Under Contract!

So, my house (the Victorian) is being inspected today, the last day of their option period, and closing is set for April 18. Whoohoo! I was going to lease back for a while, to make the packing process less stressful, but they want me to pay MORE than my mortgage payment (which means also MUCH MORE than the rental value!) so I decided to skip next weekend's salsa event in Dallas and just pack. I'm going to make every effort to move out on April 17, and spend the 18th cleaning before the closing. Ugh, the next couple of weeks are just going to be crazy! I have a deadline this Friday, and a HUGE deadline on the 16th, and every spare minute not working will be spent packing.

Then there's our NEW house! It's under contract, hooray. Inspection is tomorrow afternoon; closing is set for April 30. Unfortunately they want to lease back until June 30th. So-- I'm moving all my stuff TWICE! and having to store it in the meantime! But the sellers of the new place are putting up money towards our closing costs to accomodate us, which is nice. I like to look at these negotiations with an eye for making everyone feel like they won and got what they want/need. If they need time, we give it, if we can. And though I hate, HATE living in an environment of boxes, stacks, clutter and excess furniture, I will put up with it.

The new house is wonderful. It needs hardly anything. The only must do's are put up solar electric panels on the roof, replace the electric cooktop with an induction model, and pull off the peeling wallpaper in the master bathroom. The cooktop thing isn't just a snooty cook's preference, it's also a safety issue. I never knew this until recently but induction cooktops don't get hot-- they just heat up the pan-- so if you put your hand on it by accident you won't get burned. That they are also supposed to be much better than even cooking with gas is a side benefit I'm happy to reap!

Aside from those 3, there are some preferences: replace the beige family room carpet with tile, replace the tile in the master bathroom, put in a double oven instead of a single, repaint the formal living room (soon to be my library) because it's way too red.

Anyway I need to work. That's the update!