It's Never Easy...

Last Friday we received the news that we were clear to close. My realtor scheduled us to go to the title company right after the walk-thru Monday morning at 9:00. It seemed like everything was moving along like clockwork. Until the clock hit a glitch.

Originally the buyer had offered $5,000 above asking price. I thought that was odd, since there were no other offers on the table. Then I realized it was a technique he used to insure that I would accept his offer and no one else's. Once the inspection came in, he used it to drop the price down by $7,500. Since the new price was what I had anticipated the house to sell for, I accepted with the understanding that this would be the final sale price regardless of what the appraisal came in at. He accepted as well. The appraisal came in $5,000 below asking price, and the buyer agreed to bring $2,500 to closing. Well, sort of...

I think his realtor wanted to make sure she got commission for the original price her client had offered. To do this, she wrote up the new offer as his full offer with a seller credit of $7,500. My realtor told her this probably wouldn't be accepted by the lender, since it was $10,000 above the appraisal price, but his realtor insisted it had been done this way before successfully. Still, my realtor asked his realtor to verify with the lender so it wouldn't delay any paperwork. She finally agreed to, and found out my realtor was right. The lender would not accept this higher price as the selling price, credit or no credit. Another addendum was added to the contract where the buyer and I signed off on the final sales price and his realtor sent this in to the lender. Now everything was correct. Or was it?

I'm so thankful for my realtor. She received the settlement statement and went through it with a fine tooth comb. It didn't take long for her to find two mistakes: a charge from the HOA that should not have been there, and a credit for $7,500 that was never removed. She tried calling the buyer's agent but it was two hours before she finally got a hold of her. By then it was late in the afternoon and there wasn't a whole lot that could be done.

I didn't find out about this till Sunday afternoon. My realtor texted me to let me know there was a delay because, according to the buyer's realtor, "something happened with the loan." There needed to be revisions done, and she didn't know how long it would take, but we could still go ahead with the walk through on Monday morning. I was more than a little upset because I knew my realtor had told her from the start that what she was doing wouldn't work. 

Monday morning I was up bright and early, despite Daylight Savings Time. I couldn't sleep is more like it. I woke up before 6:00 am. I met the buyer and his realtor at my house at 9:00 and the walk through took less than 30 minutes. They looked around and saw that I'd left everything clean, which they were very thankful for, but other than the air conditioner and the hurricane shutters, they didn't really check anything else. I turned over the keys to his realtor, showed him where the mailbox is, and we left. At this point we still didn't know when the closing would take place.

Thankfully my realtor is on top of things. She emailed the title company trying to get an update. I guess she lit a fire under them because not long after she got the new settlement statement. She forwarded it to me so we could go over it, and what did I find? Two errors. They were charging me a ridiculous amount of money for some letters from the HOA, and they were also charging me March dues that had already been paid. This time I emailed the title company asking for an explanation. Within two minutes I got an email with a corrected statement. Y'all, if we hadn't checked this, I would have been out $555 that would have gone in the title company's pocket! It reinforced what I've always been taught, read everything carefully before signing anything! 

Once we'd looked everything over and agreed that it was correct, we scheduled my signing for 3:00 pm. As the seller, my paperwork is much less and quicker to sign. I got to the title company and the buyer was there, already getting his documents signed. I went in, and was out in about half an hour. The buyer was still there and probably had another 30-60 minutes left before he was done. But finally, all the papers were signed, and my house has a new owner. Hallelujah! I'm so thankful to God for getting me out of that painful and stressful situation. It's like a huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders.

I have to admit, it's bittersweet. I really did like that house a lot. I like the floor plan, I loved how I decorated it, I enjoyed the neighborhood and the location...it was just one person that made it impossible to live there any longer. My prayer now is twofold. I pray the neighbor receives the help he needs. He is clearly disturbed mentally and needs attention, for his sake and for the sake of those around him. My second prayer is that he doesn't cause anymore trouble for the neighbors, especially the gentleman who just bought my home. I believe he will leave the new owner alone because he's a bully but he's also a coward (as one officer told me), but that doesn't mean he won't harass someone else. 

And now, I wait. I won't close on my new home until mid to late April. God is teaching me patience in this season, and I'm willing to learn. 

Another Update

 I'm currently in Central Florida getting ready to look at homes. But let's go back some.

After the mold inspection report I prayed for us to hear quickly one way or another. Within a couple of days the answer came: they found some mold, but not black mold. Here in Florida it's not unusual to find mold, what with the high humidity we have, but it wasn't what I wanted to hear. However, the buyer didn't walk away from the sale. Instead, he asked for a price decrease. Considering he'd offered above asking price, what he was offering was what I expected to house to sell for. I decided to accept, but my realtor went the extra mile. She told the buyer this would be the final price, regardless of what the appraisal came in for. He accepted. I praise God because things are moving along, not because of me but because of Him. 

