My strongly worded email

Hello Homeq,

I understand a local real estate agency was able to squash our short sale.

Another appraisal opinion was offered, and Homeq saw reason and agreed the short sale price offered was a good deal, But because of the wrench thrown in by Edina Realty and their asinine BPO, the buyer has backed out. Our agents are scramblinig to find another buyer, but your agency (Edina) has informed us that it's all over tomorrow.

We have experienced a horrendous job and income loss after many years of faithful mortgage payments. Immediately we contacted Homeq, but have gotten nothing but vague and ridiculous answers, indifference, lies, and the age-old run-around.

I am asking that Homeq do at least one decent thing in this nightmare: just sell as quickly as possible and call it a short sale - thereby keeping a full foreclosure away from our credit rating.

It's the absolute very least you can do, which would be the most you've done so far.

You can be fully assured I will be contacting newspapers, congress reps, senators, and anyone else who will listen to this tale of cruel corporate policy.

Sincerely,
Mnmom

It's done

Anne Laue at Edina Realty of Northfield, MN has had her way.
That's Edina Realty
1281 Bollenbacher Drive
Northfield, MN 55057
Main: (507) 645-4491
Toll Free: (800) 646-4491
Fax: (507) 645-5109

She effectively stopped the short sale of our home, and it will go into foreclosure. Their office will then sell it for far less than the short sale offer, and even FURTHER away from the offer we made the mortgage company last year.

But hey, they'll keep the whole commission, which is what it's all about right? Who I am, a poor working stiff trying to salvage a tiny slice of a credit rating when a few thousand dollars of commission for a large real estate company is at stake?? How are our million-dollar companies supposed to survive when greedy little families like mine irresponsibly find themselves laid-off?? Since we made the bone-headed decision to be good homeowners and taxpayers, why should we expect any mercy when someone needs a commission?? Or needs a giant loss that their tax guys can use as a write-0ff? I don't have any lobbyists working for me, so what did I expect anyway? Reason? Fairness?

Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

UPDATE: I wrote a "strongly worded" email to our mortgage company late today - they emailed our real estate agent and told them to "keep finding buyers and don't listen to Edina Realty". I have officially fallen down the rabbit hole.

Random thoughts for a rainy November day

1. I hear there's another Sarah Palin book coming out. Fits the American pattern. Take something that's mediocore at best and just keep producing it. Like Kraft dinners.

2. I'm homesick. I miss my house and I want to go home. Grief is a process - a process that really sucks.

3. How do vegetarians resist the juicy salty rich smell of cooking meat?

4. The amount of people who love me confounds me greatly - I'm not that neat.

5. It's our 19th anniversary today! We celebrated by having the cable guy show up and fix the TV.

6. Twin #1 is in a musical this weekend and I haven't purchase tickets yet. BAD MOM!

7. I need my physical surroundings in order - the chaos here is not good for me.

8. I wonder if the Universe wanted me in a tiny kitchen so I'd learn to slow down and not make such a freaking mess.

9. Cupcake is on the mend! So far H1N1 has been doable.

10. I really like my job - I'm very lucky!!!

We're In!

Our move went quite well.

First we were totally blown away and humbled by the help and support on Saturday.

Here's a run down.

1. The following people showed up to lift, tote, and schlep almost all day and deserve a huge shout-out: Ken #1, Ken #2, Kathy, Kody, Dale, Tom and his truck, Amy #1 and her truck who amazed me with her physical strength, teen friends Mark, Easton, and Joseph.

2. The following brought things: Amy #2 brought pop, cookies and a housewarming gift. Phil and LuAnn brought hot cookies, Jane also brought hot cookies, Lucy helped unpack and brought a giant carafe of coffee from the local coffeehouse. Jeanne brought a bag of crackers, cheese, and sausage then ran home because her youngest has H1N1.

3. And even THIS:
Kathy not only schleped all day, but made a warm lunch for all involved. It was a sunny but chilly day.
Cousin-but-more-like-a-sister Sarah brought her trailer and pick up, and hauled box after box and plenty of heavy furniture. Then helped us settle in that night.
Vicki brought a pot of chili, cornbread, salad, and ice cream bars on Sunday.
Laura spent most of Friday afternoon helping me pack, and cleaning out the frig.
Deana came over despite a nasty case of Lymes Disease to offer moral support. For Deana this is huge - just driving across town wipes her out.
Sister Shirley and her daughter came up Sunday to help unpack. They brought a great lunch with them and bought us some curtains to cover the laundry closet.

Our cupcake stayed at a friend's house Saturday after trick-or-treating but came home sick the next morning. I'm pretty sure it's H1N1 - her school is full of it. Poor thing has a huge headache and a fever, but Ibuprofen keeps it in check.

But otherwise, a very successful move. Now bring on the good luck!!!

The Big Move

The Big Move is tomorrow!!

We've already moved lots of little things, and tomorrow is all the big chunks. We'll be sleeping in Tiny tomorrow night.

This move is filled with sorrow and hope. Sorrow to leave my house, but hope about putting bad karma behind us and looking forward.

The new house is small, and finding a place for the necessities is a real challenge. Today one of my best friends, Laura, spent all afternoon with me boxing up the kitchen. Get this - she even cleaned out my frig!!! I absolutely hate that chore. How's that for a good friend??

So I will be without computer for a few days. Hope to be back online by Tuesday.

Migraine

I left work early with a migraine. I haven't had one of those in years. The lights were like daggers, every noise was like a jackhammer, moving my head was like labor pains.

Anyone else get these?

I think all the stress I'm under brought it on. Luckily for me, mine are not the 24-48 hour marathons that some people go through. I came home, loaded up on drugs, and slept.

I'm hopeful this was the "breakdown" my mental state needed to deal with all this crap. I just felt "something" coming on, and am relieved that it wasn't a murderous rage through Edina Realty with a shotgun, a Glock, and a machete. I mean, I don't even own any of those! Imagine the planning involved!

On the Edina Realty note: no word yet on the appraisal review by the mortgage company.

Local Kid goes Abroad

A local recent HS graduate, Sam E., is on a year of Rotary exchange in Japan. This kid is amazing - smart as a whip, funny, engaging, and really going places. The fact that he doesn't speak Japanese isn't stopping him one bit. I predict you'll be seeing this kid on a national political stage someday. You read it here first.

I didn't know until today that he's blogging while living with a host family. Check out his adventures in fishery school!

Doing a year abroad through Rotary is almost expected of high-achieving HS grads here. Is it my imagination or are current teens just a bit more focused than we were?