Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Adventure Begins

All logic would suggest our course of action is crazy and I submit to you that it does sound crazy. Let me describe to you what's on the other the line.
  • we feel that we should move to CA -- ok... where?! California is a big place
  • we feel that God has revealed to us that we need to move to Atwater, CA
  • I feel promptings indicating that a job will be provided
Let me pause to mention that I believe there is a God and that He cares about each of us, His children, even on an individual level. I believe these revelations come from our Heavenly Father. The fact that God has an interest in my life is more than enough to offset the concerns for why we shouldn't make this move.
  • we start getting our house ready to go on the market; we want to beat the onslaught of foreclosures coming in the spring of 2012.
  • we receive two offers on our WV house in spite of there being short sale homes in our neighborhood
  • we find a house in Atwater, CA that we are interested in buying
Ok; up to this point, perhaps these facts are not that significant. When our home first went on the market (31 Oct, Halloween night), we had a handful of competing homes, perhaps less than 10. By mid January, there were an additional 20, most of which were short-sales. Having the level of interest we had I see as being truly miraculous.
  • we put an offer on a house in Atwater, CA
  • someone put an offer on our house
At this point, the game starts getting interesting. In order to buy the house in California, we either need to be employed in California or buying a second home. Banks don't feel as confident with someone who is self-employed as they do with someone who has proof of consistent employment for many years, so I decide I need to remain employed with my current company at least while we are closing on the California house. While not impossible, it probably throws up red flags for the banks if someone's location of employment is on the opposite side of the country from their primary residence. This means that in order for the bank to give us the loan, we need to buy the California house as a second home.

So, in order for things to work out optimally, we must buy the California home while I am still employed with my current job and while we still own the home in WV. The first contract on the home fell through. That's fine anyway because the buyers expected us to bring $25K to the table and replace all flooring in the house. I realize it's a buyers market, but come on... what's the color of the sky in their little world?! Less than 1 week later we get another offer on our house. A down to earth family who needs us to settle at a price less than $25K than what we owe, but they are willing to take the house as/is. And it's clear to me they understand they great deal that they are getting right now.

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Location:Charles Town, WV