Real Estate Wars

Posted on June 3, 2021 by cordeliasmom2012

“Shades of Easter” – lavender/mint/off-white

It’s been a seller’s market for quite awhile, but now it’s become an actual war.

Certain family members already have their own home under a sale contract, but now they need to find somewhere to go.  They want a bigger house, with room for Puppy Maya and, eventually maybe, children.

But it ain’t easy.

Sure, there were bidding wars when I b0ught my house 4 years ago, but back then you simply found a house, bid on it, and if someone bid higher, there was always the option of negotiating.  I bid on my house, and an hour or so later the realtor called to tell me there were other people interested in it and if I could raise my offer by a couple of thousand dollars, the seller would accept it and stop showing the house.  When I then listed my own home, I simply accepted the first bid that was close enough to my asking price, and cancelled any other showings.

Things are different now.  Houses are listed for 5 to 7 days, at the end of which written offers must be submitted to the seller to review.  The seller then picks whichever one looks best to him/her, and it’s not always the highest bidder.  There’s little room for re-negotiating; once an offer is made, the prospective purchaser is locked into that price.

Said family members have submitted 3 offers and were highest bidder each time – but each time someone else came in either with cash or better terms  (maybe living in an apartment or in mommy’s and daddy’s basement and didn’t have a house they were simultaneously selling).  People are even buying houses without doing a home inspection first.  Personally, I think a seller who’s afraid of a home inspection is probably hiding something – were I to sell my house I’d welcome an inspection so that the purchasers would know what a great deal they were getting.

But that’s just me.

The family members are handling it all much better than I am.  They tell me some purchasers put in 8 or more offers before finally winning a bid.    I’d love to crochet them a Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas afghan for their new home, but at the rate things are going, the Easter afghan may be the  best I can do.  Ugh.

Meanwhile, their purchaser is already pushing to close the sale of their existing home.  Of course, there’s a contingency in the sale contract that they must find and close on alternative suitable housing, but no one expected it to take very long.  Going into an apartment, or moving in with us, is not an option because (i) who wants to have to move twice?, and (ii) most apartments won’t take dogs as big as Puppy Maya, and (iii) Puppy Cody and Puppy Maya do not get along.

I even considered selling my own house because the market is so hot right now.  I could probably get a high enough price to pay off not only the existing mortgage, but also every debt I currently have, and still have money left over.  But I don’t want to join the house-hunt wars, and again, most apartments won’t take a dog as big as Puppy Cody – and I’d prefer not to move until such time as I’m forced into senior assisted living.  Sure, that time is coming, but hopefully not until Cody has had a full, long life and is no longer with me.

Such stress for everyone here, but it could be much worse – at least, none of us are homeless at the moment.

Meanwhile, I continue to crochet, crochet, crochet.  The current project is 2 afghans for some good friends – a pink one for the females in the household and a blue one for the males (or however they want to use them; that’s just my old lady-ness peeping through).

The pink one is finished:

“Pretty in Pink” – dark rose/medium pink/off white

I’ll try to control myself from giving these afghans to them before Christmas, but the blankets are just so pretty, aren’t they?

Now that I’ve run through the list of family members and friends to crochet for, I think I’ll try my hand at a little commercialism.  If anyone in Western New York would like one of my afghans (“Legacy Needlework by TeddyRosalieStudio”), just send me a quick email for details (cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com).  The afghans are approximately 48″ x 60″, can be made in your choice of colors to match your decor or in holiday-themed colors, and are machine washable and dryable.  For now, I am unable to ship to areas other than Western New York, although exceptions might be made for very special people who live in the U.S.  You can always ask.

I’m already counting the money I’ll make from my needlework, ’cause I’m sure I’ll become famous for it.  Just like I did for my writing, and just like I did for my photography.

Surely, you recognize sarcasm when you read it?

In any event, crocheting relaxes me.  Even if I never make a penny at it (just like my writing and my photography), I know my work will bring some joy into someone else’s life.

Happy June, everyone!  Go out and enjoy whatever season it is in your part of the world.

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in Household Items, Photography, That's Life | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Allergy Season

Posted on May 27, 2021 by cordeliasmom2012

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been sneezing for a couple of weeks now, ever since the dandelions and other spring flowers/weeds have appeared.

Not that I’m complaining – at least it seems to have finally stopped snowing here in Buffalo, NY!

At some point, I’ll go out and trim along the edge of the  yard, but for now I’m finding the spring flowers attractive:

I think they’re asters?  It’s not clear in the photo, but those flowers have a definite pink tinge.  In any event, they’re kind of pretty, aren’t they?

What’s not so attractive these days is the real estate market.  I know a couple who were able to sell their house in only a few hours, at $40,000 over the asking price, but now they need to find a new home – and it’s not easy.  Even the highest bidders are not prevailing if they aren’t cash buyers.  Sellers are nervous about buyers who need to close the sales of their own existing houses, and are often taking lower bids from those who can pay cash, or from those who are living in an apartment (or in mommy’s and daddy’s basement) and will be able to move in immediately.

