<p>CF, of course I wonder what you wrote and deleted. I bet it was pretty bad. At least you said “sorry.”</p>
<p>So I signed the papers to lower the price to $225,000. The realtor told me of several real estate web sites buyers go to to search within price ranges and that the house, now in a completely different price range, will attract a whole new pool of buyers. Also, she said a “hot sheet” will go out tomorrow to all the realtors on MLS showing the (big) price reduction. She is rewriting the blurb for the house to reflect the new basement oil tank. She is showing the house to a party tomorrow morning.</p>
<p>I complained that the house was not aggressively marketed in October. She said that the first question potential buyers ask is, Is there an offer on the house? And if the answer is Yes, most frequently the customer will not want to see the house. So obviously, with many realtors, this kept many potential buyers from viewing the house. So why don’t the realtors say, Yes there is an accepted offer, but without a signed contract that means NOTHING. </p>
<p>I commented on the perversity of the “buyer” and she said she has seen this many times, which is as much as a confession that she is a poor realtor for (1) sending me reassurances that things were fine more than once and (2) not showing and marketing the house aggressively in late Sept and all of October.</p>
<p>There will be an open house on Wednesday.</p>
<p>I anticipate reading numerous frustrated and critical comments but I must remind you that for weeks I was dealing with a very stressful oil tank issue; working with a reassuring–I mean REASSURING-- realtor; preparing for my mother’s move to AL on Tuesday (MUCH to do tomorrow and Monday); dealing with my mother’s hearing aids loss and issues with the audiologist; dealing with the confused “Senior Moving Manager”; hectically setting up plans with a new mover; meeting with and working with the Estate Sale managers, which involved “setting up the house” and empying drawers of furniture that will go on sale; dealing with a moaning husband who has had what seems to be an incurable sinus infection for a month (multiple RXs, multiple visits to the MD); and dealing with the non-stop needs of two children. Add to that, the bizarre behavior of my sister–why is she visiting now? Her refusal to help financially with our mother’s money-gap needs (which I must revisit with her now); and my stupid dwelling on the rental car issue, which brought to the surface the fact that for NO reason, I am afraid of BOTH my sister and my mother. </p>
<p>As to why my husband doesn’t bring the girls to Chinese school, he works 7 days a week, at age 62. He lost a high paying job in publishing in 2009 (company went bankrupt) and now earns half as much as he did, supplementing our income with pension funds and freelance projects. He is exhausted. My mother has no idea of how lucky she is. When my husband (if he doesn’t die of exhaustion soon) and I will be living in penury in our old age. </p>
<p>I was on parent duty at Chinese School today, which is demanding and left me depleted, and we had to stop at the NH because repeatedly, over the phone, my mother told me she would give me the list of “what she wants” besides the immense amount that is already boxed and packed. I was so depleted, I took out my notebook and wrote down everything she said she wanted. It was all totally senseless. Thirty paintings, she can incredibly refer specifically to EACH she is that sharp. A myriad of art supplies, described in detail. E.g. a large easel!!! Like a thoughtless robot, I wrote it all down. And very soon she had to go to the bathroom, she goes a million times a day. I escaped, saying we had “covered everything” and left. Because of what I learned here on CC, I realized I could disregard everything she said. I can tell her the director of admissions told me only ten pieces of artwork were allowed because more would be “a fire hazard.” That the recreation director told me that painting was only allowed in the recreation room. She asked for many many things. When my sister is here, I will ask her to call the director and ask if my mother can have more in her room. If the answer is yes, my sister and her friend can deliver what she wants. </p>
<p>Oh yes, I got a call from the director of the AL this morning with completely unknown till now news about many details about the move-in day, e.g., that the movers cannot appear until 1:30 at the earliest! I had them scheduled to meet with me at 8:30 am! News that at least two hours in the morning must be dedicated to an interview with the director and my mother (and me I suppose) for WHAT now? I was on parent duty, which is a commitment, and I am frantically calling the moving company, and luckily there was no problem completely rescheduling the hours for the move. And this involves the gd piano my mother wants my daughter to have which I would like to burn. </p>
<p>Interrupted, just got a call from the NH, a woman asking me if I had been informed that my mother had fallen in the bathroom yesterday. I said no, I was not informed, was she injured, and how did she respond to it psychologically/emotionally? No she was not injured, and she was fine about it. So it begins. Frankly, I am surprised that they accepted her at AL (at level 4 “highest need”); there is a good likelihood they will soon recognize that she is NH material and a whole new chapter will open. </p>
<p>Did I tell you my mother’s monthly rent wlll be $6,799? Unless they have secrets I don’t know of, my sister and her husband are well off. No harm will come to them if they take out a home equity loan. I must reintroduce the idea to her now that the house deal is off. </p>
<p>Look. I will read the critical remarks now. I am pretty smart. But I (and my “artistic” husband) are not THAT smart. Why do you think I come here? Because there are people here who are smarter than I am. And that, I think, is a very smart thing to do. </p>