I will try to be brief because I'm writing this in my phone and typing with one finger is no bueno.
We have rented an amazing house for the last four years. We love everything about it. Here's a list of reasons why its perfect for us
1) its a cute house that meets our space requirements with just a little extra.
2) has a fenced yard that's perfect for the dogs
3) AMAZING location! Easy to commute everywhere I work, so close to B's work he walks to work and back everyday!
4) There are a million amenities one block away. An upscale outdoor shopping mall with tons of stores and restaurants. It also includes a grocery store and a pharmacy. Oh, and our pet food store. And my bank. And my mechanic.
5) Its a safe area and the neighborhoods offer a gorgeous dog walk.
6) great schools
7) our rent has been off the charts cheap considering the location of the house and its size/condition. Its a steal.
Basically our situation there has been paradise in the heart of the city and we always felt like it was just too good to be true.
In Feb we sent the landlords to an email telling them we were pregnant and would be having a baby in July. They were excited and sent us a really nice email back saying that they loved having us as tenents and had no plans of doing anything with the house in the foreseeable future and we should be able to rent for years and years to come. That's a direct quote from their email.
We breathed a huge sigh of relief and have spent the last 5 months preparing to have our daughter's first years happen in this house. Everything from getting her room looking gorgeous to making childcare plans based on that location being our home base.
Last Sunday evening I got an email from the landlords....you know where this is going. They need to take over possession of the house due to "family issues". They are giving us 6 months which is the only good news in this shity situation. We are in complete shock and literally feel sick to our stomachs. Last Monday I cried all day and had to force myself to eat because I really thought I was going to vomit. We got the email 7 weeks before my due date.....7 fucking weeks!!!!
I'm at the peek of nesting and feeling so ready, so prepared for this baby and now we don't have our perfect house??? Are you fucking joking? This is a complete game changer on so many different levels.
We have two dogs, one a pit bull. Nobody wants to rent to you when you have a pit bull. Seriously no one. It took me 10 months of constant searching to find the house we have now. And we got super lucky.
No matter where we go it will be a giant downgrade...a downgrade in location and convenient commutes. A downgrade in walkability to groceries/restaurants/coffee shops/bank/pet store, etc.
B will have to drive to work and that leaves me without a back up car which has come in handy several times (like two weeks ago when I had two flat tires in 4 days). We will pay more for gas if he has to drive to work and if our commute times are longer then they are now...which is going to happen.
Rent is going to go up. Way up.
So we have spent the last week trying to figure out what to fucking do. At this point we are pursuing the option of buying a house. Its crazy. Never in a million years would I ever have imagined trying to get a home loan and a real estate agent and trying to buy a house 6 weeks before I have this baby. We were totally unprepared to buy a house. We've talked about it and decided we can't afford what we want in the location we want so we have continued to rent.
We found out our credit scores have gotten better than they used to be and we got pre-pre approved for a home loan at my bank. My in laws are insisting we take money from them for a down payment. Technically it would be a loan and we would pay them back but the reality is we wouldn't be able to pay then back until they are in their nineties so that's a joke.
I'm having a hard time accepting the money knowing that we can't afford mortgage payments and make regular payments to them. Its easier for B because they are his parents and I do think they honestly don't care about us paying them back. His dad said to just think of the money as an advance on B's inheritance. I just feel so shity that we can't do this on our own and have to rely on a handout to make buying a house a reality. I was in tears about it yesterday.
We are meeting with another credit union tomorrow and a mortgage broker on wed so we should know more then.
I can't believe I'm dealing with this stress and my Hazy is due in 6 weeks. Fuck you asshole landlords. My mother said she's making voodoo dolls for you so you better watch your back.
Oh dang. The timing of this really sucks! Change is always hard and even harder when it is someone else's decision. Best of luck to you on the search for your new home.
ReplyDeleteOh, this sucks! I'm really sorry to hear it.
ReplyDeleteMy friend's dad has been renting the same house for 30 years. He's done all kinds of improvements - deck, pool, etc. But still, he's renting, so at any moment they can just pull the rug out if they want to. It's insane! Sorry, I know that has nothing to do with you, but it reminds me a little of this situation.
