Reunited

 

Yesterday I was able to go inside the house after a long time.  It's been at least 3 months since I'd been inside.  My privileges were revoked when the short sale negotiator asked that Realtors not be allowed in the house anymore.  Apparently some Realtors are unscrupulous, and were the ones that were vandalizing the house.  Since the day they changed the lock box code and stopped giving it to Realtors, no additional vandalism has occurred.   I have not wanted to ask for special privileges so I did not have the code.

I was in the neighborhood yesterday and took my dad to see the house, we walked around the lot, and when we were in the back, I noticed the bedroom door that leads to the balcony was wide open.  That bedroom has wood laminate flooring and with all the rain we've had lately, I was worried it had been getting wet.

I called the listing realtor and told him to please have someone close the door.  I volunteered to do it since I was there.  He was happy to let me do it and gave me the code.  Thank goodness the flooring had not been damaged.  But I can't say the same for the rest of the house.

The house has been open on occasion, and I know water has gotten in at times.  It seems there might be a little mold in some areas.  In addition, there are many dead insects and even  some mounds of dust and winged creatures that might be termites.  All in all, it was not a pleasant visit for me.  I felt sad and helpless, seeing the state of our future home and not being able to clean it and protect it from further damage.

I really hope this is the week, they give us the good news. 

I don't think I'll want it very much longer.

It is just in such bad shape, I worry it will be far too expensive to get it to a livable condition if we wait much longer.

I'm sure the lender and lenders representatives have not been to the house.  If they had they would have jumped at the chance for someone to buy it, and make some money on it.  I don't think anyone would want it in the shape it is today, if they saw it for the first time.

What do you think?  Should we continue with this house or just give it up and look for another house?



Outdoor Living Part 3...continued

As I mentioned on my last post, I will be posting some beautiful photographs of outside kitchens and dining rooms.  I don't necessarily want the exact rooms pictured, but some of the features.  I will point out the elements I'd like to incorporate in the design.

I've tried to create a floor plan using several programs to no avail.  I think my threats of showing you my drawings will have to become reality.  As embarrassed as I am to show these, I don't think there's another way.  I can't figure out how to manipulate the floor plan programs. 

So here are some of the pictures I like:

I love this outdoor room for its simplicity. 

 I like the size and style of the fireplace, however,

I would prefer it in a different finish. 

This is a simple fireplace also but with a lot of character. 

I like the wall behind the fireplace or mantle set back. 

It brings more dimension to the room.

I love this!  It's nothing like what I want for the end result,

 but I just love how it looks.

I like the pergola.  This is exactly what I had in mind for part of the area. 

I want areas that are protected from the elements yet still have sunlight. 

I was considering pergolas with glass or Plexiglas for that effect.

I like the idea of this fireplace although I do not like the brick. 

The fireplace I would like to build will have a smooth surface.  I also like the flooring material.

This is also a look I've been contemplating. 

In addition to the tile with the grass in between (which I featured before). 

I like the feeling of the pool surrounded by the living areas.  The living areas are exposed and unexposed to the elements, it varies, which is what I would like to accomplish as well.

Again, I like the proximity of the outdoor living area to the pool.

This pergola is definitely my style.  It seems contemporary

 yet also traditional.  I love the vines!

The yard in my casa has many tropical trees and

flowers just like in this photograph.

                               

I like the symmetry in this design. 

This room feels cozy and warm.  I would prefer a solid flooring material

rather than a pattern on the floor.  I like the arches in the photograph, but not for me.

The style of the fireplace is nice.  I think I still prefer the more simple

 designs shown earlier in this post.  I like the beams on the ceiling.

The doors in this photograph are beautiful in my opinion.

I also chose this photograph because I like the pitch of the roof.

I like many features in this photo.  I like the color of the windows. 

I love the pergola and the vines climbing up. 

                                                        I like the daybed off in the distance.

Again, I just love the simple lines of this

fireplace.

My son saw this and asked if we could do this because "it's so nice" but then realized it wouldn't be any fun to play in a pool with all the cement everywhere.  I agree with him.  I think this is beautiful!

I would like to incorporate bench seating in the outdoor kitchen area.

I'd probably just have it made from the concrete, like in this photograph.  The only change is the seats probably wouldn't have a back, just the bottom.

I've posted this photograph before.  It's from HGTV's

 Jamie Durie's own home.  I like the bench seating in the dining

area and the pergola with a roof deck.

This another Jamie Durie room. 

 I love that about 30 people could sit here

comfortably and have a wonderful evening.

The choice of fabrics, colors and tableware are right on.

This dining area looks fabulous in my book! 

Although I have many, many, many more photographs. 

I will stop for today and leave you guessing...