Wednesday, April 30, 2014

I am homeless

I am homeless and in disbelief.  It was so surreal to meet the buyer at the closing and hand over our keys, then realize that my home is not my home anymore.  I am so incredibly sad.  I made sure it was as perfect as possible...patching all nail and screw holes, repainting the patches, repainting the trim where it was dirty. 
The day before the closing flew by.  The movers broke our front screen door (of course!) so the buyers will have to deal with that repair - paid for by the moving company.  What a mess.  At least everything else looked good.
    
Ashford was very disoriented with all the empty rooms.  I felt so bad that he probably won't remember this place.  I hope my pictures do it justice one day when he's curious. 
He was especially confused by the lack of toys in his room!  I love this photo.
I also love this room! 
I was feeling very rushed and frantic the afternoon before, knowing that it was my last chance to take a family photo in the house before it wasn't ours anymore.  My tripod was MIA, so I had to improvise with setting the camera on the fireplace mantel and using my flash instead of taking a photo outside like I wanted to.  Ugh, it is better than nothing I guess.
Dorky photography side note: while I love that my speedlight flash makes impossible photos possible, it also completely changes the look of the scene. For instance, this is what the living room actually looked like at this very moment....way different!
My mom came by and we were just aimlessly wandering around thinking "Is this real life?"  She took care of Ashford while Shaun and I were getting a couple things done...
And she took a photo of us out on the deck.  I'm really done with this gray, cold weather.    
I'm anxious.  I feel like I need some positive feedback from the buyers on the house, which is silly.  Obviously they love it, or they wouldn't have bought it.  I guess I care too much about what people think!  Or maybe it will just take some time for me to let it go.  On our new home front, things are not going well. 
We had the inspection, and the entire roof needs replacing NOW due to several rows of shingles missing and daylight visible from the attic.  I found out from an insurance company that there was a claim on the home last year that was paid out for 12k...presumably for a new roof.  Here is one of several 'bad roof' photos from the inspection.  Yikes!
The owners took the insurance money and let the house go into foreclosure.  Now, we are asking the bank to replace the roof because we don't think we can even get homeowners insurance without a new roof at closing.  Drama!  Safe to say we probably won't be closing on time, which means more time living in my parent's basement.  Glamorous.  I will keep you posted!   

13 comments:

  1. Love the blog entry! I don't even know you, but it makes me kinda sad that I wont be able to see new corners and updates with this house. At least you're kind enough to clean your house for the new owners. When we bought our house, it was a disaster!! Not to mention, I believe the previous owners put a blind fold over their eyes in the 80s and kept it there, because the style in this house was a mess! I hope that you got what you were asking for, if not close to what you were asking for, for your house. As for your roof, believe it or not, the same sort of thing happened to the house that we purchased. I tell you what, roofing repairs are A LOT easier when they are at the top of the roof, rather than the bottom. Hope it's easy for you and everything goes smoothly.

    I do have a few questions though, and I'm sure you haven't thought about this, but are you planning on changing the name of your blog?

    Second,what is it that you and your mom put in your hair to make it look so pretty? I don't want to sound like some creepy old man, but I have long, to my butt hair, and it's naturally curly/wavy like yours, but if I let it go natural it's a frizzy mess. So, I either straighten it or have it up in a messy bun most of the time.

    Can't wait to see new updates on the new house. When are you expected to close? Hopefully it's not too far away.

    Best of luck to you and your family! :)

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  2. I'm sure the new owners really appreciate all the effort you put into getting the house ready for them. It was definitely above and beyond what most people would do. I spent almost 5 hours cleaning the frig in the last place we bought :(

    It's tough leaving a place you loved so much and put so much time and energy into making your own (not to mention $$). It will always be a special home to you, but time will help with the sadness you're feeling right now. As much hassle as the new house is right now with the roof mess, it'll all be taken care of, and you'll have lots of projects to do after you've lived in it for a while and figured out how it'll work best for you guys.

    Glad you're posting and please keep it up as time allows. You always have such positive energy - you'll get through this!!

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  3. I'm so sorry Sara :( That sucks donkey balls about the roof at your new house and it must be just the most awful feeling to be in transition and have so much up in the air - especially with a nearly 2 year old along for the ride.

