Primo: There's a letter in the paper to an advice columnist* from this woman who does not want to spend Christmas with her husband's siblings.
Me: Sometimes, you just have to do things to support your spouse.
Primo: Yes.
Me: Although I did not support you by going to your mom and dad's.
Primo: The letter writer says her husband's died and the husband is lonely and wants to be with his siblings, but they are racists who hassle them for living in the big city.
Me: Well -- yes. It depends on why the spouse does not want to be with the in laws. If the in laws are jerks, then the spouse should not have to put up with it.
Primo: I have read some things my mom wrote to her friends - that I always visit them alone.
Me: That's because your mom and dad were mean to me.
Primo: Yep.
Me: What was I supposed to do to get them to like me?
Primo: You were supposed to grovel and try to earn their approval, the way my mom had to with my dad's family.
* Yes, Primo and I discuss the letters to Carolyn Hax and Alison and usually agree on things like the gay couple should not donate sperm to the lesbian couple until they are very clear on what is required re child support by state law and that the person who is complaining about his next-door neighbor should talk to the neighbor before reporting him to the homeowners' association.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
In which the estate will not die - it's like a hydra
Oh good grief.
Primo had money wired from the estate's account for house sale stuff.
No. He tried to have money wired from the estate's account.
Let me back up.
Sly and Doris had their money with ABC Investments. (I don't want to use the real name because it is a reputable organization and this was the error of one person at one branch.)
They had their regular investments and Sly had his IRA there.
Primo inherited Sly's IRA because Sly never got around to changing the secondary beneficiary on the account after Doris died.
Primo has not moved any of the money because it is fine where it is.
He had to have some money wired to the buyer of Sly and Doris' house. He called ABC Investments to have them send the money.
He discovered yesterday (on Christmas, when he went online to check that everything had been done properly) that ABC had wired money from the IRA that Primo now owns instead of from the estate's account.
He is ticked off. It's just one more thing to fix and it has to be fixed ASAP or it could have an impact on our taxes, i.e., we are not taking any distributions this year* because we don't want to deal with the additional reporting.
* Apparently not required first year.
Primo had money wired from the estate's account for house sale stuff.
No. He tried to have money wired from the estate's account.
Let me back up.
Sly and Doris had their money with ABC Investments. (I don't want to use the real name because it is a reputable organization and this was the error of one person at one branch.)
They had their regular investments and Sly had his IRA there.
Primo inherited Sly's IRA because Sly never got around to changing the secondary beneficiary on the account after Doris died.
Primo has not moved any of the money because it is fine where it is.
He had to have some money wired to the buyer of Sly and Doris' house. He called ABC Investments to have them send the money.
He discovered yesterday (on Christmas, when he went online to check that everything had been done properly) that ABC had wired money from the IRA that Primo now owns instead of from the estate's account.
He is ticked off. It's just one more thing to fix and it has to be fixed ASAP or it could have an impact on our taxes, i.e., we are not taking any distributions this year* because we don't want to deal with the additional reporting.
* Apparently not required first year.
Friday, April 29, 2016
In which Primo calls Jack and discovers that Ted sent pears to Jack, too
And we wonder why someone so apparently desperate for cash that he tries to make money off attending his own father's funeral would be spending $29.99 plus $9.99 shipping (yes, I looked it up) to send pears to Primo.
If you are broke, don't buy Christmas presents for people. They will understand.
If you are broke, don't buy Christmas presents for people. They will understand.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
You thought it was OVER? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
It's Christmas Eve. The buyer signed the papers. We thought it was done.
But no!
The woman who used to live next door to Sly and Doris (See: "I just want to ram a pole up her ass!") and whose son moved into the house when the woman moved out just called Primo.
There is a bunch of trash in front of her son's house.
Primo doesn't know why it's there. He doesn't know if the realtor put it there or if the realtor put stuff in front of Sly and Doris' house and the buyer moved it in front of the neighbor's house. He doesn't know because he has been unable to reach any of the parties involved.
I say whatever. The trash guys will pick it up on Monday regardless. As one commenter said, This is no longer our circus. These are no longer our monkeys.
