Just a few short days ago, I posted a blog entitled "House Hunting". I officially began my search on December 12, 2008 (listed in my day planner as the day of the virgin of Guadalupe). The month of December did not see much progress as I was trepidacious and moved with all the speed of cold molasses. The last two weeks of the year and the start of this year were "distractions" due to the Christmas and New Year seasons, which were then followed by the season of my unrelenting laziness (due to the shock and awe of high prices, even higher personal tastes, and the latent understanding of my limited funds). Somehow in all of this lack of progress, I managed to fall in love with a particular house, which I went and toured on Saturday, January 17 (the first place that I had actually seen in person). Although we saw a couple of other places that first day, the property that I had fallen for was head and shoulders above the others. I made an initial offer that was rejected very quickly. I took this to mean that the current owners wanted more money, would not settle for less (as I had low-balled them given my limited budget - see above note), and wanted to kick me (hard) in the knees. I walked away without blinking an eye, using my best poker face. Onward and upward and all that rot. A few days later the home owners grew restless and perturbed. Why isn't he dickering? Doesn't this man know how to play this game? He is not allowed to just walk away without playing. It turns out that my ignorance of the rules of the negotiation were a blessing. The owners were so blown away by my unflinching demeanor that they accepted my initial offer. The papers are signed, the die is cast, and I am, once again, a land owner. Thanks to God's abounding grace, I was able to purchase my dream home. Thanks to my prayers and those of my friends, the work of finding a place is done and I have a good measure of peace and excitement about the future.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The End is Here
Just a few short days ago, I posted a blog entitled "House Hunting". I officially began my search on December 12, 2008 (listed in my day planner as the day of the virgin of Guadalupe). The month of December did not see much progress as I was trepidacious and moved with all the speed of cold molasses. The last two weeks of the year and the start of this year were "distractions" due to the Christmas and New Year seasons, which were then followed by the season of my unrelenting laziness (due to the shock and awe of high prices, even higher personal tastes, and the latent understanding of my limited funds). Somehow in all of this lack of progress, I managed to fall in love with a particular house, which I went and toured on Saturday, January 17 (the first place that I had actually seen in person). Although we saw a couple of other places that first day, the property that I had fallen for was head and shoulders above the others. I made an initial offer that was rejected very quickly. I took this to mean that the current owners wanted more money, would not settle for less (as I had low-balled them given my limited budget - see above note), and wanted to kick me (hard) in the knees. I walked away without blinking an eye, using my best poker face. Onward and upward and all that rot. A few days later the home owners grew restless and perturbed. Why isn't he dickering? Doesn't this man know how to play this game? He is not allowed to just walk away without playing. It turns out that my ignorance of the rules of the negotiation were a blessing. The owners were so blown away by my unflinching demeanor that they accepted my initial offer. The papers are signed, the die is cast, and I am, once again, a land owner. Thanks to God's abounding grace, I was able to purchase my dream home. Thanks to my prayers and those of my friends, the work of finding a place is done and I have a good measure of peace and excitement about the future.
