It's been a very busy past few days: the house sale is in it's final moments, I've been boxing things up … and we have both been trashing things that no longer fit our Life as we prepare for the New Life we are building, together.
The Highlander is up for sale - and Holland just sold his 4x pickup.
The Past is giving way to the Present, and making room for the Future.
Tuesday the buyers had a house inspection scheduled, so Holland and I took the Highlander over to Kelso to be serviced … then we went shopping for our new home; and tried a "highly recommended" buffet restaurant in Vancouver: both were failures.
Wednesday, I got a morning text from Shay about the Inspection … and since I knew there would not be anything the buyers could seriously bitch about, I was feeling confident about a quick process; I started unloading cupboards and filling boxes. Holland secured a storage space up the road, and we posted the Highlander For Sale on Craig's List … and got a dozen {hits} practically as soon as Holland's fingers left the keyboard ;-)
There was a dealership interested in buying the Highlander - and no one was even batting an eye at the price we listed it for :-)
But by Supper time, we hadn't yet heard anything one way or the other about how the inspection went. So, we planned to meet with the dealership - and I shot a text off to Shay letting her know we'd not be in town Thursday.
We had already loaded the Highlander to the hilt and stacked boxes in the storage unit, and was working on unloading another haul, when Shay shot me a message - and followed that up with a call.
It was windy.
It was chilly.
Our tails were dragging … and I was not in the mood for nitpicking; so, I said, "None of what they are bitching about is concerning - these people are ridiculous; and I don't want their realtor/inspector (totally unethical to be both) in my house again - every time they are, they leave me with cleaning up to do. And there is no logical sense for the messes they leave behind. Tell them I am not putting one more dime into this house; and my asking price is firm; they either want it or they don't. If they decide to walk, someone else will step up, and put up."
If they want a brand new house, they can go shop for a brand new house - this house has been completely updated, and remodeled with fancy wooden and stone flooring throughout the house; Bob and I reroofed the house when we moved in, in June of 2017 … there are several smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide reader (both which we put in, because the previous owner refused to do so); if they insist more detectors be put in, they can buy and put the damned things in wherever they think they need to be. Yes, there is a S.M.A.L.L. (using the inspectors own words) puddle of water under the house. It is there because landscaping plastic and cloth tarp was laid down and covered with river rock surrounding the house (any moron with eyes open and walking round the property could see the cloth tarp poking through the river rock in places); the rainwater has nowhere to drain - and it dries up very quickly because it is SMALL. I have had contractor guys under this house scoping out the {concern}: I have been told that 'it is certainly not a major concern'. We live in Washington State for heaven's sake; it rains all the time, and the ground gets wet most of the time.
These people are being ridiculous thinking they can talk me into lowering my asking price: NO WAY. This house is worth more than I am asking, and if anyone is getting the short end of the stick, it is me because I will never recoup the money (big payouts) I've put into it since 2019.
I was getting irritated by the nitpicking nonsense that is holding this sale up. If they don't want it, let them say so and step aside. But I am not forking out anymore $$$ on this house. If they want it to define {them}, let them buy it and make it their own - like normal house buyers do, for Pete's sake!
Holland and I were both bone tired.
We have our own dreams, and we don't expect anyone else to finance them. We are also looking for a second-hand home to make our own.
And we were trying to get things done before the rain and winds picked up.
Before the call ended, I felt guilty for snapping out my reply. But not enough to cave in to the silly and senseless nonsense the buyers were carping about. Shay said she'd draft a response to them and stop by in the morning for my signature before we left town.
We drove to Lowe's in town to grab more packing boxes (just in case), and a clothes rack to set up in the storage unit to hang clothing items on.
Sitting in the Highlander in the parking lot, and talking about things we still need to do, Holland mentioned maybe getting a dually truck - and I said, "NO. Those trucks are ugly and too bulky in the back end." Looking out the windshield at that fat-bottomed truck parked across the way, I started laughing as my words echoed in the space between us, and said, "Trucks or women; you have a thing for big butts, Holland."
And he started laughing and said, "I do. I like big butts and I cannot lie." When he winked at me, we both laughed loud and long as the song ran through our minds; and I didn't care what people thought walking past our vehicle. It had been a stress-filled day and we needed the humor boost ;-)
Sir Mix-a-Lot - 'Baby Got Back' aka 'I Like Big Butts' song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X53ZSxkQ3Ho)
This morning, the Gladstone Toyota Dealership fella called early - about 8 A.M. asking for things I was not comfortable giving him; we had been getting calls from other people about the Highlander (offering more $$$), and inquiring about Holland's 4x: and we weren't sure we would be going with the pushy Gladstone guy.
Shay came - I signed the papers that needed signed … and Holland made the decision to skip the Gladstone dealer altogether; I wasn't going to give him what he was wanting - and he wasn't going to come here to complete the deal: we'd been texting back and forth all morning with no give on either end.
The phone calls came in all day long; some offers were laughable, and most were from car dealerships that wanted us to come to them (the buyouts offered were considerably above our asking price) - and we told them what we told the fella from Gladstone: come to us. We're packing the house up. We're in the final stage of a house closing … we can't afford to lose a whole day burning up the road dickering with dealers who think we're desperate to sell thereby being easy to pick clean: NO. Plus, we now only have one vehicle, which means there would be no way to get back home once the Highlander transaction closed.
Another car dealer said he could come and do the deal in our driveway, digitally; another fella called from Fort Bragg and said he could send a cashier's check and be willing to wait for the check to clear before sending someone for it: we'll see.
Either way, I am not a foolish woman, and I hold the trump card: ownership free and clear ;-)
The Highlander will sell. If not now, then for sure later. We are not desperate; it was paid off in November 2018 - before I became a widow in December 2018, and it's been faithfully maintained and kept in good condition.
I know what I have. If someone wants it bad enough, they will come and get it without pushing a guilt trip to close a deal.
Pushiness, and rude behavior, just raises red flags to me.
Elohim will send the right person, with the right mindset and right attitude :-)