Wait. Primo is on the phone with the former neighbor. He is explaining that he does not know what is going on - that the house sold this morning. He is apologizing. He is explaining that the buyer has been a bit of a problem - that the buyer had said Primo could leave furniture, etc., because they might want it. That the realtor spent yesterday clearing stuff out.
Elsie says she does not know if everything has been there since yesterday but there is a couch.
Which the realtor had said he would take to Goodwill.
Primo is saying, "I am trying to reach the realtor. Did you take a photo? Please send it to me."
He is saying, "Calling the HOA is not going to solve the problem. My family no longer owns the house. But it appears that my agent did this. I am very sorry. I have been trying to reach him, but he has not responded."
He continues, "I hope [your son] can put with some junk for a few days. I hope the fact that he got a really good deal on my mom and dad's car helps make this tolerable."
To me: "The agent ordered a special trash pickup for today and they haven't come yet. He said he was taking it to Goodwill. He should have told me what was going on."
But no!
The woman who used to live next door to Sly and Doris (See: "I just want to ram a pole up her ass!") and whose son moved into the house when the woman moved out just called Primo.
There is a bunch of trash in front of her son's house.
Primo doesn't know why it's there. He doesn't know if the realtor put it there or if the realtor put stuff in front of Sly and Doris' house and the buyer moved it in front of the neighbor's house. He doesn't know because he has been unable to reach any of the parties involved.
I say whatever. The trash guys will pick it up on Monday regardless. As one commenter said, This is no longer our circus. These are no longer our monkeys.
Wait. Primo is on the phone with the former neighbor. He is explaining that he does not know what is going on - that the house sold this morning. He is apologizing. He is explaining that the buyer has been a bit of a problem - that the buyer had said Primo could leave furniture, etc., because they might want it. That the realtor spent yesterday clearing stuff out.
Elsie says she does not know if everything has been there since yesterday but there is a couch.
Which the realtor had said he would take to Goodwill.
Primo is saying, "I am trying to reach the realtor. Did you take a photo? Please send it to me."
He is saying, "Calling the HOA is not going to solve the problem. My family no longer owns the house. But it appears that my agent did this. I am very sorry. I have been trying to reach him, but he has not responded."
He continues, "I hope [your son] can put with some junk for a few days. I hope the fact that he got a really good deal on my mom and dad's car helps make this tolerable."
To me: "The agent ordered a special trash pickup for today and they haven't come yet. He said he was taking it to Goodwill. He should have told me what was going on."
In which it is Christmas Eve and THE BUYER SIGNED THE PAPERS!
He signed! The buyer signed! NO MORE HOUSE SALE DRAMA!
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
In which there is MORE drama with the closing of the house
Primo sent a fedex package yesterday with all the signed closing documents. We thought that meant we were DONE. Except we thought that the buyer might find more problems during the walkthrough later today.
We still don't know what the buyer will find during the walkthrough. The realtor is spending the day clearing the house of all the leftover stuff that the buyer had said weeks ago Primo could leave in the house.
He called the title company to make sure they got the package.
They did.
But then they said Oh by the way there is a new Florida law and that $2,000 the buyer wants in escrow to cover additional repairs? We can't use escrow for repairs any more. So you need to send a check overnight directly to the buyer.
Primo: But that means we have to trust the buyer to send any extra money back.
Me: I don't even care anymore. I just want this guy out of our lives. I don't care if he keeps the money.
We still don't know what the buyer will find during the walkthrough. The realtor is spending the day clearing the house of all the leftover stuff that the buyer had said weeks ago Primo could leave in the house.
He called the title company to make sure they got the package.
They did.
But then they said Oh by the way there is a new Florida law and that $2,000 the buyer wants in escrow to cover additional repairs? We can't use escrow for repairs any more. So you need to send a check overnight directly to the buyer.
Primo: But that means we have to trust the buyer to send any extra money back.
Me: I don't even care anymore. I just want this guy out of our lives. I don't care if he keeps the money.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
In which we learn that the buyer has been acting a little bit in bad faith maybe
Nope. Not over.
There was a patch of mildewy something somewhere so the realtor cleaned it and now the buyer wants it professionally cleaned and says it means termites even though there is a termite contract.
