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Final Short Sale Blog Post
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Client X: “I’m a little bit late on this final update but I sold the house! There were a few last minute issues involving nosy neighbors and an HOA board that absolutely refused to help me but in the end it was worth it to close the doors on both the house and that chapter of life.
We received a cash offer on the house that was more than the asking price and then it was just up to the bank to give the green light to make it happen. In the meantime, we had an extremely nosy neighbor that was trying to contact the bank and Realtor to give unnecessary input on the property. Fortunately, it was annoying at best and didn’t result in any delay in the already drawn out process. My biggest hurdle in the 11th hour was dealing with the HOA. I’m not sure what I was paying for during the years that I owned the townhouse but it definitely wasn’t bubbly customer service. The Hacienda Real HOA was impossible to work with and wouldn’t even return our phone calls. In order to make the numbers work for the short sale we needed to get the dollar amount owed to the HOA and they wouldn’t call us back to make sure they got paid!
Despite all of the set backs, delays from the bank and buyers backing out, it all worked out in the end. It was a huge relief the day that I went with my Realtor to sign the papers and relinquish responsibility of the property. I hope I’m never in a situation where I’m forced to short sell again but it was the best of a bad situation.”
Cannon Ball
Posted by: | CommentsI don’t mean to complain but I’m sick and tired of the heat. I mean its 112 degrees in the shade, 130 on the pavement and that’s at 1:00 in the afternoon. It’s just ridiculous. Days like this make it really hard to see the light at the end of tunnel denoting that it’s getting cooler. In fact, the days of hoodies and hot coffee are more like a dim memory than a sign of times to come.
Honestly, I don’t think that I could make it through these times without a swimming pool. It is incredibly nice to swim a couple laps after a hot day of yard work or even just sitting in rush hour traffic. When I was living in a place without a pool it didn’t seem like a big deal but now that I do it is an absolute life saver. It’s good for exercise, cooling down and of course, the occasional social gathering (read: party).
Here is the part where I may need some input. Is it worth the cost of maintenance, water and cleaning to have the refreshing cannon ball in the middle of the summer? Is it easier to just keep the desert landscaping in the back yard? For some townhouse, apartment or condominium developments a community pool is a good compromise. Is having a pool in Arizona a deal breaker on purchasing or renting a house?
Energy Efficient, Easy On the Wallet
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I recently made a car purchase. If you know me, then you know this is not a decision taken lightly. I love my cars. They are like a part of the family. This being said, the decision to sell and then buy another car is something I can lose sleep over. Anyway, I purchased a 1983 Mercedes Benz 300D. That is car talk for, “an old car with a diesel motor”. While I wasn’t particularly looking for something to put a historical license plate on, I was drawn to this because it had an alternative fuel system in it. This car can run on diesel, Biodiesel or vegetable oil. With more research I realized that the option of rarely paying for fuel could become a reality. I never even considered that until the option became available.
Upon this realization, I started thinking about ways to save on other payments that I started taking for granted and naturally looked at housing. If I don’t have to pay high prices for fuel, do I have to pay high prices for my monthly utility payments? There is a plethora of things that can help a house reduce high utility payments in the summer here in the valley of the sun. Multi pane windows, updated air conditioning units, solar power, and additional insulation are just a few things to consider when purchasing or renting your next place. Amongst other features, this can keep the cool air in, use less energy and make your air conditioner work less to keep you comfortable. Many utility companies are even offering rebates depending on what kind of upgrades are being done to a residence. Keep this in mind next time you are looking at housing. If you make your home work for you then you won’t have to work so hard to pay for the home.