Monday, May 18, 2009

Waiting...

Nobody likes waiting, huh.... Me neither...

Okay so just so nobody else calls me worried about my fragile stress state, here is a house update.

We freaking did it.

Okay, so maybe not technically yet because I don't have those old keys in my hand, but they are coming...

First I thought keys today, then got educated that it would most likely be tomorrow, and just because I had scheduled an AC guy to come and a cabinet guy to come Tuesday, we will not get the keys til Wednesday. Is that totally life or what?

So here is where all the chaos came from. We decided to switch loan officers in the last week of escrow. Like literally a week. Crazy huh. Basically we were doubting our options with this really nice lady, so I called my friend Lisa who used to work in the housing biz before she became the amazing tour guide to star homes and woes the tourists and they love her. We still would have gotten okay with our last lady, but this new deal had us paying less money. For a coupon cutter, even $47 bucks a month is big.

Anywhoooo, you know how you have some friends where you don't talk to them for a while, but its okay because you know you love each other and would hang out more if your lives were on different paths... (I really like those kind of friends)

So I call my friend who I haven't talked to in a while and faxed her over our stuff and she talked to her friend, and basically we got the deal of our life. Okay so paying $340,000 for a house with no AC or dishwasher or sprinklers in the boonies doesn't seem like a deal but believe me it is a fantastic miracle. Because three years ago we made an offer on a way smaller condo for more than that. And this is a real four bedroom house. I have decided that if you are trying to bust your butt living right (even if you could still yell less at your kids) sometimes, Heavenly Father and Jesus will watch out for you even if you are too dumb to realize it at the time. Cause that was what happened then. We made an offer and then immediately felt sick. But back to this house story.

So we knew OWNING a house would be a big jump but we needed to be cheap cause I didn't want to live on raman noodles (although they are delicious). After talking it through with the broker, I was anticipating paying like $300- $400 more mortgage than what we are paying now, which is a big bite for this stay at home mom with another baby on the way. But now, after the fantastic shenanigans of our new friend Eli, we are paying pretty dang close to what we are now. Holy cow huh?

Now, it just meant that those last few days everyone was betting against this guy pulling it off and our course our realtor was sad we weren't using her loan friend anymore so we were getting pressure there. But holy cow it worked out. Lots and lots of prayers. And wonderful that my parents were here cause I was pretty checked out in the parenting department not to mention my raging stomach stress issues...

So we feel good.

I don't know why cause if you list all the house 'issues' out its intimidating, but I feel good about it. So this place is where we are supposed to be. Of course my really optimistic husband (who knew?) has never had a doubt.

Moving is so bittersweet.

I'm finally feeling at home in my little ward here and attached to my Israeli moms in Luke's class. Like I love it.

But seriously people, Jason and I moved here in 2001.

We had no jobs, we knew nobody. We got here the day after graduation.

We got ripped off by this stupid temp agency that was supposed to help him get work. We must have sent out a hundred resumes. We were dumb #1 and dumb #2. Totally clueless how 'Hollywood' works. We lived in a studio apartment for $600 buck which was like a million to us then. Our parents thought we were nuts.

The only reason we even had a place to live was because on the 300th call for an apartment when I was close to tears trying to do it out of state, the girl realized I was Mormon and she was too, and because of that we are family. Got to love the church. The missionaries helped move us in. Its always been our family away from home. And dang it now we are Californians. Who would have thought? And our kids boogie board and love the beach.

The whole time we've lived here the housing market has been drastically against us. But I always felt strongly about staying home with my kids...even if we were poorer. I just thought, well, if we are supposed to be here, and I'm supposed to stay at home, then Heavenly Father better figure out a way to get us in a house. And there are lots of people like us. For every year I've been here home buying has been a hysterical thought.

But here we are going to get our first set of keys. So Jason has a longer commute, So what? as my sister in law would tell me.

Its a miracle. Another McCoy miracle.

We only had two pennies, and we got out bid my $30,000, but somehow still got it. We had higher credit. Turns out it pays off being big dorks. We followed the prophet to stay out of debt and live within our means. Even though I still really want wood floors. But sprinklers and a fence is way more practical right now. And we'll save our pennies for a wood floor someday.

Yes you are invited to lots of playdates and parties. The countdown is on.

Please come visit me.

11 comments:

Beth said...

I love this post!! Congratulations. And this gives me a little hope... for like, five years from now in our case. :)

We would love to come play. Hope you're feeling well.

Claire Thompson said...

I'm there whenever the first party happens!

Hannah said...

We will totally come when we make it out to Cali again!

christy said...

hooray for home owners! especially california ones. i couldn't believe how expensive homes were when we lived in monterey.

Amber said...

Boonies! I don't live in the boonies! I will come play too. But you can come play at my house until you get A/C cuz it is getting hot FAST!

cori said...

you are the coolest california family i know. honestly love you guys.

congratulations. i will be buying you a "first home" ornament to hang on your christmas tree this year. i called it first! we hang ours every year and that is a good feeling!

cori said...

and have you thought where to put your christmas tree? that is the first thing i thought of.

the fun is endless!

Anonymous said...

I'm so happy for the whole family. I can't wait to go over!!! :)

I'm also very glad your Mom is there to help. Get some rest. :)

Tanya said...

How very exciting. I am so stoked for you guys. funny, cory, that is what I think of in every house I look at...I am a little of Christmas Junky. I hadn't thought of a new home ornament but I think that is awesome. Brooke...I really am so excited for you guys you deserve it and I know you will be so happy...Now if only i could get out 0f my place....

Claire said...

Congratulations! That's so exciting!

Darek and Amberli said...

D: Seriously, that's so cool you guys are getting a casa! We are really stoked to come visit after the reunion...just lay me on the beach and flip me over every few hours! Tell Jason to buy the wood and we'll put up that fence in a jiffy while I'm there (as if I know anything about putting up fences!). Heard my folks are coming down to help you guys move in and such, that's pretty exciting guys, really happy for you.