I find it hard to offer advice mostly because I have NO problem accepting money from relatives (maybe this makes me greedy, oh well). I would say if your in-laws are willing to give it, then it's worth considering, as long as you lay out the terms ahead of time and be sure that they understand you may not be able to pay them back anytime soon, not with a mortgage and all the unforeseen expenses that come along with a newborn. I can tell you that home ownership, while stressful and expensive, is SO much better than renting, at least in my opinion. It feels like I'm putting my money towards something, and every time we put money into improvements, we know we'll most likely get a return on our investment. Neither Eric nor I are very good with money, but with this one thing, I feel like we are making good choices. Then again, houses around me are a helluva lot cheaper than they are near you.
I'm glad they are giving you 6 months. I know it sounds short, but I thought you were going to say ONE month or something crazy like that. Take lots of photos of that nursery and set it all up again in your new space, whether it's something you own or rent. You'll work it out. I have faith!
WOW I'm so sorry! That's horrible!!!! That is so not what you need right now :( You're in my prayers, I hope you're able to buy the house so you can stay put!!! I know it is hard to think of taking the money from his parents, but I hope you do consider it, it sounds like the best option and I don't think you'll regret it!
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm sorry! That really sucks. That happened to my sister as well, but she was only about five months pregnant. They were only given two months to move out though-- the landlord's sister wanted to move in or something. Such bullshit My sister and BIL ended up moving three times within that first year because they had to rush to move into a place & didn't like it, then moved to an apt where the neighbors were constantly smoking on their patio (not good for newborns), etc. Fun times. I'm glad you at least have some time to find a place. Still sucks though :(
ReplyDeleteI hate accepting money from others too, but if my parents or in-laws had offered a down payment on our house?? That would make our financial situation SO much easier. I'd accept the help, as long as your in-laws aren't the type to hold it over you or constantly make you feel like you "owe" them.
Good luck. Sorry about the shitty timing for this!
Seriously, what shitty timing! Can you ask your current landlords if they have any other properties and/or recommendations for properties? I feel like they should at least help you out in that little way since they're royally screwing you over. Accepting money from relatives is always hard, so I can understand your hesitance. I hope everything works out for you soon; I know how hard it is, but try not to stress too much! All Hazy needs is her parents, food, and somewhere to sleep for the first few months, so you have a little bit of time to decide where you want to live.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks lady! I'm so sorry you're dealing with the stress, when you should be at your relaxing and being ready for baby, stage. It is always hard to accept money from others, when you obviously work hard to pay your bills and not ask for handouts. But if there is any time that you should swallow your pride and accept it, would be now. You are not asking for money to get our of debt or some other money issue, you are creating your future here. I hope things go well with your other appts this week, and you can put a plan in place and feel better about it all.
ReplyDeleteTry to imagine how you'd feel if the child you are carrying were to be in this situation in the future, and you had the means to help, but the help wasn't accepted.. How wd you feel?
ReplyDeleteI think your in laws want to help you because they care so much and it will make THEM happy that they can do something so useful to your family.
My own patents are discussing releasing their equity for us to use for ivf because the "inheritance " is needed now and they can watch us (hopefully) enjoy the money, instead of watching us struggle and be left with it once they are gone.
Hmmm... What are the family issues? Not sure where you live, but in NYC a landlord can't make you leave unless they are selling the place, or they or a close family member are moving into it themselves. See if you can call them out on their bullshit!
ReplyDeleteOh this sucks so much!! I know how stressful moving is, let alone when you just had a baby! Thankfully they are giving you six months, but that will still not feel like enough time when you through the baby in the mix. We might be moving in a few months too, so we might be in the same boat!!
ReplyDeleteI hope your Mom's voodoo dolls work ;)
I'm so sorry! This sucks balls! Thinking of you both.
ReplyDeleteBuying a house should be a happy task for a family, but it doesn't have to happen in this way. I'm sorry you had to undergo this while you're pregnant. Your landlords should have informed you from the get-go about this setup that they wanted. With all that said, house hunting could be quite complicated if there are some issues, so getting competent people really helps in making it easier for you guys. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLeonard George @ Remax Crest Realty