Learning to listen

I finally realised about 2 days ago that the universe is obviously trying hard to tell me something.

First I couldn't get a bond for the full amount. The bank did say the land was worth R120 000 but they would bond it as vacant land so would only give 70% of the R120 000.  This would be under R100 000 and they do not grant bonds under R100 000. So the only way to buy the house would be cash. And I don't have enough money to buy a house cash (even after the seller dropped the price to R215 000).

Is the universe trying to give me a hint?? Yes it is. And I was just blithely ignoring it.

So I will be moving to a rental in the same village that my dream house is in. It's a small 2 bedroom, but should be adequate to keep me going until I find a house. 

I do believe that the right house is there somewhere for me. It feels so right to move to that area. I did get someone to dowse on that subject for me. And yes, right town, wrong house. Apparently my house will be available soon. So best I get my butt down there so that I am ready and waiting when it comes onto the market.

There is still so much packing to do and time is running out. Although I only move at the end of April, I need to be out of my house before then. I will be spending part of April living with my sister.

On either the afternoon of the 29th of April or the morning of the 30th April, I will be leaving Cape Town and heading for my new home in Haarlem. It's so exciting and I'm so looking forward to moving there.

I've recently done my Power Tools Beginners course at DIY Divas (http://www.diy-divas.co.za/) and do my second course on 17 April. This time I'll be doing the Basic Home Repair Course.

After my move, I will then move onto the Electrical, Plumbing, Woodworking and any other useful courses I can find. Obviously I need to do the advanced courses too. And I am really looking forward to the furniture workshops. I have so many ideas for beautiful bookcases and furniture. The ladies at DIY Divas have been great. And the Knysna branch has already contacted me to see how they can accommodate me and my needs.

Disappointment, annoyance & more obstacles

I'm feeling a little annoyed with all the banks in this country today. All banks declined my bond because of the state of the house I want to buy. You would think that the least they could do is give me an amount they would be prepared to lend and a list of the faults that made them decline it.

So are they now expecting me to apply for 20 million more bonds for this house, dropping a bit each time to find out how much they will give me? Or maybe a bond application per bank for a variety of houses that are up for sale, when I have absolutely no idea what their criteria are in terms of fixer-upper type houses.

Has anyone here ever bought  and bonded a house in really bad condition and had to fix it up. If so, how do you go about it as I'm finding that I just don't know where the fuck to start. Or maybe I'm supposed to buy one of these tiny bloody boxes in good condition since I cannot afford a large house in good condition. Eish - makes me want to cry.

My seller is prepared to drop the price. But since I don't know how much the banks will loan - how on earth do I know what to offer.

I've went through one of those bond companies. All they can tell me is that is not approved because of the valuation. They cannot give me a figure of how much they will loan me.

Answers ranged from "property not suitable for mortgage purposes" to "insufficient value found"/

And when I asked for more details, I was told the bank doesn't give full details of how much they will loan me and what exactly are the various issues with the house that make a house "not suitable for mortgage purposes".

So even shopping for another house - I have no clue what price I should look at and how much damage the house can have before the bank will write it off as "not suitable".

And I really want one of those old country houses that needs some TLC. I want to turn my house into a home that fits me and my lifestyle.

Yet another bank has declined

I found out yesterday that yet another bank has declined. They say they will only give a bond for the value of the land. They too have given the house a nil value. I advised the estate agent of this and she says she will speak to the seller about dropping the price to the value of the land.

I've also now got options of 2 rentals. One in the direct area and the other in Uniondale. Yesterday, I realised that this whole situation is not worth stressing over. So I guess I will find out in a few days if the other bank will give me a bond or if I am renting for the moment.

And honestly, I'm looking forward to whatever happens since I believe that everything will work out for the best (even if it doesn't always seem that way). Yesterday I had such a "zen" type moment when I realised this. It was just amazing to feel so good knowing that I'm not sure exactly when I'm moving or where I am moving to. To know that it will work out and I don't need to worry my pretty little head about the details.

Still waiting on other banks

I've now applied through an agency to all the banks in the country. I'm hoping that someone can see the potential in a house that is a fixer upper. This house is a heritage house that will be stunning with some work put into it.