And then the buyer had said Primo could leave anything he wanted in the house - there was still a guest bed and a desk and a sofa in the house and a table and a lot of gardening stuff in the garage and shelves. The buyer said that weeks ago.
Just now - three days before Christmas, two days before closing - the buyer has said, nope. Don't want anything in the house. House has to be completely empty.
I thought these problems were with the realtor but it turns out the buyer is a rich kid who is used to getting his way with everything and who appears, to me, to be acting in bad faith. If you are a person of good faith, you don't expect other people to be jerks. You don't expect someone to tell you two days before closing that he wants the furniture out of the house after he told you six weeks ago don't worry! just leave it!
In which Ted'sWife bugs Primo about the money again
"She emailed again."
"What now?"
"She sent Ted and me a link to some personal finance article and said it might be better for them to be reimbursed before the end of the year."
"Better for whom?"
"For them."
"They are relentless!"
"I am thinking of telling them I will take their word on the outstanding credit card debt - about six thousand dollars - for Ted'sSon's high school, but for his current program expenses, they have to send me receipts."
"I think that's reasonable."
"Stephanie sent receipts! Maria set me up on her student loan account!"
"That's because that's the right way to do it. When the power company sends us a bill, they can't just say, 'Give us $300.' They have to show us the meter reading."
"Exactly."
"You are right."
"You don't think I am being too hard on them asking for receipts?"
"Are you kidding me? They have done nothing but be nasty to you. I don't want to give them any money!"
"Well, it is Ted'sSon's money."
"I wouldn't put it past them to sue you later to say that you had disbursed funds inappropriately, like if you pay that credit card debt without any kind of receipt."
"But it would have been to them!"
"Ted is the kind of guy who would kill his parents and then throw himself on the mercy of the court because he's an orphan!"
"Yep. That's why I asked the lawyer to check into it and to tell me how much latitude I have with that old debt. He said I am fine. I don't want Ted suing me. I am clear."
"What now?"
"She sent Ted and me a link to some personal finance article and said it might be better for them to be reimbursed before the end of the year."
"Better for whom?"
"For them."
"They are relentless!"
"I am thinking of telling them I will take their word on the outstanding credit card debt - about six thousand dollars - for Ted'sSon's high school, but for his current program expenses, they have to send me receipts."
"I think that's reasonable."
"Stephanie sent receipts! Maria set me up on her student loan account!"
"That's because that's the right way to do it. When the power company sends us a bill, they can't just say, 'Give us $300.' They have to show us the meter reading."
"Exactly."
"You are right."
"You don't think I am being too hard on them asking for receipts?"
"Are you kidding me? They have done nothing but be nasty to you. I don't want to give them any money!"
"Well, it is Ted'sSon's money."
"I wouldn't put it past them to sue you later to say that you had disbursed funds inappropriately, like if you pay that credit card debt without any kind of receipt."
"But it would have been to them!"
"Ted is the kind of guy who would kill his parents and then throw himself on the mercy of the court because he's an orphan!"
"Yep. That's why I asked the lawyer to check into it and to tell me how much latitude I have with that old debt. He said I am fine. I don't want Ted suing me. I am clear."
In which Primo finally hears back about the buyers and whether they will still take the house, even though the ducts were repaired instead of being replaced
"They said OK. But they want a home warranty," announced Primo.
"How much?"
"Four hundred fifteen dollars."
"Give it to them. Oh man. Even if they wanted ten thousand dollars off, give it to them so we can be done with this."
"I was dreading having to start all over again!"
"Yeah. I want this done. I want it over."
"How much?"
"Four hundred fifteen dollars."
"Give it to them. Oh man. Even if they wanted ten thousand dollars off, give it to them so we can be done with this."
"I was dreading having to start all over again!"
"Yeah. I want this done. I want it over."
In which Primo's realtor meets the buyers' realtor and the buyers' realtor's inspection guy at Sly and Doris' house to look at the formerly rat-infested HVAC system
1. Florida has rats. I had rats when I lived in Miami, not because I am a dirty person but because I lived in Miami.
2. There are probably rats in other places, too. I had rats when I lived in Memphis. What you do with rats is put out poison. Or get a cat.
