Returned and safe and tired....

@sallypup (57836)
Centralia, Washington
April 21, 2018 5:20pm CST
The photo should show the outside side of what we just signed a bunch of papers on and what is now ours. And of course, for now, the banks. Traffic was a sweet giggle on the way over so I made the drive in just over 4 hours- honest, I did not speed TOO much. Some craziness and some sweetness. Such welcoming people! A bookstore bistro (used to be a brothel, heh heh) said, sure, sit out on our porch and enjoy your drinks and cookies and for sure your Sally dog can sit there, too with you. Then the lady gave Sally a ginger cookie. The craziness? NO keys to the house though we had signed our lives away. NOT until everything had recorded. No you can not have those keys. Everything is fine but its not recorded. Finally toward 5 we were allowed to go down to the real estate office and get those keys. We made a huge, hoping, so hoping with all my grit that all will be well, we decided to rent the place out to a lady and her daughter and the two little ones. We can afford to not rent the place and yet it will be super fantastic to have its mortgage paid by somebody else. Our retirement money will stretch much farther this way. We plan to return the end of next month. Meantime we are doing lots of talking via the phone with the renters. And I have money to put in the bank that they gave us. More photos if anyone wants any. One not so great thing that happened: my camera kept falling out of my pants pocket. It hit the bathroom tile at least once. Sometimes it works and sometimes it has issues. It did cough up photos, though.
7 people like this
6 responses
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
21 Apr 18
We were fortunate...the home we purchased as our retirement home was paid for in cash. Hubby didn't even get to see the house before we bought it (can you tell he trusts me?). Monday the moving van arrives and by Wednesday night I will be in residence. Hubby will follow me in three weeks, (can you tell I trust him?) Good luck with your retirement home. The photo looks nice.
3 people like this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@Morleyhunt Thanks. Yours is cute. I should have settled for one that does not have a staircase. I guess I am determined to not age! My hubby got to walk through the house right before we signed the papers. You are doing well, paying for a house in cash and no mortgage. We probably will end up paying for most of the new house by selling the one that we are in now. Good luck with the moving process.
2 people like this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@Morleyhunt That does sound wonderful. We have a double lot so there will be room for gardens. Just in case my legs go South we opted to be near town and things like a train and bus station. So much stuff to think of!
3 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
22 Apr 18
@sallypup thank you. Our goal had been to be mortgage free. We'll need to do some work to the house....but it had everything we wanted...one level..with a full basement...garage...a lot large enough for a garden....not in the middle of town...municipal water and sewers..low taxes....
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Apr 18
So you bought a house and rented it out, the same day? Or you are renting out the one you are in now? Yes that is the only way to buy a place but save back a couple payments so when they move the gap between repairs and waiting for a new tenant is covered.
2 people like this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Apr 18
@andriaperry This is our retirement home. We will rent it until we move over there in 4 years.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Apr 18
@sallypup Ok, got it. Great idea!
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@andriaperry I sure hope so. We are going back to inspect in about a month. Meantime I am advocating for a picket fence in front and chain link along the side and back- more money, money, money.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
22 Apr 18
Our retirement home is paid in full. I hope in four years time you can do the same. Ours needs work. My wish for you is that these renters are super and stay the entire four years.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@GardenGerty Thank you for your well wishes. You've done well. We owe nothing on our present house and property so if push comes to shove we could sell this place and probably pay off the new to us house.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Apr 18
Glad to see you are back and the new place is signed, sealed and already rented. You could post more photos in replies too. I am assuming that you used a standard rental agreement with your tenants and that the lender knows that you are renting (some require owner-occupied only) it out temporarily. Looks like a nice big place!
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@JamesHxstatic Thanks. This is where I must trust Higher Power. Please let the renters care for the place and not wreck it.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@JamesHxstatic There is one photo below this answer. We paid a higher interest on the mortgage cause its a rental before we live in it. About 2,300 square foot with about a double lot. Lets see if I can squeeze in another photo.... Partial view of the kitchen, looking toward the back door/laundry room.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Apr 18
@sallypup Looks great! I am glad that rental aspect was covered up front.
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (9886)
• United States
22 Apr 18
Cogratulations on your new place. I hope you have long term renters and they take care of the place for you.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Apr 18
@noni1959 Huge thanks!
@DianneN (246643)
• United States
23 Apr 18
What a wise decision you made to rent it out until you can move in. It sounds like a lovely town to live in.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
23 Apr 18
@DianneN It appears to be a town that has lots of elderly houses to gawk at and for me, that's an incentive to walk.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246643)
• United States
24 Apr 18
1 person likes this