I'm having some mixed emotions.
The neighbors on either side of me --us-- are in foreclosure. It is anxiety inducing for me. I really really need to enter Mindi's drawing, just in case I win the awesome give away, which would help save my sanity. If my husband were to lose his job, we would last about 5 minutes in this house. That just freaks me right out. We really haven't adjusted our lifestyle spending to our current life situation. Eew. Hello? Jen? Habtamu? Get with it already!
Yeah, so these neighbors of ours...argh. One family doesn't speak much English, but from what we have scooped up from their kids, and Habtamu's keen observations (hmm...next career possibility: coupla private eyes?) the house is for sale and they will be moving to an apartment. The house on the South side is a completely different story. She retired about 2 years ago, then a few months later, like maybe 12, ahem, he apparently got laid off from his job as an electrician, commercial. I am not proud to say this but in the vein of giving you the full picture you should know that when they were out of town and his direct deposit stub was delivered to our house and I didn't immediately bring it to their mailbox and it sat on my table, after about a month, because i felt too sheepish to bring it there at that point and since it was just going in the shredder, I might have opened it to see how much he makes. YES, I KNOW IT WAS WRONG. But now I am glad I did it because it gives me more fuel to be angry at these stinky, greedy neighbors, who bought their house from his parents for 100 grand and have since taken 3, yes THREE mortgages out against this nice little house. So on Friday when they were moving all their belongings, including the stove and refrigerator (hello? don't you have them in your new house in Texas?) and he told me he is now unemployed (he told me earlier in the year that he has been working on refineries) and walking away from the house. This is the first month, or so his brother said, that he wasn't going to make a payment. And honestly, what are you going to do with a snow blower and winter coats in Texas? You want to know what is wrong with this country? Jack "RABBITS" like my FORMER neighbor. So now, with 3 homes in foreclosure ON. OUR. BLOCK. if we should want to say, move to Watertown, or even Timbuktu, we wouldn't be able to sell our house for diddly squat. Jerk faces. (because, yes, all the housing troubles are the fault of these 3 home owners on my block. heh.)
Aah. That feels better. Now I gotta go find some coupons. And get ready for step one...what can I sell to get that first 500 bucks?
13 comments:
When I was pregnant for Brian - now 4 - we had our house listed for 180. that was the going rate for our sub at that time. We sold twice, and it fell thru twice.
Today? Four years later - we could list it for 70. No one in front of that. 110 less than four years ago.
All because of foreclosures surrounding us.
I feel your pain. Oh - I know that pain.
Now we're surrounded by icky renters and have regular cop patrol and late night twirling lights filling our windows.
the one thing I am thankful for is that there are still good neighbors left that are in the same boat as us....hopefully we can keep out street from completely declining.
One good neighbor tho is struggling to hold onto their home - he lost his job last fall, and she went back to work part time in the schools - of course, that meant no work all summer. they've talked to their bank, realtors, anybody they can think of, and they were basically told that the best thing they can do at this point is walk away.
Bah.
As for debt-proof living - it's never too late to start. Seriously - we have lived paycheck to paycheck for years - I couldn't fathom how it was possible - but little by little were headed in the right direction.
And I still owe you an email! :) I keep waiting for that quiet moment so I can just sit back and linger over it with no interruptions - and it's being evasive.
psst. btw - I read your blog - I've been a reader for awhile. I can't remember if I've commented before
glad you read.
this kind of stress is exactly when we are supposed to do all we can and have faith, but...but, but!
and sharyn, eek! your blog is so fancy ;) how can i keep up with the torminator? i must find some sprucification for my little humble pot-o-blog :)
My sister had a walk-away situation in their neighborhood that made me SICK for weeks. They not only took appliances but they literaaly RUINED a $240,000 home with neglect and filth (feces, urine, cigerettes, dirty pads everywhere). In my mind they totally committed a major crime... and they can just walk away.
Jen, I hope you are blessed with better neighbors. And I too feel like we would be in such trouble so quickly if my hubby lost his job. Mindi pick me!
keep up? LOL Like with the Joneses?
Emily - I've heard about that too so often - they even named it, it's so common now. Of course, I forgot what they call it.
I've heard that it's not unusual for the about to foreclose people to actually throw a trashing party. It's so sad. Often they leave the water running on the second floor.
so sick. It IS a crime.
i don't understand people. we should all move to the same neighborhood.
~ann b.
owza. One good thing for living in the country-- less neighbor effects.
Have faith. We can't see the big picture and we can't know the reasons for some things.
good luck too though.
You know, I show a lot of short sale and foreclosure homes. In a lot of cases, there are people who are just in a bad situation. In a LOT of cases, though, there seems to be a correlation between the state of their home and their financial situation. People who can't take care of their homes frequently cannot take care of their finances. Although, sometimes the damage was done in anger (as if it's the bank's fault they didn't pay their mortgage.)
At any rate, I agree with Jan where you're concerned. We can't see the big picture. As hard as it is, we need to keep faith right now! Keep on keepin' on, my friend!
OH. Man. That. Sucks. Oh how I want to pick you. And Emily.
I hope this situation picks up for you. I'm really disgusted. People really purposely ruin their homes in that way? That's so dishonest. Ugh. I'm fighting mad with you.
BTW: I just read an article on neighborhoods forming committees to keep up on simple maintenance of vacant houses in their neighborhoods. Lawn mowing and such. You may want to think about that. Otherwise you may be dealing with vandalism on top of everything else. Yuck. And it'll keep your neighborhood appealing.
oh man, that does sound anxiety inducing for you. sending lots of love and hugs.
umm...this blog is going to give me nightmares. ugh.
Well, the other house (which is a few doors down) has been vacant for a year or so, and it has sold, but i think there are some improvements being made. I don't know who is cutting the grass, but so far it has been preserved. It is the oldest home on this block, probably no basement, and just one level, but it is so cute! We really wished we would have had the capital to buy it. And the brother of the neighbor to the South came and cleaned up the trash. He is nice, and feels bad his childhood home is changing hands in this way. But it is in good shape and they didn't trash it, just overflowed the garbage bin and left ciggy butts everywhere. Hmph. Smokers. (shut up.)
as far as our place, we are making it, and for that i am thankful. i love this neighborhood, so it isn't bad staying here. Just that scare of feeling like there is no cushion. But the value hasn't gone down as much as Sharyn's, so really, that is some good perspective for me.
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