    I had SUCH big attachments to the houses I lived in when I was little. I have lived in so many by this point (17 I think between houses, apartments, college, etc) and when I was younger and we moved from the house I had lived in the longest I was DEVASTATED. It honestly took me many, many years to get over not being so sad (I know, how pathetic, right?), but now I look back on that house with possibly the fondest memories out of all of them because of how special it was to me - there is no sadness anymore, just total happiness. It'll suck so hard for a little while for you because you made it into your first home with you and Shawn, and then your first home as a family, but in the not so distant future you'll look back for the same reason and just be really, awesomely proud of yourself and happy. I promise.

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  4. good luck with the new house - i hope that everything works out for you (and quickly!).

    ugh, we are handing over the keys to our stl house at the end of the month and i know i'm going to have a difficult time with it. it's funny how we can work so very hard on something, and be so completely consumed by it, and then just walk away... i've been trying to think of it as just "the house" now, instead of "our home". we are all moving on to different (and hopefully better) things! :)

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  5. You're so great to clean the house and do all the touch ups. I'm not the buyer, but seriously, thank you!

    Sorry that you're leaving your first home, and thanks for sharing it with us:)

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  6. OH NO!!! If I lived closer I'd send my father in law right over (Roofing family over here). That totally stinks and shame on those homeowners!

    If your new home owners don't get the praise to you that you deserve let me just say this - your home has always inspired me and you've wowed me with each and EVERY reno you've done!!!

    I hope this new home issue gets sorted out quickly so you don't have to live in the basement for too long!

    Worst case, come visit with me and my hubby and we'll let you live there rent free if you help me demo stuff! ox :)

    Listening to you talk about your home, that you've sold, makes me more calm about closing on Monday. I feel bad that we are purchasing a home from a family with three kids, even though I know they want out, and wanted to sell - I know memories are a huge thing, especially with children. I know your little man will LOVE seeing all the photos of mommy and daddy's HARD work and he'll know he's moving from one amazing home renoed with love, to a 2nd one that will be nothing short of the same! ox

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  7. Aw...I just got a little weepy reading this and seeing all the empty rooms!! They were lucky to buy such a beautiful home, especially from someone who took such pride in it. Think about how excited they are...they are probably sitting on the floor, eating a pizza and sharing a glass of wine right now, thinking of the future laying before them.

    Just like you probably did that first night!!

    Your next big leap is in front of you....it is going to be great!
    Janice

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  8. Thank you so much, everyone! Your comments make me so happy, and I will definitely continue to blog at Russet Street Reno, even though I don't live there anymore....at least for now.

    Janelle - Your comment made me laugh! My mom and I have VERY different hair, hers is much curlier and very coarse, mine is super fine and looser curls. I actually am very low maintenance, I use Fructis Curl shaping spray gel and that is absolutely it! I leave the house with it wet, no drying or heat styling. My mom loves Curls Rock Amplifier, and I also love that product. The best thing is just don't touch your hair too much, that invites the frizz. I imagine that is hard with such long hair! Thanks so much for reading.

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  9. Hey Sara;
    Along with everyone else your blog made me sad for your little family leaving your beautiful home. But I can't wait to see all of the wonderful things you will create on your new home! You're having a bit of a rough start, but hopefully it starts getting wonderful! Your roof. My main complaint with the insurance company paying out BEFORE the work is done is that they insure the house. How can they not do their due diligence and make sure that the house is protected? If you lose a ring etc and take the money without replacing it fine...but a structural part of the home? Jumping off my soapbox now, and hoping the bank steps up! Chin up young person!
    Wendy

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  10. oh goodness gracious, how sucky about the roof. Fingers crossed that everything falls into place soon.

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  11. Oh my gosh the house is soo soo clean and nice for the new owners! You have nothing to worry about!!

    Sorry about the roof on your new house though...that sucks when people cheat the system like that and others end up paying for it!

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  12. Ugh - the roof thing? So annoying. A similar thing happened to Ryan's grandma before she passed. Had some hail damage and got paid out from the insurance company. She was starting to get dementia and was adamant that she didn't want her roof done. No one really knows what happened to the money. when they just sold the house, they ended up selling to someone knowing that the roof needed to be replaced But it was just too bad because it's needed it for years.

    I love seeing all of the empty rooms and love that you thought to get a photo of your family and little man. Wish Id have done that in our last house.

    Best of luck with everything, friend. I know it will all come together.

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  13. Sara -- I hate that this process is such a beat down!!!! your old house was pure perfection, and i can't wait to see what you do in your new home....bc you will be in that home SOON! and all this will just be a 'funny hiccup' ;)

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Thanks so much for reading....your comments mean a lot to me!
Sara