My shock and horror that an assessor can refuse to value a house because of it's condition is still with me. Surely the man must be blind. It has a roof and walls. Is standing. Got all it's windows. And 5 bedrooms to boot. How on earth can he assign it a value of nothing.

I've now been in contact with a wonderful gentleman who's involved with the Heritage Society. He said he is contacting the Simon Van Der Stel Foundation on my behalf to see if there is any help they can give me. Possibly a letter to assist the valuator to see that this is not just some old house that should be demolished.

I'm now holding thumbs and really hoping that I can get a bond through some bank who has an assessor with some vision.

But I also have a rental house arranged in the event I don't get a bond. It's an area that I've fallen in love with and I really have no desire to give up my dream of living there. Somehow, some way, I will get a house in the Langkloof. If not now, then later.

Bond declined

My bond was declined this morning due to the house apparently being graded as derelict by the valuer. So now it's back to the drawing board.

I've asked to find out how much they valued it at in the hopes that I can come up with enough cash to pay in the balance. I've also asked my estate agent to apply to other banks in the hopes that I can get this house.

Worst case scenario is that I rent in the area and save like mad until I can afford to buy a house cash. Then I won't need to worry about banks & their silly rules.

But to be honest, I really feel like crying this morning. It's such a big setback.

Panic over although still waiting on bond approval

I got hold of my estate agent. Since the delay that is holding up my bond approval is not mine but an issue with documents from the transferring attorney (who's sorting out things with the seller), I'm relieved to hear that they won't hold me to that date for bond approval.

They'll give me 30 days after they have given me everything I need. This is a relief to hear. While still really keen to hurry up and move, at least I'm not panicking about losing my dream home. So tonight I can go home & start packing boxes (since my internet is down and so my gaming is not going to happen tonight).

I do think it will be really exciting to start packing well in advance. I can really sort through everything in the house & decide what goes in which room & mark the boxes appropriately. This will be the first time I've ever managed this as most of my moves have been rush rush moves with me packing and moving in under a month. Sometimes in under a week.

Still anxiously trying to get bond approval

I guess I should learn patience. And have faith. But I'm still chewing nails over the angst of trying to get my bond approval.

The lady selling to me was given the house by someone else. But they never did the legal paperwork. So it will be a simultaneous transfer from him to her to me. But of course the bank's assessor wants proof of all this and the transferring attorney is really really taking his time. He was asked for these documents last Friday. It's now Thursday and I am still nagging daily.

I have until 20th March to get my home loan approved but at this rate I'm worried it will never happen in time. These small town attorneys don't seem to be in a rush. My loan application has already been cancelled due to it taking so long to get these documents.

Now I have to reapply completely. Grrrr - this makes me spitting mad. If I lose this house because of the seller's attorney, I swear I will scream.

My dream home

I guess that I should give you a little view of what this dream home looks like.

The picture that had me falling in love with this house was this one:

Once I arrive in the area, I will take some more. So far I mainly took pictures of all the damp, cracks & faults. Nothing that actually gives a good view of the house inside.  But I thought since here I am, drooling about my move to my dream house, best I at least give you a peek of what has got me so excited.

My house is sold

Well, it's been a few days since I've posted. I've been chewing nails hoping that the purchasers buying my house would get their bond. Otherwise I would still have to get my house sold in a hurry.

But I got an e-mail saying that the purchasers have had their bond approved. What a relief. One more worry off my plate.

I'm still waiting on my bond approval which is taking long since my bank once a letter from the transferring attorney giving the details of the farmer and his sale to his ex-employee who is now selling to me. Eish - it's taking simply forever to get this all to a point where everything is approved and I can finalise the date for my move.

And then my DIY Diva's "beginner power tool" course has been moved to 17 April. And who knows which province I'll be living in by then (I certainly don't).

I guess this whole thing is an exercise in patience for me. But all my visualisations should help with getting everything going smoothly (if not speedily).

But since my house is sold, I can therefore begin my packing. And best I think carefully about what I will actually manage to fit into my 3 door car. Not a lot of space. And I have to fit the 3 cats in there + my pc and my laptop. I just hope there will be space for a case of clothes and all my cleaning equipment. Since I know that my new house is filthy & needs a good clean.

This afternoon should be fun. I need to phone and nag that transferring attorney to hurry up and send me the documents. I really really want everything finalised to the point where estimations of date for transfer can be given.