The One With The Dashed Dreams (Maybe...)

Today was supposed to be a better day.

I mean, yes, my brother was leaving to move to Virginia and it was hard to say goodbye to him. But I know I will see him again in January when he hopefully moves back.

But today was going to be great to two huge reasons.

Number one, the Royal Wedding is tonight. As I am a huge lover of anything and everything British, this is an event I am so happy to be able to witness. I know a lot of people are not interested and think I am insane for being so excited about two people I don't know getting married. But I am. It is a true fairy tale and I am going to be watching it front and center on TV tonight.

Number two, today we were going to find out that our dream house we wanted to rent was ours.

Were.

Let me back up.

We have been wanting to move out of our rental for some time. Actually since before we moved in. We rented it because it was close to Charming's mom and fit some of our needs and was okay. But we settled and we never quite warmed to the place. We knew there would be issues off the bat when we went to move in and the owner had not cleaned anything before she left or patched any holes or painted like she said she would. Ran out of time we were told. So we cleaned everything and steamed the carpets and Charming patched holes and painted. Then we had some issues we brought up with the management company. The fridge ran all the time, the microwave sounded like it was going to launch out of the house when it ran and we had some issues with the landscaping. Heard nothing back ever. Then we got some notes from the HOA. Third notices that had been given to the owner and then passed onto us. That's right, I said THIRD notices, when she was already threatened with a trial, that's when we heard of any issues. The final straw was when Charming heard voices outside our house one day and went outside to see a guy and a girl painting a wire on the side of the house. Apparently the owner had been threatened with a lien by the HOA to paint the wire the same color of the house or we would get thrown out.

We needed to get out. As much as we hated to move again it was necessary. Our lease is up at the end of May and then we are on a month to month. We figured we would find a place and then give them 30 days notice and move out.

So we started looking. It was discouraging because we were finding nothing that fit us. We didn't want to rush into something again and settle for something that didn't fit. We had been burned by first our house and then this rental so we were being a little cautious.

Then yesterday we found it. THE PERFECT HOUSE! This is the house I would buy if I could. Everything we wanted and more. I had to really nitpick to find things wrong with it that I could just deal with. And it had access to a clubhouse that houses two pools and fitness center and more! Plus it is only two blocks from Charming's mother's house so we would still be close to help her. The only issue was the rent was a bit higher than we wanted so we asked the property manager if the owner might meet the price we were paying now. She didn't think it would be a problem so she said she would ask the owner and get back to us today. So we left, glowing in the knowledge that we had finally found a place we could be happy.

Then this morning our rental management property called for the house we are currently in. Apparently the owner's new husband wanted a more definitive answer than just month to month and wanted us to secure another six months or a year. If we wanted to leave at the end of our lease we needed to go down today to give them written notice that we would be out by June 1st. We had had enough and went down with our letter. We figured no matter what we didn't want to stay in that place any more so we would be moving.

About five minutes after dropping off that letter the property manager from the dream house called. She had good news and bad news. The good news is the owner agreed to the lower rent. We said great! We would be over with a check right that minute. Then she said, well, that's the bad news. Apparently she had shown the place the day before to another lady and she was interested too. Since she was first seeing it she had first dibs. But, the lady wanted to wait until all the painting and cleaning and landscaping was done in two weeks before making a decision. We were ready right now despite the place not looking perfect when we saw it. So the property manager gave the woman until tomorrow, Friday, to tell her if she wanted the place or not. The property manager felt really bad because she knows how much we want it and we are willing to give her the deposit right now, but since this woman had seen it first she needed to give her time to decide. Never mind she saw it the day before us and wanted to wait and we were ready to go right now. If we had given a check yesterday to secure it, even without knowing if the owner would have come down on the rent, it would have been ours. But since no money changed hands she has to give the previous lady a chance.

Charming and I are devastated. Had we known someone else had seen it we would have given a deposit right away because it is the kind of place that would be snatched right up. And the property manager did admit she didn't come right out and tell us someone had seen it before but that she had mentioned that she was there the day before showing it. However, in my bliss at finding the perfect house I didn't hear that or comprehend what that meant. So now, because Charming and I were trying to be careful and not rush again we may miss out on our dream house. And this has happened four times to us before. It seems we are always just one step too late and then we find something not as good so we settle.

We are damned if we rush and damned if we wait.

But wait now we must. For the phone call saying this woman doesn't want it. My fear is that because she now knows we want it so bad she may just say yes because of that. The whole "Well, if it is in demand I must have it" mentality that people out here seem to have. I told Charming no matter what happens we will be okay, we always are, I just hope for a little leeway this time and that something goes our way for once.