FA+
Shop
Strangling Summers (Life update pt2.)
3 years ago
Right. So. Our lease of the house we were in at the time then ends this July. We're now on the hunt to find a house. I managed to apply for a loan. As I become more knowledgeable as a first time homeowner, it starts to sinks in that the initial loan amount is kinda low for us to find the equivalent of what we had before. As we go around finding homes, they're too small. 4 adults, 2 pets. We being toured through 2 bedroom houses, unfinished basements, one bathroom. 2 beds, 1 bath. 2 beds 2 baths. Raggedy fix-me-ups, holes in the walls. Bad neighborhoods. Not really accommodating for us or our situation. Our at-the-time real estate agent seemed to be oblivious to why these houses weren't going to work out, and more focused on getting a sale.
We managed to upgrade the loan amount and find some more suitable spaces around the area. But we're going short on time. Less than a month until the homeowners return to the states. Technically we were supposed to be moved out already. The last week was extra to clean the house completely.
We manage to find a nice ranch-style house. 3 door garage. 2 beds, 2 baths. Finished basement. And another house of similar space. We decide to go with the former. Sounds good right? One week til we need to be out, and we nab a nice place. Our at-time agent vies for a early move in while I complete the process for the mortgage. Exceeeeeept...we don't get early access. Despite all parties being aware our situation, despite being approved for the house, despite our agent stating we should be good to go on early move-in, there is no early move in. We are for all intents and purposes, without a home in a few days. Our agent manages to approve us for use of the garage for storage until we can properly move in. We're taking photos in front of the house, with a "Sold" sign with him as if everything is running smoothly. I want to cave his face in with the sign...
We don't exactly have any family that could accommodate us until the house is ready, which isn't until the end of august.
Meaning we have to find a hotel or airbnb to stay until then. And it has to be cheap and pet friendly.
So our first stay; some dank Motel6 on the outskirts of town. Pulling around into the parking in the back, a couple of guys are out back having a drink. Someone leaves a half-empty bottle of Bacardi outside the entrance. As soon as you enter, the air of the hall is stale and stifled with the scent of weed (which, y'know, Illinois is one of the few states that has it legalized. So sure. But still....)
. Walls are thin enough to catch the muffled sound TV's and obnoxiously loud people. It's exactly like those scenes in a crime drama, where you make some drug deal of some sort. Naturally my mom is upset. I don't get to hear her curse out of frustration often. So you know she's not having the situation. We give it a week there. While handling the loan process, we keep an eye on a different place. About 3 more weeks of this to go. The week goes by, and we find a spot across town. Same size room, but cleaner at least, with provided breakfast (a small muffin, assortment of fruit, and admittedly decent coffee).
Another week of loan approval process. Scrambling between work and to the bank before they close, getting the required documents and payment history. Everythings a bit hectic. But seems to be going well. I had to switch to staying at another cousins place, given it was closer to my work, plus I needed some sound sleep. I'm a light sleeper. And hearing my two cats fight at 3/4 in the morning on top of all the stress made me want to kill something...
One more week to go. We're burning up funds that didn't and shouldn't have been spent. But w/e. We're on the path now. It'll be close, but we'll make it through. Just need approval from the bank--here comes a call.
To paraphrae, I'm told "my credentials aren't valid for the loan." After all the time spent waiting on news, after doing everything that you're asked to do, and no one claims to see any problems I suppose I got hit with the "sunken-heart" sensation that you hear about. That numbness in your body. A panic attack. You want to do everything and nothing at the same time. This was on a thursday. Closing is supposed to be the following monday. And no one is avalia le to talk to or do buisness on weekends.
What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Mean. My Credentials. Are not. Valid?
The only other option is to have a co-signer. For me to throw this onto someone so suddenly fills me with a rush of anxiety. It's a potential burden. Not only for them but for me to assure them I will handle my payments, so the bank doesn't go after them and affect THEIR credit. I can't imagine anyone being asked that so suddenly. If it were in the plans early on, sure. I'm sure this affected my step-dad once I gave him the news. He was testing for a bus-driving license that day unfortunately. He passed 2 of his 3 tests. But I'm positive that threw off his focus.
........
So we're making calls, hoping to find someone. A friend. A relative. Someone that was willing and able to help persuade the bank that we're were good for it. That we were worthy of it like any other family... My credit was more than good. I had a steady job for the last 5 years. It's an hourly job, and they fluctuated depending on the time of year, but it's steady work. We had been paying rent on time. So why the concern? Why now? It could't be with my step-dad. Him and my mom were going through some tax issues. An older relative couldn't help out due to trying to keep her business afloat. The only other person we could think of was my Dad. But he had just been let go from his engineering job in Florida. But he managed to be picked up by another company in Atlanta. On top of that, found a spot in a week. Seemed like a good turnout. He's a very tenacious and focused sort of man like that.