My daughter and son-in-law went to Disney World for the Valentine's Day weekend, and my son E and I stayed at her house dog-sitting. The neighbor called in noise complaints that weekend. Twice. I called the precinct at 4:00 in the morning because I saw on my Ring video when the police officer came by my door. I asked why an officer was there, and when the dispatcher told me about the noise complaint, I told her no one was home. She had the officer call me at that hour so I could explain that we were away for the weekend. He made a note of it but that was it. That week he was blasting his television again, and I called the police yet again. He was given a citation, and the officer almost begged me to press charges. Instead I asked the officer to give him a warning. A final warning. If it happens again, I will have no other choice but to file charges for harassment. It's not what I want to do, but it will be what I have to do. 

At times I've wondered if this is the right course of action. Selling after just a year and a half, packing up my life and getting ready for another move...but whenever the harassment continues and intensifies, when he accuses me and calls the police when I'm not even home, I know it's the only option.

So here I am, for the next three days, fixing to see houses and praying that God will lead me to the one He has for us. He's brought me this far. I trust He will do what only He can do. 

House Update

Good morning y'all! So much has been going on I didn't realize I hadn't posted any of it. Let me try and backtrack so I can remember everything from the past couple of weeks.

Inspection was done quickly. Contract was signed on Friday January 29 and the inspection was the following Tuesday. The inspector took about two hours. The report was ready by Friday, and most of the things on the report were minor. The only troubling issue was the possibility of mold. Now, it's not uncommon to find some amounts of mold in older homes here in Florida, due to the heat and humidity. But it still made me weary. My realtor had already explained to me that, more than likely, the appraisal wouldn't be coming in at the higher price the buyer offered. He'd offered a higher price to secure that no one else would get the house, then he would find ways to negotiate it down. We both felt that's what he was doing with now. 

He ordered a mold inspection report, stating that his mother had mold in her house and it had turned into a major problem that he wanted to avoid. This inspection was done on Tuesday February 9. We got the results yesterday. Yes, there's small amounts of mold, but not black mold which would be a real problem. He said he also found some water damage though no current leaks. So it wasn't the best news, but it wasn't the worst either.

At the same time this was going on, I was going back and forth with the association. There are tiles on my balcony that, according to the association, are not allowed and are causing leaks in the unit downstairs, where my harassing neighbor lives. They want me to have them removed at my expense. I told them if they need to remove them they can but at their own expense. I've read and reviewed the bylaws and nowhere does it state that tiles are not allowed on balconies. Whenever I bought my home the tiles were already there; the previous owner put them in. It got pretty ugly on Monday when the association emailed me stating that would I please let them take out the tiles, so as to appease the neighbor. I was so angry I could scream! They have ignored my complaints but now want me to have work done to "appease" my abuser?! I felt disrespected and insulted, and I let them know it. Then they told me if I didn't do it the new buyer would have to. Now I also felt threatened and let them know that too!

I spoke to my realtor about it, and she said she would handle it. We agreed to offer the buyer a credit towards doing whatever he wanted to do on the balcony in the future, but that the tiles would have to come out to do repairs in the neighbor's home. This was the day before the mold report came in. So the buyer, using this to his advantage, asked for a pretty big price reduction, that at first had me sick to my stomach. But as I sat down and looked at the numbers, I realized that his new offer was within the parameters that we'd hoped to sell the home for anyway. It's probably what the house will appraise for, so I'm not out any money. My realtor and I agreed that we would accept his counter-offer on the condition that this price would hold firm regardless of what the appraisal comes in at. In other words, if the appraisal comes in $1000 less than his offer, he can't ask for a price adjustment, and likewise if it come in higher I can't ask for more money. I feel like this is fair and I'm hoping he will accept.

If you read my last post you know about the stalking and harassment I've been enduring from my neighbor. Just yesterday I spoke to the officer in charge of my case. I was happy to hear that the neighbor had indeed been served the noise violation though, as I told him, the noise hasn't fully stopped. It's not as loud or as frequent but he still plays his music and tv loud enough for me to hear. The only difference is that I'm not always there to hear it. I told him that since the day of the last episode I no longer sleep in my home. He sounded sad to hear it but I also told him my home is under contract and I plan to leave the area. He wanted to know if he should close the case but I said no. Until everything is complete I want to keep open the option to file charges against him; if for any reason my home doesn't sell, I don't want to continue sleeping in my daughter's house. I hope it doesn't come to that but if it's necessary I will do whatever I have to in order to keep myself and my son safe.

We haven't gone to Central Florida yet. My son E is finishing up an economics class this coming week, and if the buyer accepts our terms on the house sale then God willing we will be heading up next weekend. This weekend we're staying at my daughter's house. She and her husband are spending the long weekend at Disney World and we get to dog sit for her in her house. It's like our own little vacation!  The appraisal is scheduled for Wednesday morning; once that's done, I can begin packing in earnest. I've already reserved the pod containers so I have to be ready when the day comes, which will be in less than a month. 

All this has caused lots of anxiety. Between the harassment, stalking, selling, prepping, inspections...it all takes a toll. I've lost 15 pounds in the last 6 months without even trying. I'm praying that the Lord would give me peace help me to stay strong. I know He is in control and that I'm not alone in this. I will trust in my God, for He holds the future in His hands.