So now comes the money. Some friends suggested to start with a really low offer on the house since there is so much that still needs to be done to make it livable. My husband wants to offer full price and give them our two children just in case they reconsidered. Someone’s a little excited! I suggested we meet in the middle and in goes that offer only to find out the sad news that someone else wants the house, too. The battle begins against a couple from DC. Who’s going to win the old country home? The city folk or the mountain folk. Within hours, which felt like weeks, we negotiated to the final price. Full price, not contingent on selling our current home….and our two kids. I guess my husband was right. So we waited… and waited… and waited to see if the DC couple would come back with something better. The results came in and we won! We got rid of the kids! Oh wait… I mean we got the house! The other couple were contingent on selling their current home and lost the battle. The house was ours! In comes the signed contract and in big bold letters “AS IS CONDITION”… uh oh.

So now comes the dreaded inspection. Roof, poor condition, needs to be replaced immediately, cost major. Electric, needs to be replaced immediately, cost major. Chimneys, needs to be fixed immediately, cost major. Page after page, needs to be replaced immediately, cost major. I threw up in my mouth a little bit. So with what already seems like $40K in “immediate replacement” actions, we risked asking for the sellers to pay some more cash. When the sellers realtor received the addendum she reminded us that the house is “AS IS CONDITION.” They came back offering only $4K towards closing. Better something then nothing!

Roof Replacement- $20K. Electric to be rewired throughout the house- $8K. Septic failed needs to be replaced- $3K. Water bacteria test failed- $300. We knew we were buying an old house that needed renovations. But we didn’t want it to all happen in a weekend.

Oh yeah… we still haven’t sold our current house.