| |
| |
|
Real Estate Information |
|
|
|
FSBO: For Sale By Owners Chapter One
She reached the phone on its second ring. "This is Tami!" She confidently answered. She knew who she was. "Honey, guess what? I sold them! I've got the job!" "In Phoenix, Aaron?" "Yes! It's beautiful here! Ninety degrees in November. Blue sky. This place is booming. We'll sell our house, there!" I don't want to sell my home! Tami's mind screamed in silent protest. While she didn't utter a sound, her reality whirled as her husband continued to talk. "The company wants me on my job next Wednesday. I'll be on the plane back, tomorrow. Pick me up, SeaTac at 4:35. I'll be on Southwest flight 722. I booked before calling you. Don't try to come inside. Be at the departures terminal, you know, where you dropped me off!" "But, this is Wednesday! How..." "Don't you worry about anything! We've got a week, Tami. We can do it. I love you." "Aaron, wait! Please don't hang up. Tell me all about it. Just a moment, I need to get something to write this down... Now, how do you know that we will be able to move there? We've got this house. Trevor's in first grade. We..." "We agreed before I came here, Tami. Remember?" "Yes, but..." "I've got to report to Human Resources, now. They're waiting for me. I'll get all of the information. We'll make sense out of it when I get back. You got 4:35 down?" "Yes, Aaron. But, call me tonight! Okay?" "I will, if I get a chance. Got all this information on the company I've got to read too. They want to see me here at 7:00 AM, before I fly back. I love you." "I love you, Aaron! Please promise you'll call me back tonight!" "Got to go, now! Bye." Dazed, Tami stared at the receiver. She knew he'd be too busy to call. That's why he didn't promise. She loved Aaron, but she loved her house, too. All of her friends were envious of it. It was an extension of herself. This was her home. She'd made Aaron buy it even though there was talk of a lay-off at Boeing. She was tired of the small apartment they'd rented since Trevor was born. They'd looked at dozens of houses before they'd found this home, almost ready. The builder had it finished to her buyer's specifications. He'd even said he admired her good taste. Her home had everything her friends had always wanted. The emerald carpeting didn't stain when six-year-old Trevor spilled his food eating in front of the TV. Green was her favorite color. A stay-at-home mom, Tami Tanner spent her days primping in the mirror, supervising the soaps, and charging on the card her orders from the two channels that offered exclusive articles of fine jewelry. She'd never had to work. Aaron didn't want his wife to work. He'd said so before she'd married him. That was just fine with Tami. But, since Aaron has been laid off, Tami has resented the fact that she has had to curb her spending. Tami eyes embraced her kitchen, its tile countertops reflecting forest hues of the perfect curtains she'd found. The built-in microwave was the best. Aaron said that she deserved the best-so long as he got his three-car garage. The oversized refrigerator-icemaker in the door-was the envy of her best friend, Heather, who said she'd trade her boyfriend for an icebox like that. Tami's builder couldn't order the frig. They were behind on their credit card payments for it and she couldn't even charge jewelry. Tami knew she was supposed to be happy Aaron got the job. But, why did it have to be in Phoenix? What about her home here? She decided to call Heather. As she waited for Heather's voice mail message to conclude, Tami played with the ruby anklet which matched her toenails. Aaron would never have approved her little indulgence. "Heather? This is Tami. Please call me back. Pick up, if you're there! Aaron's got a job. Please, call when you get this message! I'm home. All right? Bye." "Wait, Tami! Don't hang up. I'm on." "Heather! Aaron took a job in Phoenix. What am I going to do?" "You're going to move. That's what." "I don't want to move, Heather. I want to stay here! In my house." "We don't always get everything we want, Tami." "I know, but?" "But nothing! Grow up, Tami! Quit playing dumb! It's me, remember? You've a husband and a son to think about. God, you don't know how good you've had it!" "I know. You're right, Heather. I really do have it good, don't I? Do you think you could come over? I'm bored blind. Aaron's been gone since Sunday night. Could you, please?" " My officer 167 Ted Rasmussen will be here for dinner. He likes to eat when he arrives. I haven't even thawed out the chicken." " Please, Heather!" " Alright, Tami! Quit whining! I'll see you, tonight when Ted's away. He'll have two beers with his dinner, want sex, and to take off with his off-duty cop buddies until around midnight. I'll come after he leaves." "Thank you, Heather! I'll put Trevor to bed by 8:00. I'll see if I can get a sitter. We can go dancing! Okay?" "No way, Tami! Your husband's out of town, but my Ted could find out. I'm not risking my relationship just so you can get your jollies teasing some horny hound dogs. I'll come over and we can just talk. I'm not getting high either! You got that, Tami?" "Okay! But, come over. We'll just talk. Okay?" "I said I'd be there, Tami. See you around 7:30." Tami carried the receiver with her up the oak staircase to the second floor-pausing near the top--to admire her beautiful living room with its bayed windows and gas-log fireplace. The custom carved mantle was just like the one in Home Beautiful magazine. It was perfect. Plush emerald carpeting extended from the green slate entry, through the open dining room to the breakfast bar where Trevor had his Super-Hero's Cereal every morning. The thick Seattle phone directory, atop his stool, made it the perfect height for her six-year-old son. Home from school, Trevor was watching TV, eating lime wiggly, in the family room. Last night's dishes and Trevor's breakfast bowl were in the dishwasher, frozen lasagna in the oven for another hour and ten minutes. Tami had time to bubble bathe. Glass pipe in hand, she could relax, smoke a little dope, and consider how she would tell Trevor the news: 'Daddy has a new job; we have to move to a new home in Phoenix; you'll get to go to a new school.' Immersed in a euphoric high, she indulged the sodden moments her jetted bathtub offered, amid awful thoughts of losing her ideal home, her connection, and her elegant identity. Russ Miles is author of the novel, For Sale By Owners:FSBO. A "Seasoned Real Estate NAR® Broker," disabled by Multiple Sclerosis, Russ writes books & articles on varied subjects. FOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO ISBN 0-595-28703-4,in trade paperback, is available by phone or Internet:1-800-Authors to order direct! Adobe e-book & hard cover editions also available at Amazon.com at Barnes and Noble and other fine booksellers. Comments: MilesRuss@Gmail.com. Please visit Russ Miles's website MilesBooks.com for other informative features and information of interest.
MORE RESOURCES:
Real-Estate - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Financing Houses What Real Estate Lenders Look ForLenders control many programs -- some make use of over 200! Generally, lenders look for the following typical standards, with many exceptions:1. Absolutely no late mortgage payments 2. Real Estate Investing in Rentals - the $10 Million Real Estate Investing Mistake Renting to tenants is no longer "where the money is" for real estate investing. I became a multi-millionaire landlord in the 1980s by buying $10 million in rental houses. Beat the Crowd when Investing in Real Estate We all are thinking about it and some of us are actually taking action and getting their hands on real estate investment properties. The longer the NY Stock Exchanges doesn't produce desirable returns the more people are starting with real estate investments. Selling Houses: Flooring & Feelings Buyers think they love Italian tile and other hard floor surfaces, but they actually feel happier when they're walking on softer surfaces such as padded carpeting and padded laminate. Even so, you'll want to give some serious thought to the floors in your home if you want to sell quickly, and for the highest profit. Real Estate Investment - Why it is Big Business? When examining the different asset classes, real estate is generally far less volatile than shares and real estate tends to be the haven that investors flock to when other asset classes are suffering.It is true to say that investment properties can have many benefits in terms of building long-term wealth, but we must never forget that this wealth is not guaranteed!Following the global real estate boom of the late 1980's many investors learnt this hard lesson when they found their properties were worth far less than they had actually paid for them and the bottom seemingly fell out of the over-inflated market. Guide To Finding The Perfect Central Illinois House Central Illinois is an area rich in cultural activities and business opportunities. The quality of life experienced by the residents of the numerous close-knit communities is second to none. The Key to Real Estate Investing Success Revealed! How did you get into real estate investing? Did you read a book on it? Was it a seminar? A meeting of some sort with speakers dispensing real estate investing information, but really selling courses? Did you get really, really jazzed and pumped up by these simple ("not easy") concepts that were delivered to you in parable form from the stage by a charismatic speaker?Did you find yourself levitating to the back of the room, powerless but to slap down your plastic to buy the kits that were being sold there? Like, "Yes Mr. Ker we do take traveler's checks. Just Give Me Eleven Reasons to Buy in Dubai Buying overseas property is not always for the fainthearted but we think Dubai is an exception to this. Here are eleven reasons to buy in Dubai:1. Making Money In Real Estate - 10 Ways Making money in real estate is an endless topic that includes all the various types of real estate investments. There is land, apartment buildings, homes, commercial buildings and more. Burn, Baby, Burn! Luxury homes are lots of fun to inspect. Sure, the pay is better too, but mostly it's just fun to see how the other half lives! I also get to meet those people who have reached such a level of financial success that they are buying a home that seems like it could have been a boarding school!One of the fun aspects of inspecting large and expensive homes is seeing furnishing and interior design work at the highest level. Condo Hotel Trends - A Look at the Big Picture in Vacation Home Ownership Condo hotels are one of the hottest products in today's real estate market. New properties are cropping up in different parts of the country and new buyers are entering the market daily. How I Became a Real Estate Investor Recently I closed on the sale of two homes. They were located about a mile apart and had comparable market values. Small Town Stone House with a Long History As a native Midwesterner, the first thing I noticed when moving to the Delaware Valley was the enormous number of fieldstone houses. Frankly, I'd never seen such a thing. How Come No One Told Us About This When We Were Buying a Home? Development, it's bound to happen.Simply because there is a large open field, or the property you're looking at borders woods, doesn't mean it will or can stay that way in the future. How to Build A Rental Property Money Machine If you are looking for a steady, income-producing investment that isn't dependent on the ups and downs of the stock market, rental property is just the investment you're looking for!As lucrative as owning rental property can be, the wrong property can be a bottomless money pit. You need to know how to go about locating property, finding tenants, managing the rental, and how to make your investment profitable. How To Simplify Your Real Estate Buying/Selling Experience Today's real estate consumer has a lot to consider during the sale or purchase of a home. Be it waiting for the right buyer/seller, mortgage rates, or the moving truck, the experience can take a bit of patience on the part of the consumer. Is An Old Home for You? - The Cons So you think you might like to buy an old home? Perhaps even something old enough to be historic? It's a good idea to carefully evaluate the pros and cons before you decide. There are plenty of both. Commercial Income Property Financing: Part 1 of 3 Welcome to this first portion of a three-part series about income property. In this first segment we will be discussing financing options for commercial income properties as well as the upside (and downside) of owning this type of property. The Perils of the Property Ladder: Has Anyone Noticed the Silence? There was a time when every conversation was focussed on property and every other TV programme was about property makeovers. Everybody wanted to get into property and those already on the ladder seemed fixated on becoming wealthy overnight. The Art & Science of Property Valuation -- Automated Valuation Models It is no secret that sellers want to sell high and buyers want to buy low. But they often arrive at the negotiating table with very different ideas on price.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
