Simply Norma

We finally signed the papers for the new house in Lake Elmo. We almost didn’t close because the relocation company hadn’t signed their HUD settlement paperwork. That’s a piece of paper that tells everyone how much they owe and what credits they have.

Most of the things in our apartment have already been moved over to the new house. Tomorrow we return the apartment keys.

Here are some pictures of the new house. It needs painting to match our taste better but we don’t need to do it right away.

We were quite surprised to see that we had a lake view as it was not mentioned anywhere. We’ll be trimming a few trees to get more of the lake view.

It’s a little odd that the guest room is tiled to match the tiles in the main floor bathroom. Across from the guest room is a two-person shower – again, another surprise as we hadn’t noticed it when we first viewed the house.

We’ll have to christen the house with this champagne much as one would christen a boat.

We also have deeded access to a lake. It’s a small area but it’s sandy so one can go and sit, swim or take a canoe out in the lake. Or — one could fish.

Now we wait for our furniture to arrive from Seattle in 10 days or so.

Tomorrow is the day we sign on the dotted line for the Lake Elmo house. Well, assuming that everything goes well at the walk-through.

A walk-through is when you go to the house you’re going to buy and check to make sure everything is still there just like it was when you first walked through the house and fell in love with it. Sometimes, sellers take things they aren’t supposed to — like washers, dryers, appliances, etc. even though they agreed to leave it there.

After the walk-through, you go to the title company and sign closing papers. You hand over a lot of money for the house or your lender does and you have a mortgage. Then you sign a bunch of paperwork and get keys for the house. The house is then yours.

One thing that a lot of people don’t think about is changing the locks on the house when they move in. This is important to do because the previous owners may have given keys out to friends or family.

So – one of the first things I’ll have done is to have the locks changed (assuming all goes as planned and we actually have a house tomorrow).

Today was spent cleaning the 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment that we have rented for the last 5 1/2 months. Everything has to be clean in order for us to get our deposit back. Things such as:

• Tubs
• Toilets
• Tile
• Floors
• Vacuuming all carpet
• Window blinds
• Stovetop and oven
• Refrigerator
• All cabinets inside and out

I’m sure there’s more. I’m very tired. This is the 2nd time in 6 months that I’ve had to clean everything in the place we lived – first a house, now an apartment.

My next large project will be cleaning the new house.

We received the bids from the contractors who will be installing the new septic system after we move into the new house in Lake Elmo. The seller kept telling us that no trees would be affected but both contractors said there is the possibility that trees will be affected.

One contractor said that as far down the road as 5-10 years, it is possible the trees affected may die or have stunted growth. The bushes in the area where the new drain field is going to be may not come back for 5-6 years.

Taking all of that into consideration, we decided to ask for the higher amount of the bids to do the work and 50% more to be put in escrow in case something comes up during the actual work after we close on the house.

The sellers said no. The relocation company can’t have anything in escrow and the sellers are not willing to put additional money towards work that may or may not be necessary. So, we told them we would cancel the contract.

There are unforeseen things that can go wrong with installation of a septic.

Minutes later, our agent told us they would be willing to pay 25% more instead of the 50% more. We went ahead and agreed to that.

This house has its difficulties. Besides the septic, unlicensed work was done by the seller and we have no way of going into walls and checking that the plumbing and electrical he did is to code. Many owners do work on their houses. But, the messy condition of the house also made it difficult for our inspector to look at certain areas.

So, we aren’t willing to take on more risk.

But – things seem to be flowing again. We still do not have a clear title, an inspection addendum that they should have signed and then the walkthrough on Friday morning. We’re hoping they have all the window screens in place so we don’t have to put them up to check to make sure they are working and in good condition. And, originally the sellers wanted to take the washer and dryer with them but we negotiated keeping that so hopefully those are there too.

We sign papers after we walk through the house on Friday morning. If all goes well, we should have keys in hand by 1:00. If not, the house hunting process will start all over again.

Another glitch in the process of buying a house. Seems that the house has to have a septic tank and draining field moved. After discussion, we’ve decided to continue in the process. After we buy the house, we need to have a new septic system installed — the design and bids are already in hand.

We’ve been told that the trees on the property will not be affected but I don’t know how anyone can predict the mood of trees once they are disturbed so we are requesting that extra money be set aside in escrow for that potentiality.

When we arrived at the apartment Sunday evening from a weekeend trip to Fargo, a letter had been placed under our door by the apartment caretaker.

The letter said “Routine Maintenance/Spring Time Pest Inspection” and informed us of our inspection time Monday between 1 pm and 3 pm.

The receipt of this letter is interesting because earlier in the year, the apartment complex gave us a “Resident Handbook” which explicitly states that we are responsible for any “pests” in our apartment.

Monday morning, I heard the caretaker of our building vacuuming the halls. I peeked outside my door and called to her. She came over and I asked her if the whole building was having a spring inspection. She said no. Only our apartment, the one above, the one next to it and the one on the third floor above the 2nd floor apartment was going to have an inspection.

Hmmmm … interesting.  She then informed me that the reason for the inspection is to check for bed bugs as the caretaker who lives above me has found some in her apartment. The caretaker who lives above me then showed up in the hallway. (Two caretakers live in the building I’m in.) She then came over and told me that the apartment complex wanted to charge her $2500 to fumigate her apartment four times. She has done everything she could and has thrown out beds, sofas, etc. She is scheduled to move to a different building the end of this month.

I found it rather interesting that the letter made no mention of bed bugs but only of a routine maintenance.  Having worked in property management, I’d never heard of such a thing.

So — I called the office and spoke with one of the leasing agents there. This particular woman has always been very nice to me but lately there is tension since they have forced us to leave then turned around and begged us to stay.

Me: I received a letter for routine maintenance/pest inspection and I’d like to cancel the appointment.

She: Oh, I don’t know anything about it. (Speaks to someone in background) Oh yes, there is an appointment scheduled for you today.

Me: I know, I’m calling to cancel it.

She: There’s an appointment scheduled for today.

Me: I know, I’m calling to cancel it. (Did she not hear me I wonder?)

She: (muffled sounds as she speaks to someone else) Well we scheduled the appointment for today. It’s this afternoon.

Me: And I’m calling to cancel the appointment. (Am I audibly speaking I wonder?)

She: When are you moving?

Me: (Really? They don’t know that? They’ve threatened eviction and they don’t know that?) I’m moving Friday.

She: Oh – okay, well, we’ll cancel the appointment.

At 1:00 pm, the time that the inspection was supposed to start, I hear a knock on the door. Opening the door, I find a young man with the name of a pest company on his shirt. He tells me he knows we canceled our appointment but that he’s checking for bed bugs in the apartment above me. “Have you had any bites on your body?” he asks.  No, I respond.

He thanks me and goes away.

I hear nothing else until 9:00 pm when there’s another knock on the door. The caretaker who lives next door to me wants to let me know that she overheard people speaking in the office that the inspection company will be back out today.

I thank her as she has been very helpful while I’ve lived here.

It’s too bad — too bad that the apartment complex treats people, both tenants and employees, the way they do.