And I know that when I think about being finished with all this money crap and actually LIVING there... I am very excited.
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Okay... so now that I have gotten all of this out... I realize that I am the MOST hesitant about our lender.
Perhaps there is someone else that I can call.
The lady that did our last loan, maybe?
I think I will.
I think that will make me feel 100% better.
Or maybe our buyer's agent has somebody he can recommend.
We'll see.
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In other news... went to the doctor this morning... baby's heartbeat is strong... 150.
The doctor had a hard time hearing it for long enough because the baby kept, as she put it, "bouncing around in there."
My goodness, we already have an overly-active child.
That's B's child, alright!
Okay... I'm off to find another lender.