But I did NOT want to ask him. Not out of any disdain. I have a fantastic relationship with my father. Hell he and my step-dad get along better than most friendships I ever seen imo. I thought I'd be asking too much of him. That he had done his due diligence and was handling his own life. It made me upset.
Even in writing this, I am hit with stress. Fear about the potential of failing him should something go awry with me or life, and I'm left to leverage his well-being with my struggles/requirements to solidify a roof and comfort for fam.
But I suppose parents will parent. He agrees without hesitation to co-sign. With the obvious stipulation that I handle payments. Of course I intend to do so.
We wind up switching lending agencies. All of the details and appraisal fees are transferred. I just need to re-submit all of my work credentials and we're solid. The lady we were working with and her team got us through the process and approved in 7 business days. Normally a ridiculous timeline to have someone be accepted and ready to move in. But she was more understanding of our strain. They did more for us in under a week than our previous agency did in 2 months.
I am absolutely giving her a glowing review, as she has asked recently as she's looking to bolster her reviews online.
So now we are moved in. Still getting some things shuffled around. I am physically spent. On top of moving a 4th fucking time in about 2 years, summer is the busy time for my job as a cleaner. We usually spend the month on campus before students in cleaning up their shit. Mandatory weekends. Sororities, Frats. Dorms. Each and all equally gross. Don't hit me up with which sex is nastier than the other- I'm not having it. We're ALL as equally unsanitary and gross as we choose to be. Trust me.
TRUST. ME.
Anyhow. Mentally I'm trying to recover. Physically worn out and sore. I've lost my voice a few times the past couple months yelling at no-one in order to vent. Building up my funds again. Back to life as usual. The "normal" struggle. Only this time, we can look up at our ceiling and wonder what sort of color we can paint it, and not wonder what or where our next one will have to be.
Fuck whatever these few years have been. Fuck this first house buying experience. Fuck summer. And fuck everyone (no one here ^^) who thought they would gloss over my situation and efforts, only to willingly drop us if we didn't pull through and handle the nonsense they threw at us. I have done my due diligence. This has been an absolutely miserable process in my life and we came out it, with optimism in tact. And now I owe it to myself to increase my success. To establish that I can pull off what I need to get what I am looking for.
Which segways into my next bit. My personal life and hobbies. But I will hit everyone up with my plans at a later date. Just wanted to vent my dealings now that we're clear of them. If you made it this far into my journal, I can only hope your summers were/are more favorable. And if they're not, that you can pull through too.
We managed to upgrade the loan amount and find some more suitable spaces around the area. But we're going short on time. Less than a month until the homeowners return to the states. Technically we were supposed to be moved out already. The last week was extra to clean the house completely.
We manage to find a nice ranch-style house. 3 door garage. 2 beds, 2 baths. Finished basement. And another house of similar space. We decide to go with the former. Sounds good right? One week til we need to be out, and we nab a nice place. Our at-time agent vies for a early move in while I complete the process for the mortgage. Exceeeeeept...we don't get early access. Despite all parties being aware our situation, despite being approved for the house, despite our agent stating we should be good to go on early move-in, there is no early move in. We are for all intents and purposes, without a home in a few days. Our agent manages to approve us for use of the garage for storage until we can properly move in. We're taking photos in front of the house, with a "Sold" sign with him as if everything is running smoothly. I want to cave his face in with the sign...
We don't exactly have any family that could accommodate us until the house is ready, which isn't until the end of august.
Meaning we have to find a hotel or airbnb to stay until then. And it has to be cheap and pet friendly.
So our first stay; some dank Motel6 on the outskirts of town. Pulling around into the parking in the back, a couple of guys are out back having a drink. Someone leaves a half-empty bottle of Bacardi outside the entrance. As soon as you enter, the air of the hall is stale and stifled with the scent of weed (which, y'know, Illinois is one of the few states that has it legalized. So sure. But still....)
. Walls are thin enough to catch the muffled sound TV's and obnoxiously loud people. It's exactly like those scenes in a crime drama, where you make some drug deal of some sort. Naturally my mom is upset. I don't get to hear her curse out of frustration often. So you know she's not having the situation. We give it a week there. While handling the loan process, we keep an eye on a different place. About 3 more weeks of this to go. The week goes by, and we find a spot across town. Same size room, but cleaner at least, with provided breakfast (a small muffin, assortment of fruit, and admittedly decent coffee).
