own my own home

So the loan procuring chick waited until the last possible minute to submit my loan and it seems that the underwriter’s guidelines have changed, and since I have only been back at my job for 15 months, and part of my wage is tips, I don’t qualify for the loan I was pre-qualified for. Everybody told me that was impossible. Everybody kept telling me there is NO way that you can’t get a loan you are pre-qualified for.

Well kids. I’m here to tell you, you sure as heck can be denied even if you’ve been pre-qualified.

The only silver lining in the whole thing is that I can still get a loan if my parents will co-sign…which they will. But now we have to jump through even more hoops in a really short period of time. And now I am going to have to move in an even shorter time frame.

Is not losing your effin’ mind! There are all these rules and deadlines. But so far all the representatives and institutions wait until the last possible second to do ANYTHING. I guess if it weren’t for the deadlines nothing would get done.

So I’ve already given my notice at my apartment. But now waiting to hear from the loan officer who is waiting to hear from the underwriters. Then I have to switch all the utilities into my name before I can even close. Then I have to walk through and see if I still want the house. Which by that time I will be so far over a barrel even if the place has exploded, I’ll have to take it.

I’m in home buying purgatory right now. Aiiiieeee.

From this vantage point no, but I am determined.

Good: I got the homeowner’s insurance

Bad: Someone stole the washer and dryer

We might close early. I think this will be good.

I have to find homeowner’s insurance, but I am confused. Do I insure the house that I don’t own yet? No clue…

I need to find the last two years tax records and 2 months worth of pay stubs…I’m screwed…I’m so disorganized!!
I guess I should make a project out of getting it all in order.
Then I can throw out the last 3 years ATM receipts and not move them to the new house.

The house is in pretty good shape. There are some minor things but noting major like the other houses. We are inching closer.
I’ve started to look at appliances and light fixtures. Though I won’t be in any real hurry to replace anything.
There is an inexplicably large hall closet that I think I am going to make into my “office”.
The house is only 920 sq. ft. It should really help me attain my goal of: have less stuff!

I’ve kind of lost track. I’ve fallen in love with any number of homes. Some of them kind of homely. Some of them entirely decrepit.

The first one was Frankenstein’s Adobe. Someone had covered a little mud adobe house with aluminum siding. I wanted to save it. But we couldn’t even compete. Despite it’s monstrous charms it’s location was too good for our limited budget.

The second house, wasn’t too bad. Knowing what I know now, I still couldn’t afford it. But it wasn’t half as bad as I thought.

There were a couple of houses that got away just because listing agents wouldn’t even deign to call us back.

Then there were desperation houses. “I’ll take anything as long as it vaguely resembles a house!”

Then there was a too good to be true house. Everybody else thought so too, and we had to go with a loan product that wasn’t competitive enough. No dice there.

Now we are on the latest house. A little farther east than I hoped, but cute as a button. The kitchen is microscopic. But everything else is good, good, good. We are waiting for some paperwork to process, and then an inspection. And then?

Well we’ll see.

My husband and I have been living with my in-laws for FIVE years! Yes, I said, 5 years. And in those 5 years we’ve saved a good down payment. However, it’s still difficult to buy a home in Los Angeles. There is so much competition. Why? L.A. is not all that great (no offense to my fellow Angelenos). If it weren’t for all my family living in L.A. my husband and I would of moved out of state (I <3 New Mexico) a long time ago. The latest on our house hunting…we placed a bid on a home (short sale) last night, and I'm crossing my fingers that we get it. Granted it's a fixer upper, but to be a home owner, I'll take the risk. I’ll keep you posted!

My timeline is everything works out well is buying a house Summer of 2010. We are 33% towards the amount we want to have to be able to fork over for down pymt, taxes, closing costs, etc. I have also been doing some research on how much house I can get for what we can spend. See what is going for what right now, and I”ll be checking in on that every couple of months to see if I can notice trends or whatever…. Not really sure, but it feels right to do. I just recently got a raise so that will make it a little easier on us as well.