Finally - some good news in our lives!
The house we wanted to rent is ours! We have the keys.
We were told we were getting the house, and we signed the lease and handed over checks... then we found out the RE agent for the Landlord had kept showing the house. Someone offered more rent - and we didn't want to get into a bidding war (it's basically illegal in NJ anyway). We offered $50 more a month (which is $50 more rent than we now pay), but we wouldn't match the $100.
BUT - it turns out those people were in foreclosure on their home, and after background checks or whatever, the owner of the house decided we'd make better tenants.
I didn't want to say anything until it was done, because of what happened before. But we met the RE agent over at the house yesterday, and the new lease is signed (new rent), and the keys are ours.
(I know I said that before - I'm just really excited!)
There is a lot of work that's going to be done. Lisa (the landlord's RE agent) said the owner hasn't put any money into the house for years, and knows it's time. So - they're going to:
1) Have the home inspected for mold and if any is found, remediation will be done;
2) Remove all the icky wall paper from the front hall, the family room, and the stairway;
3) Repair water damage in one of the skylights (the leak was repaired already);
4) Paint the entire inside of the house (we got to pick out the colors!);
5) Repair the air conditioner;
6) Seal and repaint the deck;
7) Repair the gutters and downspouts;
8) Fix the back door frame and put in a new door;
9) Have custom screens made (manufacturer doesn't make them anymore) for the LARGE picture windows/sliding doors that go from the living room to the deck;
10) Recarpet the master bedroom - and we get to make the arrangements and just have the landlord billed;
11) Have the roof cleaned (it's got lichen growing on part of it);
12) Put in a new kitchen floor - it's got some kind of weird rusty-looking spots on it, and they want the floor pulled up to make sure it's not from water (though the plumber couldn't find anything wrong anywhere).
13) Have a professional service clean EVERYTHING before we move in.
The owner's RE agent wasn't too excited about making all the arrangements - so we offered to. We figure - he's paying the bills, we can make the arrangements.
She met us over there Friday and we had the painter, the door guy/locksmith, plumber &etc. all show up. She not only approved everything - she gave instructions to the painter to fix anything that needed fixing and to even paint the insides of the closets - and to use 2 coats of paint on everything!
So... there's a couple of weeks of work before we can move in. But it's going to be so worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am SO excited! The place was already pretty gorgeous - but there was mold growing on a small spot on the basement wall.
So.... we're moving from a home that has two bedrooms (one of them REALLY small), a living room and a kitchen with 1 1/2 baths, to a home with 3 bedrooms (all of them really large), vaulted ceilings, a family room, and a HUGE living room/dining room (all one area - 21 feet by 40 feet), and 2 1/2 baths. AND a two-car garage (both automatic doors!).
Laurie
The house we wanted to rent is ours! We have the keys.
We were told we were getting the house, and we signed the lease and handed over checks... then we found out the RE agent for the Landlord had kept showing the house. Someone offered more rent - and we didn't want to get into a bidding war (it's basically illegal in NJ anyway). We offered $50 more a month (which is $50 more rent than we now pay), but we wouldn't match the $100.
BUT - it turns out those people were in foreclosure on their home, and after background checks or whatever, the owner of the house decided we'd make better tenants.
I didn't want to say anything until it was done, because of what happened before. But we met the RE agent over at the house yesterday, and the new lease is signed (new rent), and the keys are ours.
There is a lot of work that's going to be done. Lisa (the landlord's RE agent) said the owner hasn't put any money into the house for years, and knows it's time. So - they're going to:
1) Have the home inspected for mold and if any is found, remediation will be done;
2) Remove all the icky wall paper from the front hall, the family room, and the stairway;
3) Repair water damage in one of the skylights (the leak was repaired already);
4) Paint the entire inside of the house (we got to pick out the colors!);
5) Repair the air conditioner;
6) Seal and repaint the deck;
7) Repair the gutters and downspouts;
8) Fix the back door frame and put in a new door;
9) Have custom screens made (manufacturer doesn't make them anymore) for the LARGE picture windows/sliding doors that go from the living room to the deck;
10) Recarpet the master bedroom - and we get to make the arrangements and just have the landlord billed;
11) Have the roof cleaned (it's got lichen growing on part of it);
12) Put in a new kitchen floor - it's got some kind of weird rusty-looking spots on it, and they want the floor pulled up to make sure it's not from water (though the plumber couldn't find anything wrong anywhere).
13) Have a professional service clean EVERYTHING before we move in.
The owner's RE agent wasn't too excited about making all the arrangements - so we offered to. We figure - he's paying the bills, we can make the arrangements.
So... there's a couple of weeks of work before we can move in. But it's going to be so worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am SO excited! The place was already pretty gorgeous - but there was mold growing on a small spot on the basement wall.
So.... we're moving from a home that has two bedrooms (one of them REALLY small), a living room and a kitchen with 1 1/2 baths, to a home with 3 bedrooms (all of them really large), vaulted ceilings, a family room, and a HUGE living room/dining room (all one area - 21 feet by 40 feet), and 2 1/2 baths. AND a two-car garage (both automatic doors!).
Laurie
