by Claire
Disclaimer: I’m probably going to be all over the place in this post and that’s because I am stressed!!!
Yesterday I had a conversation with someone and discussed that I wanted to just stay put in this rental house until at least September 24, 2014. I feel like the debt will be much reduced by then and I’ll feel better equipped to tackle a house hunt and move.
Exactly two hours later I get a text from my landlord asking me to call him. There is a management company involved but it is not uncommon for the owners to contact me directly. It’s a long, bizarre story but the owners divorced before we rented the house from them and the terms of the divorce included the sale of this house. The house did not sell and it so happened that a friend of mine had looked at the house when it was on the market and told me there were foundation issues. I can’t emphasize enough that houses in my neighborhood sell and sell fast. I’ve been keeping an eye on that in the last 2 years. That’s the main thing the house has going for it–the neighborhood. Regarding foundation issues, there are minor issues with doors and windows that support that theory but the yard itself is the most telling. It’s hard to describe but something is definitely not right. The management company’s inspector always made note that the back of the house appeared to be sinking and needed attention. Nothing has been done in the now 2.5 years we’ve lived here. The house needs a lot of attention and in my time here the owners have been responsive to my requests but definitely not willing to put any money into the house. The husband part of this now divorced duo actually lives next door with his ex-mother-in-law. I don’t ask questions as it is none of my business but that’s why he feels comfotable contacting me–we’re neighbors!
So I call him back and he says that his ex-wife wants to exercise the option in the divorce papers of selling the house. He wants to know if I am interested in buying the house. Can you believe this timing?! Just two hours before I was settling into at least a short term feeling of stable! Now I’m thrown back into the housing decision!
I so do not want to move. Let me just get that out there. I absolutely, positively do not want to do the physical part of a move. BUT, I know that is not a reason to buy a crappy house that I don’t even really like all that much. Neither is the absolutely perfect neighborhood. Not that I am in a position to buy right now but I’m just thinking aloud here. I do want to keep the kids in their schools and that’s a major stressor. I despise the thought of moving my kids again.
Let’s look at the bright side. This could end up saving me money if I get out of this $1795 rent. For that reason I am sort of interested in getting out of this contract sooner rather than later. I like the idea of leaving all of the Steve memories behind. That’s a plus.
Here’s where we are right now: The houses in the neighborhood sell for $250-$325K. If I could find a miracle and be able to buy this house I would not pay more than $200K. I told the owner that and he said he would talk to his ex-wife. I made it clear that I wasn’t saying I would buy it just that I know anything over $200K is out of the question. He replied saying they cannot sell it for that price. So I asked if they would let me out of the contract early so they can put it on the market. I did some quick research and there are some rentals nearby for less but I’d want out by March 31. He said he’d let me know. In some ways I think it backfired on him–he seems to have assumed I would want to buy and now may have been surprised that I’m trying to use it to get out.
So please bring on the comments! I do value your input. I’m feeling like a crazy person right now because this crazy stuff seems to happen on a pretty frequent basis (and then I spent time hyperanalyzing what I am doing to invite this kind of craziness). BUT, as I ALWAYS try to do I will work to keep perspective. A dear friend of mine just posted on facebook that her mother is hospitalized for an aneurysm and the prognosis is not good, her job has been turned upside down because of restructuring and her friend lost a 6 year old boy to a drunk driver–just in the last seven days. Perspective. The kids and I are okay. Just breathe.
Born and raised in Texas. I’ve at least driven through every state in the US courtesy of a roadtrip loving Dad.
I’m single with two children and a good parenting relationship with their father.
I am a “life is just half full of funny” kinda gal. Humor is my saving grace and I am thankful for it every single day. I have a strong Catholic faith and am thankful for that foundation.
I read a lot for a living but still enjoy a good book. I love biographies but in recent years have found the need for fun fictional books–sadly, for a long time I just didn’t enjoy fiction!
I love live theatre of any kind–from local productions to Broadway.
I love to scrapbook and pride myself in my kids’ albums.
I love being a mom but also love my career. I’m blessed to have found a balance allowing me to be at everything my kids need and want me to be at–while also having a career.
Favorite Quotes: Well behaved women rarely make history.
Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. -James Bryant Conant
Do not even consider buying this home.
1. this is a terrible time to make a big purchase
2. the house sounds like a money pit and you know it
3. it is too big for you and your 2 kids.
