Called a Realtor

Actually called a realtor today. I chose Century 21 because it’s up the block from me, so it will be as convenient as possible. Aren’t I discriminating, and didn’t I do my research? The realtor is willing to work for a 3% commission since I’m paying the commission and he doesn’t have to show me houses. The realtor recommended a finance company, which called me fifteen minutes later. He thinks he can get me about 5.8%, which is about what I’ve been quoted elsewhere.

My biggest concern at this point is money. With an FHA loan I only have to put 2.5% down, but I’ll still have closing costs plus the agent’s fee. It’s starting to look like this:

Down payment:            $3000

Other closing costs      $4000

Realtor                  $5000

------------------------------

                        $13000

I will have $13000 in the bank on May 1. Can we say trouble? Our closing date is currently May 26. By that time I should have

Wait a sec. School closes in early May, so I should get paid the second week in May. By closing I should have $16000 in the bank.

Thank goodness. That will leave me enough money for the foreseeable future.

(Later) I’ve been on the phone with my old supervisor discussing summer pay. She’s explained how to maximize my summer contract as much as possible. If I can get what she’s suggested to fly I should get more for summer than I thought, which will be enough to pay my bills. If I can hold out until September everything will be OK.

And I can always do eBay, or get a part-time job somewhere.

Plus I’m about to have a blow-out garage sale. I’m going to talk to R. tomorrow, and I’m going to volunteer to clean out her house. I’ll get everything ready for a garage sale, and the night before the garage sale she can haul off whatever she likes. In return for the house-cleaning service I can keep a portion of the proceeds of the sale. It sounds like a good deal, and I’m hoping she agrees. If she does I’m buying boxes on Thursday so I can get started on Sunday. (I have a party to go to on Saturday, so I can’t do much then.)

Mom also has a ton of stuff to contribute to the garage sale, from the grandmothers' homes. My paternal grandmother particular netted about thirty boxes. This garage sale will give us an opportunity to clean the house out. I wish we had more time, I’d like to clean out our garage as well.

I think we’ll arrange everything on tables by price. We’ll have a .25 cent table, a .50 cent table, a 1.00 table, a 3.00 table, a 5.00 table, and an over 5.00 table. This will make it very easy for Mom and R. to proof whatever I have done.

So now, when I should be playing finances I’m playing home decorating instead. My ideas for the house, which have been ALL over the place, are starting to come together. I want to work on my color schemes tonight, pinpointing the basic colors I want in each room. That will be the starting place. Who knows where I’ll go?