3. Primo had a guy repair the air ducts. He should not have had to do that. On a newish house, in an area where this is known to be a problem, the builder should have used better materials. (I am assuming there are ducting materials that are rat proof.)
So. Primo is all stressed because it is three days before Christmas and he wants to close on the house and all of a sudden there is this huge wrench in the works. Primo's realtor, unfortunately, bears a lot of blame for this. There was some repair/replace form that maybe Primo was supposed to sign and he didn't even see it.
This realtor seems like a really nice guy and has worked hard, but he is not a realtor full time and there are things that have fallen through the cracks. I would recommend when you, my reader friend, hire a realtor, that you hire a full-time experienced realtor. If one of your best friends wants to break into the business, let him break someone else's business.
Primo is stressed and he was cranky all day yesterday and didn't go out as he had planned and stayed up until 5:00 a.m., which is completely dysfunctional but that's how he rolls.
He woke up. I am working at home today. He said, "The realtor just sent me a text. The repairman looked at everything and said it's fine and the buyers should buy the house."
"The repairman is someone the buyers' agent chose, right?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Good!"
"So now we just have to wait for their agent to talk to them. I hope they agree."
2. There are probably rats in other places, too. I had rats when I lived in Memphis. What you do with rats is put out poison. Or get a cat.
3. Primo had a guy repair the air ducts. He should not have had to do that. On a newish house, in an area where this is known to be a problem, the builder should have used better materials. (I am assuming there are ducting materials that are rat proof.)
So. Primo is all stressed because it is three days before Christmas and he wants to close on the house and all of a sudden there is this huge wrench in the works. Primo's realtor, unfortunately, bears a lot of blame for this. There was some repair/replace form that maybe Primo was supposed to sign and he didn't even see it.
This realtor seems like a really nice guy and has worked hard, but he is not a realtor full time and there are things that have fallen through the cracks. I would recommend when you, my reader friend, hire a realtor, that you hire a full-time experienced realtor. If one of your best friends wants to break into the business, let him break someone else's business.
Primo is stressed and he was cranky all day yesterday and didn't go out as he had planned and stayed up until 5:00 a.m., which is completely dysfunctional but that's how he rolls.
He woke up. I am working at home today. He said, "The realtor just sent me a text. The repairman looked at everything and said it's fine and the buyers should buy the house."
"The repairman is someone the buyers' agent chose, right?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Good!"
"So now we just have to wait for their agent to talk to them. I hope they agree."
Monday, April 25, 2016
In which the house deal might fall apart because the buyers wanted the ductwork replaced, not repaired
Me
10:59AM
Primo
That's so cute!
Growing up in a house
with that dog might cause one to not mind being licked by dogs.
I'm really cranky.
Tommy talked to the
person at the title company and had one of the documents revised. Everything is
fine on that front.
But I also heard from
the realtor, and the buyers are threatening to walk away because we had the ductwork
repaired instead of replaced. I'm going to have to offer them an additional
allowance to get the sale to go through.
Me
oh good grief!
you solved the
problem, right?
what a mess
I am sorry
this is way too much
stress
Primo
I don't know. I want
this done. I said they can have an additional $1000
allowance toward repairs, but only if they are willing to close this week.
Me
my fingers are crossed
Primo
The realtor said that the
buyer's agent is "new to real estate" (her words). I think she got
the buyers freaked out because rodents had been in the ductwork, which is
apparently common on that island.
Me
I don't think ze rats
are unique to your mom and dad's house
Primo
Now I'm waiting for
the realtor's call, and I'm all wound up because we are negotiating again. I thought
that was done six weeks ago!
And the numbers in the
closing packet will change again.
He hasn't been able
to talk to the buyer's agent yet.
Now everything is in
limbo and I'm worried. I can't be productive in this kind of state.
Me
Oh no!
This is super
stressful . I am sorry
2:31PM
Primo
I think the whole deal
is falling through. The buyers are overly worried about the ductwork and are
apparently insisting on having it replaced (or receiving an additional $3000
credit).
Both agents are to
blame for this. There was an official repair request, but the realtor advised me not
to sign it and to have repairs done (instead of replacing the ductwork). I
never saw the document. And the buyers' agent is inexperienced; she hired an
incompetent inspector who listed at least three things that were supposedly
wrong but were not.