4. moving sucks but your kids know that where you are is where home is.
Honestly Claire even throwing out the 200K figure was not a smart move. And I was WITH YOU on the whole gym membership. You don’t want this house. Not wanting to move is a terrible reason to buy this house that is too big, sinking, attached to memories of Steve and you know it!!! Start packing!
Yes, yes you are right! It was impulsive and truly out of panic that I even brought up the $200K number. Good news is that was rejected so it’s no harm, no foul? I know I can’t buy this house! I just freaked out. That shouldn’t be past tense–I’m still freaking out but with each comment I’m sure I’ll calm down. 🙂 Thanks for the support on the gym. I AM still going. LOL!
Excellent answer Theresa.
And may I add that I hate drunk drivers but he will probably get off with little punishment.
Healthy, happy children with a safe place to sleep, full tummies and always knowing where the next meal is coming from is all that is really important.
Moving is very definitely a pain, but not the end of the world. Especially if you move within the area (no crazy excess wrapping to protect breakables for a cross-country truck ride). I grew up in a family that moved virtually every year (but never more than 20 miles). Having a parent in real estate will do that. Turns out there is always a slightly more perfect house. I grew up thinking it was normal every summer to pack up your toys and books, pick a new paint color for your room and walk to the same school in September but from a different address. Isn’t that what everyone does?
You’ve already been selling the things you don’t need. Maybe the thought of moving stuff you don’t want or need will motivate you to clear things out even faster. Think of this as an opportunity for a fresh start. Purge all the junk and reminders of past unhappiness and have the kids help pick the new place to suit just you three.
What JMK said.
If you are in a position to negotiate timing, use this as a way to sell everything you really don’t need, you and the kids. Turn this into a positive overall.
Lower ongoing rent.
Fewer bad memories.
Kids learn to pick what material objects really are important to them.
We had to move for a job recently. We picked the size of the truck first, and got rid of everything that didn’t fit. I really like the slimmed down living, so much easier to find what you really need.
Is the foundation fixable?
If so, how much would that cost?
Is the house habitable during repairs?
You need answers to those questions before making a final decision, but it sounds like a great time to make a fresh start.
I totally understand not wanting to move, but there have to be other rentals in your school district. And it would be great to be in a much more affordable situation.
But more than anything…DO NOT BUY THAT HOUSE. It has major issues that not only will be MAJOR expense to fix in the future, they would prevent you from selling it if you tried to sell it before getting it repaired. You indicated that it is visibly noticeable – it will only get worse.
I rarely comment on here although I read most every post, but I felt the need to throw this out there.
Do. Not. Buy. That. House.
Things will be okay.
Kaye makes a great point. If you buy that house you are immediately illiquid and probably upside down on it. That’s a position only for someone with money to burn.
Oh Claire! First of all I hope your friend and her mom are doing better.
I think, you just need to keep cool and try to get out of the contract so that you can find a more suitable place with a lower rent. What you should NOT do is: To buy that house…
First off, DO NOT BUY THIS MONEY PIT! Now that being said, it seems like it is time to put boundaries in place with the neighbor. Question, your rental agreement is with the management company, right? Therefore, the next time the neighbor comes trying to get you to agree to something without confirmation from the management company, I would tell him to work through the management company. Given the history you have described, I would be really careful here. Does the management company know he suddenly wants to sell the house again?
In the mean time, I would also start looking through the house for the items you would like to be rid of before you move (regardless of when that is). This gives you something positive to focus on.
You can also start researching where you would want to rent. This will give you time to formulate your thoughts and involve the kids in what they would want as well.
Just breathe- you are going to be okay!
What a wonderful opportunity for you to lower your housing expenses! This has practically been handed to you as a gift to get out of your current contract renting this house. More and more people are renting out their houses because they don’t want to sell them in this economy. You can certainly find one less expensive than what you are renting now and put the savings toward your debt repayment! Start looking now and find out what’s out there. You’ll probably feel better doing some research online. No one enjoys moving, but this sounds like such a positive move in the right financial direction!
I agree. This is a great opportunity. Your kids will be fine. I am sure you can find a rental where they can attend the same school. It is all how you tell them the information. Once you know you are going to move, get them on board with it being an adventure. You aren’t getting a forever home right now, it is temporary and will help you reach your goals sooner. It sounds like have enjoyed being involved in moving you forward with your business, they can be excited about this as well!
I agree with the other posters here – please do not buy that house. This of this as an opportunity to start completely anew with your children. Find a new place and make happy memories there and maybe save a little money in the process. Make it an adventure. Good luck.
Do not buy the house.
Do not panic.
For the same reasons you should not buy the house, the odds of the house selling quickly are very slim.
Somebody with a sense of adventure might buy it as an investment, but in that case, they may want to keep you on as a renter while they make arrangements to start the repair work.
Remember that the visible stuff will be visible to the mortgage company and when they assess the house, they may refuse to put a mortgage on it, at least for anything near its full potential value (as opposed to its present value.)
For once, the crappy house, sagging foundation, mortgage companies are all someone else’s problems.
Do not panic. You’ll find something else in this area.
BTW: if it looks like a house sale is moving forward, make sure you let your church know you are moving – often the best rentals are ‘hidden’ (they don’t get advertised because they get snapped up by word of mouth.) You need to network in the area to find something perfect for you.
It won’t hurt to tell the real-estate lawyers you know that you are looking for a rental as well, they probably know many smaller landlords.
I agree with everyone else. Do not make a rushed decision on someone else’s terms and timing.
I did that and it got me in a worse off situation than I was in.
This is a silver lining…you’d save more money and you can still stay in the neighborhood since there are other rentals available in the area.
I know what you mean about perspective…I feel like I’m having the worst luck and situation right now in terms of finances/salary/health but then, my loved ones are still with me.
This is a great example of what I am currently learning in my finance journey – that there is no normal. My husband I spent a lot of time saying we would get our finances in order “when things calmed down” but after about a year I realised that something ALWAYS comes up. If it wasn’t a family health issue, it was a car expense, an upcoming vacation, a broken computer. We learned to plan for the unplannable – which didn’t make it any easier when a huge expense or hassle popped up without warning, but it made me feel more in control of SOMETHING.
My God, as everyone else has said, don’t buy the house. I’m not sure about buying A house, just not that one. If you could find something 10 years or less with no obvious fixes needed (we all know furnaces and AC could need a repairman and a hot water heater could go out, but you can plan the other things), then I will go out on a limb and say “buy”. Here’s why: 1. You seem to be paying more for rent than you would for a mortgage. 2. You want the stability for your kids. No matter what you do, landlords have their own plans. Landlords decide to sell frequently, especially when prices are rising. 3. No, you are not debt free but see #1 and also, we have gotten too used to these low rates. They really are amazing and won’t last. Run a quick loan amortization on 3.25% and then on 7.5%, which is still a decent rate historically (use Excel’s loan amortization calculator for an easy look). Rates will trend upwards. Look at historical trends after recessions. Don’t buy more house but lower rates help you pay that mortgage down. 4 tax benefits. 5. You have the power on your moving timeframe right now. You could find something and pick the closing date. I don’t expect that your rental will sell quickly with its issues. Normally the timing makes the process horrendous.
Other readers may want you to have paid off all your debt and I feel like by advocating buying something modest, you would be setting yourself up well. I’ve been in this business for 12 yrs. and have been pleased with homeownership. But absolutely do not go up to the max ratios if you buy. And only buy if the mortgage is significantly less than rent. FHA is 3.5% down and rates are .25% less but there’s an up front mortgage insurance premium and monthly rates are higher than conventional, where you can buy with 5% down. FHA loans are assumable, which is a plus. Down the road, that will be important to buyers. If you do get serious about buying, feel free to ask questions. Not only do I work in the industry but I am building my own modest paired home and have been shopping the financing. Also, if you find something, your insurance agent may be able to look up past claims through a CLUE claim pull. I wish I had done that myself once.
Last but not least – breathe. 🙂
We all have lots of wants and lots of ways we’d like things to work out in an ideal world. But we need to be adults. And you need to be financially responsible and model financial responsibility for your children.
You are YEARS away from responsibly buying a home. You need to first, pay off all your debt. Second, save an emergency fund. And third, save a down payment. Haven’t you learned yet not to live by the financial seat of your pants and not to let your wants control your financial life?? You spent many years making a giant financial mess – you’re going to need to spend more time fixing that mess before you get to indulge. Stop with the entitlement and impatience, please.
Please go rent the most affordable thing you can find. Use the extra money to pay off debt, save money, and build a down payment even faster. You don’t even need a house with all its upkeep an expense. Consider looking into renting an apartment or condo. 3 people (2 of them part-time) do not need a lot of square footage to live in, though sometimes our American culture of excess tells us otherwise.
And even after your finances are in order, you may still find that it’s not the right time in life to buy. I imagine that in the coming years, you might want more financial liquidity in your life. Once your debt is paid off and once you have a larger emergency fund, maybe you’d rather have more money to have life experiences with your children or to pay for their college instead of committing it to a mortgage.
I agree with everyone else. DO NOT buy this house. Go find a rental that is smaller with a lower rental amount.
One warning about your lease situation: we’re landlords and there’s a clause in our lease that states if we decide to sell the house, the tenants would have first dibs, but it is NOT grounds for the tenants to break their lease until the house actually sells. Also, our tenants must make the house available for showings and be cooperative with agents. This is per our property manangement that does our leases, etc.
Personally, if we did decide to sell, I would want our tenants out immediately so we could make any necessary repairs and get it as ready to sell as possible. Hopefully your landlord will see it this way also and let you out of the lease. Otherwise, I think you might have a problem.
Claire,
As you decide what you and the kids will do,always keep in mind that nothing in this world is a random act and there is a reason for all that happens to us no matter how insignificant even though we may not know for awhile why the act has occurred(be it negative or positive).
My guts tell me there is a positive reason behind this happening to you at this time- and I do not forsee it meaning buying this house with its foundational problem that you spoke of. The universe has brought you numerous “positive” changes over the course of you taking on this blog- it has been moving you to better things(out of debt, out of a poor marriage,etc ) and I think this is another one of its pushes to something better.
I love this attitude, and I agree with this post. You yourself said the house was too big and expensive and had bad memories. So why entertain the thought of buying it for even a minute?! Plus the fact that it’s sinking! Talk about a money pit lol!
It sounds like there ARE houses available for rent. So I’d regard this as a great opportunity to rent a smaller and cheaper house, and blast the debt even faster.
I WOULD however try to stay in the same school district, for obvious reasons.
Who knows, maybe you’ll find a more affordable rental house you just LOVE, in great shape, fall in love with it, and in two years the owners will tell you they’re selling?!
sinking houses and cracked foundations are a bad thing..plus I dont think in your heart like none the less love this house.
Maybe you can find something small or a condo for a year and then go from there. Remember act in haste repent in leisure
The reason why things like happen to you is because you are alive! 🙂
You deal with them and move on, something else will always happen. Shit happens and than you die…
start budgeting to hire movers to help move you.
Start packing now and get rid of stuff you don’t need.
find something at the low end of your housing budget so that you have more room to pay off debts
Changing schools is not the worst thing that will ever happen to your children
If you buy a home while you have the debt you currently have, the house will be nothing but misery.
I personally don’t like the action of moving, but I like starting over and having a fresh start, and that sounds like it is exactly what you need! I really hope you can find a house within your children’s school boundaries, because I know how much that can suck. Good luck!
Not only will I reiterate what’s already been stated and say DO NOT BUY THIS HOUSE, I want to encourage you too.
We just moved our family across country when we were approved by the military for a special program to move us near family after losing my stepdad. We have a high school senior and junior and I work from home. It was our 2nd move in 20 months. It has been exhausting and emotionally draining but TOTALLY worth it! The actual move process is no fun but I have experienced being broke and having to do a short sale in the past, I promise you that moving to a new rental with less money will be a lot less painful than the can of worms you’d be getting with buying that house. Or buying any house right now. If you want to/can move at the end of their school year that might be easier but honestly, if you are staying in the same area it won’t make that much difference. Go back to your goals and WHY they are your goals. Recognize that you’ve had enough challenges for one year and go get a lower rent payment. Best wishes.
Agreed, don’t buy this house.
But wait, don’t you own another house that you are renting? I can’t remember the whole story. What about moving back into that? Have you even thought about it?
That was Steve’s house Janelle. His separate, premarital property and thank God it isn’t an option to move back in there. 🙂
Okay I couldn’t remember the entire story behind it. Glad you decided not to buy this place. Moving into something cheaper is a smart move!
No, don’t buy that house. When you make any decision, make it from a position of power. Get your debt paid off and your life in order. Once you have zero debt, an emergency fund and a down payment, then think about how you want to live. Until then, rent. Buying a home you don’t love (and foundation issues to boot) isn’t smart. It’s interesting that both the house and the relationship with Steve wasn’t built on a solid foundation. I think it’s a great opportunity to move on and to get a fresh start. Yes, it’s a pain but the extra cash will be great. Also, renting will give you some time to think about what you really want in a home; having the luxury of time to think things through will be great. Hang in there!
When you pay rent, you pay someone else’s mortgage plus extra for profit and repairs. For instance, before I sold my house which had a mortgage of $1105 a month, I thought about renting it for $1450 which was market rent. Claire must pay for housing on a monthly basis, period. I do not agree with Dave Ramsey or the others who suggest that renting, even a place with a higher payment than a mortgage payment, is the only option for someone who has debt. $1200 is $1200, only for risking a repair (most of which are small and foreseeable), a portion of the payment actually builds equity. In most cases, the monthly rent would be significantly higher than a mortgage anyway, just as it would have been for whoever rented my house. Perhaps some readers have had nightmare repairs? I’m curious as to why people feel so strongly about this? Again, housing costs every month regardless of debt.
Meghan, the point is if you can not afford a $1200 mortgage then you also can’t afford a $1200 rent – so you rent something cheaper and in your price range. Plus, there are added expenses that a homeowner has in addition to mortgage – property taxes, utilities, home owners insurance, maintenance and repairs, etc. For instance, I own my home outright but I still have roughly $600 a month in added expenses that a renter would never have. Most landlords actually take a loss each month (if they still have a mortgage on the property) but they get to write off all expenses on their taxes PLUS depreciation on the property for 39.5 years! It is a big myth among renters that landlords (with mortgages) always make a positive cash flow each month. They don’t – rentals serve more as tax write-offs and as long-term investments that don’t truly start paying until a.) you own the building outright, or b.) you sell it down the line. (I know of what I speak – I own a couple rental units, myself.)
Claire is paying significantly more than $1200 ($1800 maybe). $1200 was a lower number. She isn’t going to live in a box. When I throw out mortgage payments, I’m including the escrow. Some expenses, like lawn care, are paid by renter anyway. And I’m sorry, but I have been In this business for 13 years and many rentals are at a loss because of depreciation and lying on taxes. Call me a sceptic but refrigerator bought? That was for the house the landlord lives in and then they take their old fridge and put it in the rental, and write off the cost of the nice new fridge, not the older one. I’ve seen more than one crafty landlord panic and write up fake invoices when they’re flagged for audit. In fact, those with rental property are most likely to be audited for that very game. Landlords do make money. At a minimum, they are breaking even but are having someone else pay down the principal of their mortgages. I have rented. I have owned. I have been a landlord on both a large and small scale, have underwritten mortgages, and now do a blend of homeownership and rental market policy work and implementation. I have seen the debt and foreclosure crisis up front. I still would never advocate renting for the same or more cost (assuming a reasonble cost to income ratio). Either Joe Smith owns your house and you will never own it (and Mr, Smith will have some level of control over your life) or a bank will but you have a chance to own it. Difference is that banks leave you alone as long as you are paying. For me personally, owing either money creates stress but I would rather it be owed to the one that stays out of my life. Claire’s creepy landlord neighbor just takes it to a new
All that said, a low downpayment of 3.5% to 5% is more than a deposit on a rental and Claire has credit card debt. It is reasonable for her to rent for a year or two until she has that paid off if she wants to. I just don’t want the blog readers to go after her and insult her if she chooses that this is the right time and reason for her and her family. She won’t buy that house, but I support whatever decision she makes on her next move. Lately, it seems that people are jumping at the chance to chastise others and it has even happened on this blog. Ultimately, Claire has her own journey.
Cheers!
Meghan
Clarification – Some landlords, a minority of them, do lose money for a number of reasons (market, their own bad mortgage terms, bad tenants, deferred maintenance). I was generalizing above. 🙂
I wish I knew what market you lived in. Where I live, rents don’t go for that much more than mortgages. That is why rentals are considered a long-term investment for the owner, not a way to make fast cash every month. Start with a mortgage and add in other other expenses plus depreciation and that is why landlords take a loss (and why I buy all my properties for cash). NOT because of shady landlord/tax practices that you allude to. In fact, I can’t say I know a single landlord in my circle who scams anything like what you are implying. Does it happen? I am sure it does… but it is by no means the norm. At least not here. You writing that just makes the entire industry look bad. The bulk of us landlords are not slumlords, tax scammers, or land barons… we are normal families who diversify our long-term investments and use our assets to hedge our bets against a bad economy.
Face it, if home ownership were affordable everyone would do it. It is not affordable. it takes a big investment and a fair amount of risk and faith.
I’m in a larger western city but the real question is what it is like in San Antonio, where Claire lives. I work out of multiple states, and this occurs in larger cities. In rural America, renting is cheaper sometimes, partially because building costs have risen where there isn’t a lot of construction activity.
And I don’t think that all landlords are like that but I think that sometimes, when you are in the business for your career and own homes on the side, you get to where you think you can get away with being a little shady. Those are the landlords I know. They’ve been doing this for a long time and don’t think they’ll get caught.
In San Antonio, rents are very high and it is cheaper to own. I believe on the last ranking I saw, it was in the top 10 of cities where rents far outpace mortgage amounts. These are just a few of the articles but all articles I saw back that homeownership is also cheaper there.
There are several reasons why everyone isn’t a homeowner. For one, like in San Antonio which has a larger military population, people can’t commit to staying in one place long-term. Second, far too many Americans can’t get a mortgage because of bad credit. Third, a landlord will let you spend half your income on housing but your mortgage underwriter won’t. If you don’t make a decent income and both mortgages and rents are high, you are forced to rent. Maybe the person can’t save 3.5% – 5% and all they can commit to is a deposit. Finally, if you’ve had to do a short sale, you’re out of the homeownership market for at least 3 years. That’s one of the factors propping up the rental market. We may see softening in the next couple of years, as people start to qualify to purchase again and because in many places, developers are starting to overbuild in the multi-family sector (low rates encourage them too).
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Hard-to-find-room-in-rental-home-market-3726813.php
http://sanantoniotexasnewhomesforsale.com/buying-vs-renting-recent-study-shows-it-is-cheaper-to-buy-a-home/
http://sanantonio.about.com/b/2010/06/07/cheaper-to-buy-than-rent-san-antonio-in-top-10-cities.htm
http://business.time.com/2011/09/07/top-10-cities-to-buy-vs-rent-a-home/
http://business.time.com/2011/09/07/top-10-cities-to-buy-vs-rent-a-home/slide/9-san-antonio-texas/
Sounds like most are giving you the same advice. Doesn’t sound like this is the house that you would love and could live there forever if you had to. Find a place that will make good memories for you and your sweetie pies. Also, there is probably much more wrong with the house than what you can see…… Good luck with everything!
Do not – I repeat do not, do not DO NOT – buy a house with known foundation issues regardless of the price! It will cost you a fortune down the road, plus you will never get your investment back when you try to sell.
Can you find a nice condo or apartment to rent – someplace with amenities your kids might like such as a pool or a fitness center on-site? Save some more money for a year or two that you could then use as a down payment on a house you really like? Going from a house to an apartment/condo may not sound appealing, you might just find you enjoy the stress-free lifestyle.
I thought there was a comment that said, “This is life.” I don’t see it now.
I agree, but with a caveat. This is life now because you have made a big huge giant mess of things. Not that “life” doesn’t happen to us all, but I am sure you will find that all this craziness will settle down once you move forward and past a lot of this. For that, GOOD LUCK!! I also feel the universe is telling you to get off your lazy butt and to go rent something cheaper already. 😉 & I mean that in the nicest way possible. I personally would probably not move either in your shoes (I kind of feel like you have been through enough lately). But I suppose the choice is getting moved off the table a bit, so I’d just embrace the positive, because that is all you can do. I am sure it feels like a huge kick in the butt that is kind of hard to ignore. & you are right – maybe best just to leave the memories behind.
I suppose all I really wanted to say was that it shouldn’t be like this forever. The whole point to being debt free is to have more options and to not feel cornered every time life throws something at you.
Yes Alexandria–it was Jerome’s comment that said that about life and it’s still posted. 🙂 Indeed this IS life! I laughed at your “universe” comment because just today I was reminding myself that it ALL happens for a reason! What a blessing saving money each month when I get to a smaller housing payment!