One Month In

First off my apologies for not blogging in the month of August, it isn't that nothing was happening in my life I just wasn't feeling up to writing. I've settled into my new place quite nicely. The first few weeks I went on a spending frenzy buying all the necessities - grill, chairs for the deck, stereo speakers, receiver, DVD player, bedroom furniture, a spare bed, a bike (OK so the bike wasn't a necessity for the house but for my health).

During the month I've re-acquainted myself with Craig's List as I realized I had stored all kinds of stuff that I no longer wanted - it's amazing what happens when you put things in storage for almost 3 years. The one thing I haven't done yet is sort through all the files and paperwork, I'm sure a lot of it can be shredded and recycled but that's a project for a rainy day.

I also hosted my first dinner party in my new place for some out of town co-workers. I realized that evening that I need to get some extra chairs for my dining room set. In my previous places I always had to put the table against a wall due to space limitations so I only had 4 chairs now that I have more room I can get 2 extra chairs. The trick will be finding chairs that will match. Pottery Barn just sent me a coupon for 10% off any purchase as a new homeowner and I'm thinking I can find 2 nice chairs there.

I'll try to do better about keeping my blog up to date during September.

Settling In

After about 20 hours of unpacking, moving, trips to the shops, etc the condo looks somewhat inhabitable. The movers did a great job and almost everything was unpacked and set up when they left after 4 hours. While items were out of boxes they still needed to be put away which takes time especially when I kept getting side tracked. I would go into one room to move something I would get distracted by what needed to be done in that room.

I took a break from all the unpacking at about 4 to do some shopping. A quick trip to the market to get essential cleaning supplies and a little food, I was shocked when the bill came to $250 and I'm sure I still need to buy more. Next to the most important item on the list - bolts to put my table together. Somehow in the move from Boston they went missing. I took a leg and measured the table and was on my way or so I thought. After getting back from the hardware store I found out that the guy helping me had given me 2 different sizes and the smaller ones wouldn't work so it was back to the store to get 8 of the same size. Imagine my frustration when I got back home to find that even the ones that were measured didn't work! At this point I have returned the Zipcar and figured I would walk to a different hardware store in the morning.

The hardware store is a mile from my house which isn't a problem except I was carrying a wooden leg with me. Of course I realized when I got there that I should have taken a bolt with me to make sure the new ones were bigger. Oh well - I got the largest bolt they had and luckily they worked. If that wasn't hard enough I then had to lift this rather heavy piece of glass onto the table without breaking it. Using the table as a lever I was able to get the glass up with no breakage.

The remainder of the day was spent running up and down the stairs to put boxes and winter stuff in my storage unit. I think by about 4 pm I have things mostly where they belong and put away. I've also find a few things that I need to sell. Very glad I paid to put them in storage and then move them across the country :)

It All Works Out in the End

I finally got the keys to the condo today at 4 PM. It was such a relief to finally have them in my hands and know that everything was worth it in the end. When I got to the condo the first thing I did was measure the space for the television. I've been worried that the 46" television I bought was too big and that the space was only 36" imagine my surprise when the space measured 44" the exact width of the television. The first of many things that have actually gone right. I never should have second guessed myself.

After getting the keys I was off to pick up a car and start moving some of my stuff over. The movers are expected at the condo between 8 and 9 tomorrow so I wanted to get most of my stuff moved over tonight so I don't have to get up too early tomorrow. I managed to book a CRV so I could take the television over. Let me tell you it's not that easy moving a 46" television on your own. It probably would have been easier to take it out of the box but I figured it had more protection in the box. By 8 pm I was exhausted. I need a good nights sleep tonight as I have a very big day ahead of me. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures to document the progress of the move.

Record Setting Day

Today was the hottest day in the history of Seattle. Temperatures at SEA-TAC reached 102 - now that's hot!

In other news after a week of anxiety and running around in circles Chase finally decided to approve my mortgage. I'm not sure if it set a record for the most run-around and incompetence ever encountered for a loan but it sure felt that way. I know that the housing market is different now but it seems like they have gone from one extreme to another. Where 3 or 4 years ago you didn't need to prove you had a job or finances and now you need to provide document upon document.

On one hand it was rather comical the stuff they kept coming back to me and asking. Yesterday I had the same conversation with 2 different people and I had the conversation with one of them earlier in the week as well.

Last week they asked for documentation that I was paying my rent in the UK, so the property manager sent an email and a letter explaining how much I paid and how long I was a tenant. The letter wasn't good enough so they had to send a form. The form asked the same questions and they gave the same answers but that was good enough. Two hours after they had received it I was told that I needed to sign the document as well and that was holding up the loan - I hadn't ever been sent the document to sign in the first place.

