Now that I'm done raving about my real estate agent.
Closing is on 31 May, so Shelly will take care of that for me while I'm out of pocket. We went through the inspection yesterday morning. I think I've never read an inspection report that was so...clean. There was a smoke detector downstairs that wasn't working; he fixed that quick enough with new batteries. The HVAC needs cleaning and servicing, and there are a couple of points where there are hot wires protruding from the ceiling. All of these will be taken care of at owner's expense.
The back privacy fence needs some weatherproofing, the deck has some spots that are going soft, and the driveway has cracked. None of them are unserviceable, but they will definitely give me something to do this summer.
Sherry told me during the inspection that the seller's agent had mentioned that the seller might be willing to part with some of the downstairs furniture. So...I walked around and made some notes of the bits I might be willing to haggle over, including an almost-new bear claw solid oak table with an 18" leaf. There's also a barrister's cabinet that's in pretty sad shape, but I think it will be fun to refinish it (I've done such work before, but not on barrister's cabinets). He asked for $40 for it, but it's really, well, unusable until I spent a lot of time and effort on it. I took it for $20. It will be a fun project.
So anyhow, I went over this afternoon to talk with the owner about his furniture and for him to show me how to use and drain his sprinkler system. He isn't military, as I thought, or even retired military. He's just retired. It just so happens that he and his wife are moving to Arizona to be closer to their daughter, who is buying them a home. The new home will be much smaller than the current one, so they're downsizing and he confessed that there are many things in the basement that he'd like to sell but honestly, he really just doesn't want to be bothered to move them out of the basement.
Among other things, he asked if I was interested in the rather large treadmill they have there for $100. I said I was very interested. The table goes for $200, more or less, which after some research online strikes me as a more than reasonable price. There are a few other items, too. A couple that I had my eye on are antiques that I've been told I "can't afford." :) Darn. At least I have good taste.
There's a beautiful china hutch upstairs in the dining room, and I suggested that he might not have room for that in his new home, either. He grinned at me and said, "I think we will." :) He said his grandfather gave that to his grandmother on their wedding day in 1907.
Wow. Again...at least I have good taste.
He readily admitted he doesn't have authority to haggle, so I'm returning this evening to discuss this with the boss. I've decided to offer her $350 for the items I really want, and to leave them the option of leaving any furniture they don't want (they don't have any junk; I just don't necessarily don't want to buy it). If I don't want it or can't find a use for it, I'll find it a good home. This way, they get some money for some of the pieces they really just don't want to move anyway, and they aren't pressured to get anyone to move (or to pay to have moved) anything they don't particularly want and/or won't have room for, even if I haven't paid for it.
I spent about thirty minutes with the gentleman, and found I quite like him. He promised to leave the rusty plow in the front rock garden and said he might even get around to restaining the handles for additional weatherproofing. He pointed out that he's been trying to get me some grass growing in the front (not easy in Colorado), but doesn't recommend I water the back, as it has native Colorado grass that's tough as nails. He demonstrated how the key works for the gas fireplace, as well.
All in all, this is being a very amiable sale. I like him and it seems he likes me. I'm assured I'm getting a home that has been cared for and he's assured he's selling it to someone who will take good care of it.
Did I mention that all the upstairs closets have cedar floors? Yes. The master bath is a 3/4 bath, but the shower is a double shower--not one of those tiny claustophobic things. The garage has well-constructed shelves lining the sides and back. The deck, in addition to going across the back, goes along the side of the house, as well, and there's a storage shed on the other side.
I really must upload some pics so y'all can see.
d
Much later, same evening:
I went by with Shelly between 6 and 6:30, as requested. I was greeted by Linda, aka "the boss." She was tickled to meet me, just as he had been. Normally, you don't meet the buyers until closing. I'm sure this is by design, too. Sherry had shown up to introduce Ron and me initially, which had given me the "go ahead." I apologized for interrupting their dinner, and promised to not stay for long. I began by telling Linda that the asking price for the oak table had been $200, which seemed more than reasonable to me. At this point she interrupted:
"Just a minute. I've been thinking about that. You're being so nice letting us stay here until the 23d that I don't want it on my conscience. Let's just make that $100." I asked her if she was sure, and she said more definitely that she was. She seemed pleased with her decision. Not that I was inclined to argue, anyway.
We went downstairs to look at the furniture while we discussed it. Just for pleasure, we discussed the two pieces she didn't want to let go. One turned out to be a sewing cabinet with a folding leaf. It's an antique, of course. She got it for $2 and refinished it herself. The other piece was a large storage chest. She said it's an 1810 model; it probably came over in a ship or covered wagon. Ron had lined it with cedar and she stored all her quilts and such in it. I don't blame her for not letting it go, although Shelly and I were drooling madly over it. Anyhow...after she dropped the price of the table, the total for the furniture I wanted enough to pay for was $265. I told her I'll put a check in the mail when I get home. I didn't try to bring her down anymore. I'm already getting a steal, IMO. I told her she could leave anything she didn't want to move, and it was as though I had just said the magic words. She said, "Oh! That is such a load off our minds! Let's make a list of the things we need to leave, then. The table, the treadmill, both beds and bedding, both of the loveseats, maybe a set of shelves, the small storage chest, one of the cane-bottomed chairs...." I think they just adopted me right there. They were most interested in not having to deal with moving many of their belongings or, for that matter, to mess with selling it. Now they have complete freedom, when they visit their home-to-be in a few weeks, to determine what they want to take and what they don't want to take without having to worry about what they're going to do with it if they don't take it.
I'll send them a check when I get home, as well as a means to reach me if they need to discuss anything further.
Sherry called about twenty minutes later to ask how the negotiations went. I told her the story and she pointed out that, by accepting their furniture, I have accepted them. They're happy leaving me in their home--which is what it feels like, no doubt, even though I'm buying it. All of this is just so...fortuitous.
Win-win. Lucky me and lucky them.
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