not to be

So turns out after inspection, we found that the big blue house is wracked with termites. Very sad about this, but also glad because at least it was so bad, that it was easy to see, and not a future problem for us after purchase. Heading back out to look at more houses this afternoon. We have found one we like, but it's a little different than we first imagined, so we'll see. On a plus note the buyer for this house has signed on the dotted line, deposits made, so all is going swimmingly this end. I know it will work out in the end - Que sera, sera!

quietly happy

We accepted an offer on the house today, and made an offer on the big blue house. I don't want to be too excited about this, in case of a jinx situation - but - I am smiling on the inside. We still have an open house to go through this weekend, and the hope would be that we get a higher pre-approved offer, but if we don't we could be in contract this time next week! Also as the buyer is a mainly cash one, there shouldn't be any of those nightmare chain type hiccups. Now if only the house we made the offer on comes easily - all will be well in Bramble Cottage.

the waiting game - part deux

Still no buyers. It's quite soul destroying to have people walk around your house and walk out never to be seen again. We've had over 35 viewings now, and no real offers. The last guy went awol. I feel like I'm stuck in a perpetual state of waiting, life on hold til that one day comes when someone actually shows us the goods and signs on the dotted line. I feel very much stuck, and the children are feeling it too. They constantly ask to go on the deck, that is the only garden they've known. All the promises of moving to a big house with a big garden seem like a dream at this stage. So they work with what they have, which isn't much. I also got a little freaked out by the super from the apartment building's husband saying he saw the children on the deck, and my how they've grown. My fear of course is if he can watch them, who else can? The park is full of unsupervised children running amok. I spend most of my time there telling them not to push my children at the top of the climbing frame, or not to walk up the slide when my children are coming down. A very stressful experience for all. My Grandmothers health back in Scotland, is deteriorating, and me not feeling settled is making that all the more difficult to deal with. My Mother and one of my brothers who were to visit, are saying that they'll wait til we move. So I don't even have that to look forward to, not knowing when we'll sell etc. We're having an open house again this weekend. I'm trying to clear out the basement more, touch up paint, clean, change things around, but at the end of the day I know it will just take time and patience, two things I lack. Le sigh!

developments...

So we held open house yesterday, and again today, however someone actually made an offer last night! Our agents have told the potential buyer to get pre-approval so it can be an official offer, but its certainly encouraging all the same. I let the agent for the house we want know and luckily it is still available :) I may yet find out what color the peonies in the garden are before next year!

the waiting game

So our house is open for viewing as of Thursday, really hoping someone makes an offer quick smart. I think I would be pretty heartbroken to lose the house we made an offer on, even though I know there are more fish in the sea and all that. As its nearing the end of May, if someone did make an offer, and we accepted we likely wouldn't close until July - which would still give us time to settle in before school starts again. So I am ever hopeful. Its been an uphill struggle getting this house ready to sell, what with gas leaks, whole new gas pipes, roof leaks, new roof, endless painting, packing and storing - I'm ready for a holiday! Just that hope though that this time next week we could have an offer or 2 to consider, is very exciting. I would love for the children to get to enjoy the huge gardens and space before the cooler months set back in. And I of course would love to relax before the school run takes over!

fingers crossed

So today we made an offer on a wonderful 150 yr old Colonial style house, with double frontage, large decks, on an acre of mature landscaped gardens, and the most beautiful old weeping pine trees. If it all looks this good at this time of year I can only imagine what it will look like by midsummer. It is a big house, perfectly sized for our needs. I am happy and excited, but also know it will be a process, rather than a quick fix. I'm hoping to get the work finished on this house in the next week or so, then we can list it for sale and hope for the best. I do know however that if the house slips through our fingers another will come along, but I really do have a good feeling about this one, so time will tell..

Slowly but surely

It seems no matter how much I pack, how much I tidy away, how much I organize - it doesn't make a dent on how much is to do. The endless spackling, sanding and painting trim which when done I don't really notice is so soul destroying. Today I threw some red wood chips down out front, now that made a difference. Not that I love that look, but it does seem to give the impression of being tidy. On other news, we're going to view a house on Saturday. Its a beautiful 100 year old farmhouse in Rockland County. Perfect location for train and schools, and sits on a big 2 acre lot. In an ideal world we will be able to sub-divide it into the house and under an acre and leave the acre+ that is currently somewhat of a junk yard with old run down barns and a boat (!) Doing this means both the price and taxes will come down. It needs work, but doesn't everything? An interesting weekend awaits!

Making a start

I made a start on the bathroom today. I know potential buyers won't be inspecting the walls with a magnifying glass - but I am, in fact I should have taken out shares in the Spackle company! I've decided to do one room at a time. Doing bits around the house in various rooms, just wasn't cutting it. I hated that feeling of having done a load of work, but not being able to actually see a difference. I made a start out front over the weekend, weeded, bagged up all the trash people throw in my garden. I planted some annuals for that all important "curb appeal", tomorrow I'll put down mulch to fill in the gaps. I feel if people start noticing it as being a lovely front they'll be more interested in the house when the for sale sign goes out. Onward and upward.

Scottish Belle

A little about me. I grew up in the beautiful South West of Scotland with my wonderful artistic mother, 3 fantastic brothers and a menagerie of horses, pigs, goats, hens, ducks, geese, dogs and cats. J M Barrie himself, played on the very river of the town where I was born. It was the summers he spent there with friends playing pirates and such, that he drew inspiration from when he wrote Peter Pan. To find out more about this see Moat Brae, Dumfries, which is a lovely Georgian mansion, sadly repeatedly under threat of being knocked down by council bigwigs. If it were mine I would build a statue of Peter Pan and have a wonderful garden to commemorate its importance.. but as I'm sadly lacking the funds to buy overseas property - I consider it a dream, that may one day be realized. Presently, I reside with my adoring husband in his hometown - Brooklyn, New York. After 7 years and the arrival of 4 children, we have decided to relocate out of the City that never sleeps, and hope to find a more rural house so that the children can finally have some space and we can start a new chapter of our family adventure. I've started writing to take you all on the journey with us... getting this house ready to sell, finding our new home and what we get up to along the way. As anyone who has a brood as large as ours may tell you - you just never know what exciting thing could happen next!