The worst part came at 2 PM yesterday when I get the call that they've just realized that they missed a previous condition on the loan which requires documentation of where the money that was transferred into my HSBC checking account came from. I had already sent a letter explaining all this but that wasn't good enough. Of course HSBC in the UK is closed at this point and there is nothing I can do. After freaking out for a minute I realize that I have the statements from my checking account which shows regular transfers from my checking into the savings account. I write a letter which provides the account numbers I print out 8 months worth of statements and circle every transfer from my checking to the savings account and state that the savings account was closed 60 days ago. I sign everything and send it over, of course by this time I'm shaking I'm so angry and anxious because if this doesn't work they've said they'll deny the loan. I eventually stopped shaking last night after finishing my first martini.

I have no idea why after having the paperwork for 30 days they all of sudden start realizing that they need more documentation. This has honestly been one of the more stressful things I have ever gone through in my life. I sincerely appreciate the support my friends and family have shown over the last week allowing me to vent, cry and laugh over this. Some of the funnier things that were said:

"What do they care where you lived? Maybe you were trading sexual favors for a cardboard box in someone's backyard."

"You should have told them that the money came from dealing drugs, gambling, or money laundering ."

And yes I'm very thankful that at least I won't be sharing my condo with 200 bats!

Everything appears to be in order and if all goes right I will have the keys either tomorrow or Friday which is good because all my stuff is being delivered. When I spoke to my relocation agent this afternoon she told me that they'll arrange for my stuff from MA to be delivered with the international stuff on Saturday. The driver arrived today and they unloaded everything as they knew I was having problems with the closing and they were going to waive any storage fees.

Homeless

OK I'm not really homeless but I haven't yet closed on my condo and it was supposed to happen today. On Wednesday and Thursday morning I got the bank everything they needed from me so I thought we were set. At about 10 AM today I got a phone call that information was still needed from the condo association and insurance agents. I'm not 100% sure what happened and why they were not asking for the information sooner but that's besides the point all that matters is the underwriters still need information before they'll approve the loan.

Of course my worrying gets the best of me and I start wondering whether or not this loan will ever be approved. As of now they "think" everything that has been provided that is needed but the underwriters have final say in whether or not the information provided is good enough. What completely puzzles me is that there are all these incentives to stimulate the economy and encourage home purchases but yet the lenders are making it incredibly difficult to actually purchase a place!

On the upside and surprisingly there is an upside in this, I found out this afternoon that both shipments of my possessions aren't due until August 1st at the earliest. This gives me the week to finalize things and make sure that everything is set. If the lender goes longer than Friday I really will be homeless. Luckily I have some very nice friends and co-workers and they have offered to point out the nice park benches in town for me to sleep on - some have even offered their couches! I am honestly relieved that my stuff isn't arriving until the 1st and I gave myself until the 4th at my current accommodation but I still just want everything to be finalized.

It'll Take a Miracle

Yesterday was not a good day for me. I woke up showered and checked my blackberry before heading to work. There was an email from my mortgage lender with an update on the closing which is supposed to be taking place on Friday. Starts out that the loan is out of underwriting - yippee, oh wait keep reading there is a long list of conditions and the closing needs to be pushed back a week. Pushing back a week will not work for me as I have 2 trucks with boxes of my stuff on them heading my way and they need a home.

Here's what was needed:

• A copy of the cleared check for the earnest money deposit. This was written on a Chase account so why couldn't they just pull it themselves (in the end they did).
  
• A letter from the rental agency in the UK documenting that I had been paying rent. The fact that I was paying a Chase mortgage on time every month was irrelevant they wanted to know about the rent. I am eternally grateful to the woman at the property management company that got me the letter in 30 minutes - given that the day was ending shortly this was amazing.
  
• Explanation of a large deposit that was made into my US bank account in May. This was the wire transfer from my accounts in the UK and I had already provided a description and documentation on this. Turns out they just forgot to send that information to the underwriters.
• A copy of the offer letter and transfer letter from my employer. Why this was needed I have absolutely no idea.
  
• Additional bank statements from Sovereign Bank. Turns out the statements I downloaded online didn't have my name on them. Ordinarily I would just go on-line and reprint the items but when I was home over the weekend I closed the accounts. I called Sovereign they needed me to mail them a letter and a check to get the statements this would have taken about 2 weeks! Thankfully my sister still had some statements and was able to scan them in and get them to me first thing this morning.

Last thing I heard the paperwork should be at escrow by noon tomorrow as they are putting rushes on absolutely everything. The disappointing bit is that given that it is after noon the sale won't be able to be recorded until Monday which means I don't get the keys until Monday - BOO! I find it a little odd that I will be signing all the paperwork, paying money but still not have the keys. I haven't yet heard from the movers saying that the stuff will be delivered in 48 hours so I think I'm ok - still keeping my fingers crossed though.

Random Thoughts

It is funny how quickly you forget things. Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in about 2 months and was at a loss while looking at the equipment. No I hadn't forgotten how to use the equipment I wasn't sure what I should be using for weight settings. You see in London the weights are all listed in KG while here they are in pounds. After some trial and error I think I managed to come up with the right weights on most of the stuff.

I checked on the status of my shipment of stuff from London and it has officially reached the US and should be arriving on my doorstep next week. Perfect timing as I am scheduled to close on Friday, at the moment they're saying that I can sign and get the keys all on Friday which would be great.