Torture.

As in, it's torture to have your baby inspected. What I believed at first to be a "small" foundation problem seems to have morphed into thousands of dollars of repairs. I think it's a combination of a few things: I didn't fix everything about the foundation that could be fixed when I bought the house (just what really needed to be done); old houses are like people, they gradually deteriorate over time; when you don't have a home inspection done regularly you are unaware of those changes; I haven't been under the house in quite some time (I think getting the dead possum out traumatized me); each foundation repair estimate bid on doing a slightly different set of things to the foundation.

What does all that mean? Well, their estimate came in at a figure I first thought was high. The more I learned, the more I realized it was probably a figure I would be happy to pay to get the house into better shape. Fortunately, they did not insist on me fixing it before I sold it, and were willing to accept a reduced purchase price.

That was hard to swallow for me at first, because I paid $8k less than what they're paying me for the house, but I've easily put in $40k-50k over the 3 years I've lived there. Between roof, paint, minor repairs, foundation work, landscaping, irrigation systems, and so on, it all adds up. But then I looked at it this way-- the asking price was fair for the house in the condition I believed it to be in. The end price is fair for the house in the condition it really is in. I can't ask for more than that-- but I did get the peace of mind from selling my baby to a family with the means to give her whatever she needs, and they'll never have to decide between fixing the car and fixing the house, for example. That is the best kind of owner I can imagine for a historic home. I just want to make sure that I did everything I could to preserve that glorious house, and since on a state employee's salary it's not really feasible for me, at least I have seen her into good hands.

*sigh* I will miss that house!

But I am looking forward to the new one, which had a very positive pool inspection yesterday. Every time Mitch and I go there we like the house more. It does lack a little bit of the old-fashioned charm, the window seats, wood floors, and tall ceilings with transoms particularly, but I am willing to exchange those for being in town, close to Mitch's work, and having the nice deck. It's a great house for entertaining and I'm looking forward to throwing a good pool party as the housewarming.

So that's the update-- good, bad, up, down, stress, and relief. Now Mitch spends the weekend in Dallas, returning a friend's waverunner so I can use the garage space in between moves, while I spend the weekend in Bastrop packing like a madwoman.

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