Tick... tick.... tick...

(Originally posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2004 by Tim)

Things are going better today - I have a quote for insurance that's very reasonable, only stipulation is that we have to finish the electrical within 30-60 days. 60 is doable, particularly if we book right out of here when classes end.

The seller got a lower quote for radon mitigation, and we agreed to a credit for that amount. So it looks like (barring mortgage issues - knock on wood) we're set here.

The lender and our real estate agent both asked today if we'd chosen a lawyer. Lawyer? Urp. A detail I'd missed. Anyway, looks like we're set up with the lawyer Jessica used, so that should be covered. I think...

Trying to close on a house without being there is certainly interesting. Last time, Tim at least was in the area, and some of the issues were easier since that house was a quarter the age of this one. Plus doing this with a 3 hour time zone offset is a big difference. I'm usually swamped with classes and students in the morning, but then by the time I get a breather in the afternoon, everyone back on the East coast is leaving for the day. This morning, the phone rang at 5:15am - the agent who'd said he'd call us back "first thing in the morning" apparently meant HIS morning, not ours! *Sigh*

Survey - it's ok :)

(Originally posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 by Cathy)

Turns out that the survey we have from '87 is fine, as the road was widened before that. The '87 survey just hadn't been filed with the town, so the attorney was looking at a much older document.

There is some risk that the city could decide to widen the road again in the future, munching more of our (already small) front yard, but apparently that's unlikely with the new bypass.

Still all systems go go go...

Stove pondering

(Originally posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 by Cathy)

Not like we don't have a million other things to think about, but I'm having fun thinking about what to do with the kitchen. Some of the 1920's and 30's vintage stoves are REALLY cute. The question is, what do we do for a fridge? There are companies that make pseudo-50's fridges, but that's a few decades off, and they're pricy! I haven't found anyone making monitor-top fridges, although there is a company or two that restores old ones. Other options: built in fridge hiding behind a cabinet panel, white fridge and just ignore it, or...?

More stove pictures: 1, 2, 3

Boxes!

(Originally posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 by Cathy)

Our boxes showed up, only slightly damp. (Ah, Seattle liquid sunshine.) Now we "just" have to put stuff into them :)

now what?

(Originally posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 by Cathy)

Waiting to hear back from the attorney - apparently he wants the property surveyed, some worry about where the house is relative to the road? We've got a copy of a survey from '87, but the road has been widened (twice?) since then.

Worry worry... waiting for a call tomorrow.

Insurance blues

(Originally posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 by Cathy)

UGH. If I had a nickel for each time today an insurance agent has told me that they'll be delighted to write a policy after we fix the wiring in the house and remove the buried tank, I'd have enough money to self insure.

How the heck are we supposed to close on the house so that we can DO the wiring work, if we can't get a policy until AFTER we've done the work? Huh? Inquiring minds would really like to know.

I finally talked to someone at Allstate who was helpful enough to point out that Virginia has sort of a last-recourse insurance plan, that isn't very expensive, and that every agent is required to sell it. (And none of the first 5 people I talked to bothered to mention it??) It's about double what insurance on a new house would cost, but it's tolerable. And then Allstate can have our business once we become insurable, since they have at least one agent who doesn't SUCK.

I like Christiansburg

(Originally posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 by Cathy)

Full points for informative webpage on what you can and can't do without a permit. Unfortunately, they missed the opportunity for extra credit - providing a way to contact them by email.

Update
Nope, I'm an idiot. It's right there on their front page, I just didn't see it. And they read and answer email, too! A+++