Bummed

So once there was this couple. They had searched high and low for a house to buy. In fact, they had looked at around 35 houses, and had 2 offers to buy houses rejected. So when they found a seemingly absolutely amazing house, they were happy. They were psyched. They were ecstatic. They read over the seller disclosure, thrilled that the house seemed perfect, and they put in an offer on the awesome house. They got their offer accepted (after the seller was kind of a jerk and still held an open house with 3 offers outstanding), celebrated, scheduled the inspection, and daydreamed about where their furniture would go and what color they'd paint the walls. Life was great.

Then one day the girl's mom went to a hair appointment. The stylist was so happy when the girl's mom told her that the girl was buying a house. "Wait!" the stylist asks, "the owner of this salon's mother used to live in that house a few years back." That owner told them all about how her mother loved the house, but also that the drainage ditch crater next door is part of the property, has an easement by the township on it, and it is the owner's to maintain. The girl was devastated. This huge, extremely steep, half-acre sized crater in the ground that the couple was not told about was actually part of the property they were buying. They had even asked the seller at the open house where the property ended, and he did NOT tell them it was part of their property. He did not disclose it on the seller's disclosure form that he was required by law to disclose it on.

Basically, all of the storm drains in the whole development drain into this HUMONGOUS ravine, right next to the couple's new house. All of the rain water, trash and cigarette butts (that shouldn't be thrown in the drains but people SUCK and do it anyway) drain right into the crater on the side of the couple's new property. Not only that, but the couple would be responsible for mowing and cleaning it. It just did not seem fair. Why should the couple have to pay property taxes for that huge piece of land, but also be responsible for cleaning up other people's crap, plus paying for maintenance of it (because there is no way in hell a hill that steep could be mowed by push mower or tractor)? That's right, they shouldn't.

The couple's agent called the seller, and he finally admitted that it was part of the property and that he should have disclosed it. He said he'd release the couple from the contract, and after lots of tears, heartache, conversations with parents, and one last visit to the property, the couple knew in their hearts the right thing to do: let their perfect house with the not-so-perfect property go, and move on to trying to find something else.

If you read this far, I'm sure you've figured out that the "couple" is Brian and me, and we are the ones that are not just bummed, like the title of this post, but actually devastated. Devastated that our first shot at home ownership is tainted this way, devastated that people are SO dishonest, devastated that we have to pick up and get back out there again because we have to find a house before our lease is up, and devastated that the life we pictured in that house is no more. I know things could be much worse, and at least we are fortunate enough to be able to buy a house (and that fate, or God, intervened and got us out of that contract.. I mean really, talk about divine intervention), but I am still so very sad. I know eventually we will find a house we love, but it doesn't make me feel better, not right now. I am sick as a dog, physically (I have a cold.. hopefully not another sinus infection) and emotionally (my stomach hurts). I got so attached to that house. I need a break. I am going to take a few days offline to emotionally regroup. Guys, my heart hurts.