Panic Attack, but the Countdown Goes On

June 27 - Remember when we told you that everything was in the bag?  Well, you didn't buy that like we did, right?  We were all set for the closing for the tomorrow and everything looked to be in order.  Then, cue the music...dun dun dun....the underwriter said "Hey, there, wait a minute.  I need a few more things."  Alright, stop collaborate and listen.  Now, was the time to get our T.U.R.T.L.E. Power on and circle the wagons.  Our loan processor, Chrissy, was on top of everything and she worked quickly, but we were told that Friday's closing may be out.  Well, that caused us a little more than a panic.  A panic is a nice way of saying holy craparoni!  We looked something like this for most of the day:

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I thought we were finished!!!!!!!!

Well, Chrissy worked her butt off again to get it resolved.  Then, later in the evening we received the phone call that everything was now complete.  We are definitely closing tomorrow.  We even got a second phone call from our loan officer, Gary, to confirm it.  That sounds like good news to us.  Although, we cannot wait to sign those papers tomorrow.   No more panic attacks.  No more of this:

So, now that we are back on at the 25th hour, let's continue the countdown.  Let's start from the beginning and when we get to the end, stop.

Counting down, for your reading pleasure.

Our countdown thus far:

                   30.  The Garage
                   29.  The Community
                   28.  A Backyard
                   27.  Family Space
                   26.  The Soaking Tub
                   25.  The Kitchen Cabinets
                   24.  The Outdoor Carriage Lights
                   23.  The Master Closet
                   22.  The Dishwasher
                   21.  The Landing Window
                   20.  The Laundry Room
                   19.  New Carpet
                   18.  The Mudroom
                   17.  Our Landscaping and Trees
                   16.  The Reading Room
                   15.  Our Neighborhood Playground
                   14.  The Home Office
                   13.  Our Lighting
                   12.  Storage
                   11.  Speakers in the Ceiling
                   10.  New carpet.
                     9.  Our Master Bedroom/Owner's Suite
                     8.  Energy Efficiency
                     7.  Our Basement
                     6.  Our Wood Floors
                     5.  Our Stairs
                     4.  Our Fireplace
                     3.  Our Children's Big Bedrooms

                    

Our new Venice Home.  Did that throw you for a loop?  We are sure that you are asking "What the heck could be number one then?!"  Well, good things come to those who wait.  We are looking forward to our new home for so many reasons that it is truly difficult to list them all without sounding self-indulgent.  However, just to give you a little taste, then like when the Baskin Robbins lady gives the little fat kid a miniature spoonful of Rocky Road, you will be hooked.  We are looking forward to having a home of our own that we built to our specifications.  Yes, Ryan Homes has a floor plan, but the idea of picking out all of the special features such as the stair rails, lights, flooring, windows, carpet, etc. truly is an experience that gives you some sense of fulfillment.  

I am lifting the air...the newest craze in virtual exercise.

Another reason we are looking forward to our new Venice home is that it will be our home.  It will not be a rental.  The rental life can be good, but it can also be taxing because there is a sense that your hard earned money is going into someone else's mortgage payment or real estate equity.  For renters, sometimes it is not easy being cheesy.

Who's hungry now?

When we began this process, our original sales representative, Mark, said that we would never know what the feeling is like to build a home.  He talked about the rewards and that only a limited amount of people get to do it in their lifetime.  Certainly, it was a sales pitch.  However, there is some truth there for us.  Overall, it has been a rewarding experience.  Working with our sales representatives, Mark and Lauren, has been outstanding.  Working with Drew, our project manager, has been amazing.  Although the ups and downs of the loan process has been anything short of mentally excruciating, working with our loan officer, Gary, and our loan processor, Chrissy has been so wonderful.  With all of that, do you feel like that fat kid at Baskin Robbins yet?

Be bold and live in the now.

It has been an adventure and one that we are looking forward to concluding tomorrow at 3 p.m.  Then, it will be time to begin the new adventure in our new home.

Until then, always remember that having a luck dragon with you is the only way to go on a quest.

Up Next: Closing!