The Waiting Game (and The House We Chose)

Now that we’ve gone house-hunting, and confirmed for ourselves that there is indeed a perfect house for us, we put in an offer.

Gulp.

That, itself, is scary enough (and if we’re friends on Facebook, you’ll know first-hand the freak-out I’m currently experiencing). It’s unfortunate, though, that the sellers have hired a realtor who doesn’t seem to know her ass from her elbow and grasp the freakin’ situation we are in.

We, as military, in a move like this, have to get orders “cut” (written) that state we are reporting to another base/post. Once those orders are set, my husband attends a levy brief with which he is walked through (with other soldiers in similar positions) the paperwork to file to get transportation to move our household goods from here to our new post. My husband chose the date May 27th so that we could clear this post on the nice, round date of June 1st, month’s beginning. (He would have chosen later move out date, but it’s a holiday weekend – Memorial Day).

Unfortunately, once this move-out date is chosen, this puts us on the “clock” so-to-speak (think NFL Draft pick scenario). This means we have to have a house by the time the driver of our moving truck arrives to San Antonio or our stuff goes to government storage until we obtain a house, and getting our stuff back out again will take up to 30 days to get. That’s worse case scenario, people, and something I want to avoid.

Also, USAA, our lender for this home loan, needs 30 days to close. If all goes well and this offer on the house goes through, USAA told us we will close June 3rd, which might be too late for the movers. To thwart that, included in our offer is the offer to the sellers pay “rent” to them (we calculated a week’s worth of mortgage & tax) to take possession sooner than our closing date, to be sure we are there, in the house, to receive the truck should the movers arrive earlier than our closing on June 3rd.

All reasonable things to ask, all in writing, all submitted crazy-fast, with the emphasis to their realtor that we need an answer SOON, like, NOW.SOON.NOW.

Currently, we are told there is a counter-offer, but nothing has been sent to our realtor as of 2pm CST when she was told half-hour for the counter at 11am. I am shocked and dismayed, friends. (And did I mention freaking out?)

This house has been on the market for almost SIX months. Usually not a good sign, but it’s been on the market because the seller’s realtor made a mistake (a few in fact). A mistake that has fated this house into our lap, I feel, and I am hoping it will become ours. But, because our realtor doesn’t think too highly of the mistakes the seller’s realtor has made, this has left me to doubt whether or not this other realtor is really doing the sellers a disservice and ill-advising them on this offer, our situation, all of this. This other realtor doesn’t understand military, it seems, nor sees that the offer we made was a good, strong offer. We gave them their asking price, for crying out loud! We could have low-balled them, but we didn’t. We wanted no counters, just a quick acceptance, we put down $500 earnest money (which we won’t get back if this doesn’t work out) because we WANT it, we want to take possession VERY soon (and have to) and I am so besides myself that they want to counter, being lead by a realtor who hasn’t a clue what she is doing.

I am trying not to be a ball of nerves right now, because this is SUCH a huge process. I want to think positively. I know our realtor is a freakin’ NINJA and she was born and bred this realty game, not to mention, she’s the proud parent to EIGHT children, so she truly “gets” us on so many levels. (Big props to USAA Mover’s Advantage folks for the hook-up with our Ninja Realtor of Awesome).

But seriously? What is the hold up? What is this other realtor smoking? And after 6 months, wouldn’t you jump at a good offer that is GIVING you your asking price?

Think positively for us, friends. I will update this post (or create a new entry, even) if we hear anything. Stay tuned. And cross your fingers, eyes, toes, hands, feet – whatevs for us. We need it.

P.S. And for those of you who asked? We chose this 3200 sq foot beauty on a cul-de-sac, across the street from the homeowner’s association pool and park. Per-freakin’-fect!