The End Of Short Sale Hell

This one anyway.

It finally happened! At day 129 we CLOSED!

At day 99 I thought I would run screaming from any buyer or seller who uttered the words "short sale". As with most things that cause me grief, once they are over they don't seem so bad. I look back on it all and know that I would do it all again.

I had some great adventures with this buyer and I gained a friend in the process. Over the course of more than a year we looked at MANY homes together and have gathered many tales.

At the closing table Friday we recounted some of those stories. My favorite was one I have referred to previously. The only time I have run from a house screaming!

It was an old, empty house in Newmarket. Built in the 1800's. With all the quirks and features you might expect from a house of that era. We entered through the back into the kitchen. And a strange kitchen it was. A large open room with a stove that stuck out like a sore thumb. And nothing else. Oh, except for the closet. Yes, the closet with a toilet in it. Just a toilet.

I was having great fun telling my buyer just why I was not going to let her buy this house. Pointing out the stand up shower that graced the once dining room off the kitchen, the upstairs hall with floors like a fun house. Teasing about the piano that would start playing on it's own at any moment. We really were having great fun!

Even after all the laughter and jokes of ghosts and goblins, we ventured to the dark creepy basement. With an old field stone foundation, dirt floors and NO light, I exclaimed "This is where the bodies are buried!". And just at that moment, from somewhere in a deep, dark corner that appeared to have a giant hole dug into the floor, came a sound.... A growl reminiscent of something Stephen King would conjure.

I wish I could have seen her face as she turned to me and screamed "GET THE ______ OUT!" and proceeded to nearly run me over. She didn't have to tell me twice. As a matter of fact, she didn't need to tell me at all as I took the stairs two at a time and headed straight for the exit.

By the time we got out we were both laughing hysterically, but neither of us were interested in anything other than locking that door and getting the hell out of there. I can only imagine how absolutely uproarious it would have been for the neighbors to see us screaming out of there.

I didn't realize until the closing table that from there we went to the first showing on what would become the dreaded short sale! Maybe the previous event caused her to decide she had had enough.

Whatever it was, whatever happened along the way, I had a great time! And I would definately do it all again!