Well my relaxing Christmas away for a few days now has become over the top exhausting! I received a call yesterday from our home builder's realtor and she said the builder wants to close on our new home on 12/30! (the extended date was for 12/31, but from what we saw of the home recently it was no where near being finished, so we are in shock!). She claims the house will be done and have the CO and the builder could not do a 12/31 closing. We were sure the house wouldn't close until sometime in January.
It's funny because last week I discovered the builder installed the carpeting with some version of upgraded padding and also started to put in the tile backsplash I chose WITHOUT EVEN TELLING ME WHAT THE PRICES WOULD BE!! Also- we were told by the kitchen carpenter that there was an issue with a section of the soffit and the builder claims it took care of itself. Wait. What? This is not how things went through most of the home building process! Now he is rushing through? And I have no choice out to pay now whether or not I think the prices are too high? SMH..
So- I proceeded to call the Inn where we were staying for XMAS because we could not stay up there for two whole weeks due to the expense of it, plus we would have several days with nothing to do. So they moved us to a 12/28 check in for the same number of days we had reserved- but at $60 per day more for the same room! Thanks a lot! We had no choice because we would have lost all our money if we totally cancelled. The I tacked on a few more days at a Comfort Inn so we could maybe get a few things done in the house. Of course, the New Years Day holiday is smack in the middle of that week.
I have been on the phone and online pretty much 8 hours yesterday and today. I called to get a homeowners policy set up for the new home. I called a security company to see if they could install a system while we are there- just 2 days to play with- again because of the holiday in the way. Just waiting to hear back- system was chosen. Expensive but I like a professionally security system (local company- the same one that installed the fire alarms in all the homes in the community) with monitoring. It will operate solely on cell service
Then I scheduled an inspection to be done that morning the day of the closing. We have to hit the bank at 9 am for the check, then run to the house to be with the inspector. Then do the walk at 10 am with the builder and the realtor as the inspector continues on, and then 11 or so for the closing.
I wanted the home inspected before the closing. The builder did not like that but that is what we wanted. We know it is not a contingency in the contract but we don't care. That is what we want. The inspector could have come on the 29th but the realtor is not available to let him in. He also will not be able to do the radon test, but he said we can do it ourselves later on after we move in as it is fairly simple and we just have to mail it in for the results.
I then called the attorney to make sure she is set for the 30th after all this work I did to arrange everything. The realtor told me the atty could do it- just had to confirm the time. But the atty's paralegal said she has to confirm the date! The paralegal was supposed to do the closing- thinking it would be the 31st but now that the builder changed the date the paralegal cannot do 12/30. Ugh! I left another voice mail for her and I also sent an email.
Then I proceeded to call moving companies figuring we will move in February at some point. The moving company that moved us here- I left a message and no call back. No surprise- maybe because of me accusing their workers of possibly taking my snowshoes they might not want to deal with me. I would understand. Or maybe they are just busy.
I also called two other national companies- United- appt on Monday to come to this rental house- and and another one- Allied I think. They made me take videos of our stuff via a text link. Geez. I have to do their work for them?! Have not heard back about that quote yet.
My head is spinning. I have started a list of what we need to take up. One thing I do know- we need a lot more money for closing than we thought. There is a NH transfer fee of over $2000 (in NY- the seller usually pays this. In NH, the builder splits it with the buyer! Did not expect this!). Then there is some property taxes, the atty fee and title company fees, the fuel turnover (propane), and 6 months HOA fees. I have the inspector's fee, and, of course, the security system installation- which is not part of closing. Holy cow! The money is flying out!
Meanwhile, ice storm here all day. Could not get out to mail important power of atty forms for my husband's new Medicare policies and tomorrow doesn't look any better. Need to get oil delivered here for heat- but since it will be the first delivery I have to be home so the driver can inspect the oil tank. If the weather is still bad, he will have to come on Thursday. Our driveway here is a sheet of ice. We were told when we moved here by our landlords that neighbors behind us plowed it- but they do not have a plow!
I feel bad that our son will be alone for XMAS for the first time and so will we, but we have our work cut out for us now. He might come to NY here but he would have to sleep on the couch. Not sure if he will. The way the weather has been I just assume not worry about him driving. We can celebrate New Years with him the following week with the purchase of our new home! We shall see...
SO- talk about exhausting! I went to the doctor on Monday after getting the call about the closing and being on the phone for hours in the morning. My blood pressure was high for the first time in my entire life!