Another week of loan approval process. Scrambling between work and to the bank before they close, getting the required documents and payment history. Everythings a bit hectic. But seems to be going well. I had to switch to staying at another cousins place, given it was closer to my work, plus I needed some sound sleep. I'm a light sleeper. And hearing my two cats fight at 3/4 in the morning on top of all the stress made me want to kill something...
One more week to go. We're burning up funds that didn't and shouldn't have been spent. But w/e. We're on the path now. It'll be close, but we'll make it through. Just need approval from the bank--here comes a call.
To paraphrae, I'm told "my credentials aren't valid for the loan." After all the time spent waiting on news, after doing everything that you're asked to do, and no one claims to see any problems I suppose I got hit with the "sunken-heart" sensation that you hear about. That numbness in your body. A panic attack. You want to do everything and nothing at the same time. This was on a thursday. Closing is supposed to be the following monday. And no one is avalia le to talk to or do buisness on weekends.
What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Mean. My Credentials. Are not. Valid?
The only other option is to have a co-signer. For me to throw this onto someone so suddenly fills me with a rush of anxiety. It's a potential burden. Not only for them but for me to assure them I will handle my payments, so the bank doesn't go after them and affect THEIR credit. I can't imagine anyone being asked that so suddenly. If it were in the plans early on, sure. I'm sure this affected my step-dad once I gave him the news. He was testing for a bus-driving license that day unfortunately. He passed 2 of his 3 tests. But I'm positive that threw off his focus.
........
So we're making calls, hoping to find someone. A friend. A relative. Someone that was willing and able to help persuade the bank that we're were good for it. That we were worthy of it like any other family... My credit was more than good. I had a steady job for the last 5 years. It's an hourly job, and they fluctuated depending on the time of year, but it's steady work. We had been paying rent on time. So why the concern? Why now? It could't be with my step-dad. Him and my mom were going through some tax issues. An older relative couldn't help out due to trying to keep her business afloat. The only other person we could think of was my Dad. But he had just been let go from his engineering job in Florida. But he managed to be picked up by another company in Atlanta. On top of that, found a spot in a week. Seemed like a good turnout. He's a very tenacious and focused sort of man like that.
But I did NOT want to ask him. Not out of any disdain. I have a fantastic relationship with my father. Hell he and my step-dad get along better than most friendships I ever seen imo. I thought I'd be asking too much of him. That he had done his due diligence and was handling his own life. It made me upset.
Even in writing this, I am hit with stress. Fear about the potential of failing him should something go awry with me or life, and I'm left to leverage his well-being with my struggles/requirements to solidify a roof and comfort for fam.
But I suppose parents will parent. He agrees without hesitation to co-sign. With the obvious stipulation that I handle payments. Of course I intend to do so.
We wind up switching lending agencies. All of the details and appraisal fees are transferred. I just need to re-submit all of my work credentials and we're solid. The lady we were working with and her team got us through the process and approved in 7 business days. Normally a ridiculous timeline to have someone be accepted and ready to move in. But she was more understanding of our strain. They did more for us in under a week than our previous agency did in 2 months.
I am absolutely giving her a glowing review, as she has asked recently as she's looking to bolster her reviews online.
So now we are moved in. Still getting some things shuffled around. I am physically spent. On top of moving a 4th fucking time in about 2 years, summer is the busy time for my job as a cleaner. We usually spend the month on campus before students in cleaning up their shit. Mandatory weekends. Sororities, Frats. Dorms. Each and all equally gross. Don't hit me up with which sex is nastier than the other- I'm not having it. We're ALL as equally unsanitary and gross as we choose to be. Trust me.
TRUST. ME.
Anyhow. Mentally I'm trying to recover. Physically worn out and sore. I've lost my voice a few times the past couple months yelling at no-one in order to vent. Building up my funds again. Back to life as usual. The "normal" struggle. Only this time, we can look up at our ceiling and wonder what sort of color we can paint it, and not wonder what or where our next one will have to be.
Fuck whatever these few years have been. Fuck this first house buying experience. Fuck summer. And fuck everyone (no one here ^^) who thought they would gloss over my situation and efforts, only to willingly drop us if we didn't pull through and handle the nonsense they threw at us. I have done my due diligence. This has been an absolutely miserable process in my life and we came out it, with optimism in tact. And now I owe it to myself to increase my success. To establish that I can pull off what I need to get what I am looking for.
Which segways into my next bit. My personal life and hobbies. But I will hit everyone up with my plans at a later date. Just wanted to vent my dealings now that we're clear of them. If you made it this far into my journal, I can only hope your summers were/are more favorable. And if they're not, that you can pull through too.
