The Let Down

11/26/13

So it's the same day, only later. After amazing pep talk I gave myself, I went to the real estate office only to learn that we can't have the septic tested/inspected because the water has been turned off. And the reason the water was turned off was because there is apparently a pretty substantial leak "somewhere". Enough to rack up a $500 water bill in two months last February! It might have flooded the crawl space which would explain why all the vinyl flooring is peeling up, and why there appears to be so much moisture damage inside and around the return vents in the living room. I called dad not knowing what to do. This morning we were going to offer $55k for the house when we thought it was on city sewer and had working water. I don't feel comfortable offering that now. Even though it would be a super lowball offer, I don't think we could justify offering more than $50k. If we have to get a new septic that would be around $5k, and by the time we pay for inspections and have the plumber come out and look at whatever the leak is, that will run $500-1.5k or so the agent estimated.

I don't know whether to keep at this place, or just let it go and keep looking. I guess we know why it hasn't sold yet. But I guess for the right price it might still be a good deal. That’s what Dad thinks, and Eduardo too. It feels like the more we learn about the house the more strikes there are against it. And they are adding up. I don't know what I think. I am getting cold feet again.

I'm trying not to get discouraged, and I don't want to give up too easily, but when is the right time to let something go? How do you predict when something is going to be much more work than you thought and you aren't prepared to handle it.?We thought this was going to b a "touch up" kind of job with paint and tile and a new roof. But now it's broken pipes and water damage, and a septic system that may or may not work. Maybe this is just the way that the kind of places we can afford are going to be. Maybe the only places we have a chance of making a profit on are going to be the ones that the more savvy investors don't want to bother with, but is that a good idea for us to get involved with something like that? We have Dad's experience which is a help for sure, and he seems totally unphased. Should I be too?

I don't know wha I think. And Dad is leaving tomorrow for Wisconsin, so we need to decided whatever tonight and let the agent know...But all I want to do is make a nice dinner and sit around and watch Christmas movies.

I'm not sure if I'm much wimpier than I thought, or if I have a legitimate excuse to feel so utterly exhausted.

The drive out here was a nightmare, Memere dying, and me not making it back it time for the funeral was stressful and disappointing, and then worrying about my work and quitting, and having enough money, and paying back our loans, and finding the right place, and deciding how much work we can handle, and what it's going to cost us, and trying to realistically anticipate the possible unexpected expenses without letting it get us down...I've just been going from one stressful thought to another for the past 6 days. Over and over, and I’m not sure how much of anything I’ve got left in me. So much for big decisions today. I am not looking forward to tomorrows pep talk.