I’m so glad I’m no longer a real estate paralegal.

Meanwhile, now that COVID requirements are easing and people can actually go out and do fun stuff,  I’ve been dog-sitting on occasion.  Puppy Maya is almost 9 months old and learning how to be a “big” dog.

All Tuckered Out

She was all tuckered out after chewing on the humungous treat I brought her.  Then awhile later, she perked up and decided to watch for her owners:

Waiting Patiently

She’s becoming an awesome watch dog!  Some day maybe she’ll let me sit on that couch with her …

Happy Spring, Everyone.  If the weather is nice where you are, get out and enjoy it!

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

 

Posted in Pets, Photography, That's Life | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Hugs All Around

Posted on May 13, 2021 by cordeliasmom2012

Hugs are great, aren’t they?

Especially when you, and the recipient of the hug, have both been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus and masks are no longer required.

Such was the case this past Sunday, which, of course, was Mother’s Day.

Having no other plans, hubby and I decided to drive out to our daughter’s new home in the country.  She and her fiancé had purchased the house last year, but due to the pandemic restrictions, followed by winter, we were unable to visit.

Until now.

It’s not a terribly long drive, only about 40 minutes, but we intended a short, stop-in,-chat,-and-then-leave visit.  I mostly wanted to give the couple their newly made afghan, which I had crocheted in colors of my daughter’s choosing:

Daughter wisely tied some balloons to a post at the street so that we could find her house, which is set back behind a line of trees.  I didn’t think to photograph those balloons from the street on the way in, but you can just about make them out in this photo taken from the front porch of the house:

Before setting out that morning, I had been in text contact with my other two daughters, both of whom indicated they had plans for the day, either to visit in-laws or (in the case of the third daughter, who is getting ready to sell her house), catch up on the backlog of chores.

Imagine my surprise, and joy, when I discovered that all three daughters had come together for a surprise party in my honor!  Every one of us has been vaccinated, and there were maskless hugs all around.  The first hugs with my girls in more than a year!

The three had put together a wine and appetizer buffet – totally unexpected and totally appreciated:

My daughter had picked those flowers and constructed that bouquet just that morning. Aren’t they beautiful?/

Unfortunately, I was so excited about the whole thing that I forgot to take photos until after most of the food had been eaten, but you get the general idea.

I was very pleased with the way my crocheted afghan complemented my daughter’s decor:

And I finally got to meet Finnegan, the senior dog:

Finnegan enjoys hugs, too.  He also enjoyed the special treats I had the good sense to bring along.

All in all, one of the best Mother’s Days ever.

Now that the pandemic seems to be easing, may we all enjoy maskless hugs.

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in Covid-19, Health, Holidays, Pets, Relationships, That's Life | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Company!

Posted on May 6, 2021 by cordeliasmom2012

Finally!  The entire family has been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

Which means we can get together again.  Sure, we had brief visits with certain family members throughout the pandemic, but now we can do so without masks.  I’d nearly forgotten how nice it is to read someone’s facial expressions during a face-to-face conversation nose-to-nose interaction.

I’m not sure who was more excited to have Cordelia come for lunch:  Puppy Cody or me.  At first, Cody seemed a bit confused with Cordelia’s masklessness, but that changed quickly enough.  Cordelia went home covered in doggie slobber and fur.  I’m sure her own tiny canines had a great sniff-session upon her return.

Another family member is  beginning to look for a new, and larger, home.  We’re all optimistic despite it being a sellers’ market.  She will have no trouble selling her current home, but finding another one is going to be tricky.  A realtor who works in my office building told me a story about one of his clients, who is also looking to purchase a house.  Said client offered $50,000 above the list price for a basic house in a not-particularly-great suburb, with NO concessions, NO home inspection, and free post-occupancy rent FOR THREE MONTHS to the sellers – and said client was outbid!  Said client has put offers on five different houses, and has been outbid every time.

The market was tough when we bought our current home (a fixer-upper) four years ago, but not that tough.

I’m so glad I’m no longer a real estate paralegal.  Between the pandemic restrictions and the extremely hot market, the stress would do me in for sure.

The pandemic has had so many unexpected effects.  In addition to the threat of contracting the virus and maybe dying from it, there are issues such as continued food/supply shortages and the inability to go to public places like movies and restaurants (although those restrictions are about to be lifted); and for some of us, the stress of having a battery die in a two-year-old vehicle because it hasn’t been driven enough in the last year.  Fortunately, the battery was recharged and the vehicle is running fine, and the driver (not me, thank heavens) has learned that it’s probably not advisable to sit in a parking lot during the lunch hour with the radio on and vehicle off, especially if the work commute is not long enough to recharge the battery on work days.

I know, I know.  Such minor annoyances, considering the alternative.  But we’ve all had them, and we’ve all complained, so I won’t apologize.

May all your gripes be petty ones, and may you all stay healthy and safe.

PS:  Not a great photo below, but the dandelions and robins say that spring has arrived!

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in Covid-19, Health, Pets, Relationships, That's Life | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments