STARTING TO GET SETTLED IN!!! PHOTO UPDATE OF MY DECORATING PROGRESS

I'm finally starting to get settled in. With the exception of the den, which will be a small home gym, the first floor is complete. I wasn't able to do any painting and I haven't hung any curtains because I don't have enough window treatments to cover all of the windows yet. We're currently using the Redi Shades that I purchased before hand, but my overall goal is to purchase permanent fabric shades and different curtain variations (valances, roman shades, & drapes). I'm not sure when we will paint so I decided to go ahead and dress the walls. I'm pretty happy with the overall décor....just wish the walls had some color. I did some touch-up painting because we marked-up the hallway walls as we carried the furniture upstairs--it was a little more work that I expected and helped me realize that painting the entire house is a bigger job than I can handle on my own so I'll have to wait until who knows when to get some color :-(  Otherwise, things are going pretty well; I'm hoping to get the upper level finished within the next two weeks. Here are some photos of what the house looks like so far:

Partial Update

Hello All,

I haven't had time to post or even read other bloggers posts. We moved into the house on 13,14, &15 (NOT EVEN CLOSE TO A SMOOTH MOVE...had the largest U-Haul truck but still needed to load twice and since the new house is 4 hours away from the old house it was an awful experience). Then I received word that my father, who had been battling lung cancer, was not doing well. So we dropped everything and rushed to Maryland. We got there just in time. I arrived at the hospital a midnight. (the doctors gave me the ok to spend the night). My dad passed away at 3:16 am on 12/21/13.....


I just got back home yesterday so I will give a more cheerful update sometime in January.

Have a Happy New Year...

WE CLOSED!!!..........WAIT, NO KEYS :-(

Well, today was quite eventful!
 
We were already told that we would not receive the keys immediately at closing because we chose to use a different lender and closing attorney. They said that we wouldn't get the keys until the wired funds could be confirmed and the sale had been recorded (a few hours after closing). --Okay...I can handle that considering the fact that my using a different lender and closing attorney is saving me a substantial amount of money. Well....if only it was that simple!
 
My husband came home last week so I've been very busy ;-) Although he is here we knew that he would not be able to attend closing. He has to take the mandatory "Warrior Transition" classes so driving 4.5 hours for closing was not an option. We got a special power of attorney drafted so that I could sign the closing documents for him. WELL GUESS WHAT I DID! I left the original power of attorney in the scanner at the library!
 
I get to the closing table after driving 4.5 hours and having only 4 maybe 5 hours of sleep (I was so excited that I couldn't sleep) only to discover that I didn't have the original POA. Can you imagine how I felt? Oh, and did I forget to mention the fact that my rate lock expires tonight at midnight (Our locked rate is 3.5%... today's rates are closer to 4.25%)... EXACTLY!!! I felt so defeated that I just started crying! Here I had been so organized and thorough up until now, but now...when it really matters, I dropped the ball!
 
I THANK GOD that the attorney I selected was compassionate and willing to work with me!!! Since she had a copy of the POA, she was willing to let me "close", but she said that it could not be recorded until she had the original POA. I called the library and they still had the POA so I called my husband and he was able to go pick it up and Fed Ex overnight it to the attorney. She will get the document some time tomorrow and will record it at that time.

So, while I don't have keys, I am still a homeowner! The crazy thing is that I really don't need the keys because my PM already gave me access to the house ( he gave me the garage door openers & he left that door unlocked). So it all worked out in the end---the only problem is that I had to reschedule my refrigerator delivery and the next available opening wasn't until NEXT Friday ( the 20th), but its okay because we have a deep freezer and my husband has a mini frig that he used to keep at work...we'll just have to make do with those until the new frig is delivered.
 
I'll spend the next few days packing the rest of my house and my husband and I will do a DITY move (do-it-yourself) on Friday. I'll check back in with you all after I get partially settled in.

APPRAISAL DONE!!!

I'm so happy! The only thing that could stand in the way of me and my house was the appraisal. Well, I can thank God now....because it's done and it's higher than the price so we are good to go. Next stop pre-settlement meeting and closing!

Oh....and I also bought my refrigerator today. Home Depot has a sale that ends December 4th so I bought the fridge and schedule the delivery for the day after my closing.

EVERYTHING IS PRACTICALLY DONE...JUST COUNTING DOWN

I went to the house this weekend and it looks finished to me. My SR said that they may still need to do a few touch ups but I didn't see where anything needed to be touched so I guess that's a good thing. I looked at the oven model number to see if it had been switched yet, but it wasn't. I won't make a big deal out of it....I'll check to make sure its be switched at my pre-settlement meeting.

I meant more neighbors and talked more with the neighbors I meant on my last trip. I'm very happy with the way the house looks and I can't wait to move in!!!

A FEW MORE PICTURES FROM MY REALTOR....

AND THEN THERE WAS GRASS!!

Courtesy of the Yomara--the best neighbor ever: