The trucks barrel outside our hotel room window, as the sun is making its way down the other end of the freeway. It's cold, but I'm free.
I'd like to say that I came to Erie, Pennsylvania with my husband, to bask in the glory of our second year of marriage; to provide him the companionship he might have missed on this business trip, or to add yet another city to the list of places I've explored. If I admitted to any of those, I'd be stretching the truth. Though, I do love my husband and enjoy keeping him company, the fact of the matter is, if I'm here with him, I'm not in Ft. Wayne having to deal with the flip. It's priceless.
I would hate for anyone to get the wrong idea, but let's face it...my friends, and equally importantly my superiors are getting sick of hearing about this house. As gorgeous as it turned out, we still have to sell the thing, which means buying the legal paperwork, putting a sign out into the yard and constantly worrying that someone will pick now to break into it. We're on the home stretch here....but I want it sold NOW. The secretary at the school where I'm currently working assures me that the right buyer is just waiting for it. I hope she's right, but here are some things I've learned through the whole two-year-and-I'm-not-telling-how-many-months project:
1. Don't wish "they'd just put a sign out front and sell the darn thing."
2. If they do put a sign out selling the darn thing DON'T BUY IT!!
3. Plan ahead. If you even think you'll be putting yourself through a masters or getting married, reconsider.
4. Don't underestimate the work it takes
5. Don't underestimate the financial faux pas's that will occur along the way
6. Do learn as much as you can about your "partner in crime," like what he likes and is capable of doing...this will come in handy later.
7. When in doubt, ask for help from as many capable others as possible.
8. Do your homework early on.
9. Be nice to the people at Neighborhood Code Enforcement
10. Fix any outdoor atrocities first as your neighbors will appreciate (and support you) for it.
I've been asked if I will ever do this again. Well, that's a loaded question. I would absolutely do it again if I didn't have such a demanding job that I loved so much, and if my husband didn't care if I took on the responsibility myself (versus encumbering him...good planning on my part, heh heh.) The demolition can't be beat...and I love painting, and making it pretty, so all the rest can be hired out.
But for now, I am excused from my responsibilities there, so that I can catch up on other things that I'd like to continue to keep up on here.
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3 comments:
Glad you, too, are back at the blogging. Glad, too, that you got to spend time away...no matter where it is. I will take the advice and file it away in my schema!
Glad too to hear that you are back to blogging. Did you make it back from Erie, PA? Lots of snow there, what a fun place to get snowed in to! We traveled many times from Fort Wayne to a small village 2 hours away from Erie. Always snows there. I think that it is number 2 on the list for the most snow.
Great to hear that that house is almost sellable. Hope that the right person does come along. I will keep my ears open!
Glad you are back
oh I am so happy you are done! Now for the big sale! good luck and enjoy our final days of vacation.
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