Me
What?
Oh no.
I am so sorry
Nobody is doing it
right
Primo
I guess nobody can be
trusted to do things right. The realtor works hard and I would have spent much more
on sprucing up the house if I had chosen another agent, but he hasn't done
everything right.
Now I'm afraid that I
chose poorly and that I should have spent more time there to supervise
everything.
Me
I am sorry
I don't know that this
would have been prevented by choosing the other agent
Primo
No, but I have to
second-guess myself.
Me
smile emoticon
You made the best
decision you could with the information you had at the time
Primo
We may be rescuing the
deal by throwing $3000
at the problem. Do you think that's the right thing to do? The cost of holding
onto the house is over $1200/month.
Me
Yes.
I think it's the right
thing to do
just to be done with
this
I cannot bear the idea
of starting over
it comes out to $700 a
kid
Primo
For the second time
today, I got an email from the buyers' agent before hearing from the realtor. I
called him and he was on the way to the store to buy some groceries for his
wife. I need to know whether this is going to happen or not.
Me
HE IS NOT DOING IT
RIGHT
HE NEEDS TO BE ON
THIS!
I mean, this is a big
deal
and we have only a few
days this week
he needs to be
focusing on this!
Primo
He said that he had
checked his email 10 minutes before I called him and then got in his car. (The
email arrived 6 minutes before I called him.)
Me
OK
But - man. This is so
stressful. I want him managing it from his end
As in, if you give
them the $3K, is it done?
WIll they sign?
It's pretty important
to know that
Primo
I think so, but the
email from the buyers' agent was about needing access to the attic for
estimates and holding $3000 in escrow until the work is done.
Me
WTF?
That is completely
different from another $3K allowance
Primo
They are overly
paranoid about the ductwork.
Me
Yeah
would they still sign?
Primo
They think there's
something "icky" and that it all needs to be fresh and new.
Me
and you would just
have money in escrow?
Primo
I don't know.
Me
but -
it's Florida
there are rats in
Florida
Primo
I need to know what
this boils down to, and I don't want to be waiting.
Me
yeah, I know
me, too
this is a big deal
Primo
I can't get anything
done.
Me
I can see why
Primo
I haven't vacuumed.
Me
this is a huge wrench
we did not anticipate
Primo
You'll be cranky if I
don't do it.
Me
Vacuuming might help
your stress smile emoticon
Primo
I am tired of this!
Me
I know!
It's not fair!
Primo
And there's still more
stress coming from Ted and Ted'sWife.
Me
oh no!
they are not leaving
you alone?
Primo
Nothing in particular.
I just know that it will come.
Nothing new from them
today.
Me
you don't deserve this
Primo
And then you're going
to want me to start looking for a job soon.
It's probably not a
good idea to run for office again anyway. I want to make [the incumbent's] life hard,
but I don't think I could win. And I don't want a campaign job. I think
Larson's field director left because he thought she wasn't working hard enough
and she wasn't willing to do even more.
Me
I think there is a
place somewhere for you in politics
Jeff asked me t his
morning what I knew about Bernie Sanders
His wife had the
debate turned on Saturday night
and he was overhearing
as he was tearing tile out of the bathroom
He says he hates
politics and usually doesn't vote
but that he really
liked what Bernie had to say
Primo
The DNC and the
corporate media don't want people to hear what he has to say. That's why he
gets little press coverage and why the debate was on the Saturday night before
Christmas.
Me
I told him you could
tell him whatever he watned to know smile emoticon
Nope
I was telling him that
stuff and he was shocked
SHOCKED
I would vote for
Bernie instead of Trump
Primo
I heard from the realtor,
but I am still waiting for another call to confirm that he will be there in the
morning. (The buyers' agent has arranged for someone to do an estimate on the
ductwork.)
Me
Oh good grief
This is so frustrating
Why did they wait
until now to bring this up?
Primo
I don't know.
There should have been
an explicit discussion about the "repair request" letter and why we
weren't signing it, why we felt that repairing the ductwork rather than
replacing all of it was sufficient, etc.
Both agents will be
there with an estimator tomorrow morning.
I was on the phone
with the realtor when you called.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
