Thumper Thinks Out Loud

Buying a house should be a lot easier than it is. Holy carp. We looked at several houses yesterday, including one that would require the purchase of a riding lawnmower because it was like a freaking park, and then went back to the very first house we'd seen.

Wow. The house grew some appeal when we were looking at other things. Perfect size, not a big yard but enough to have to mow, on a quiet court with a 3 car garage. The price was lowered this week, which made it that much more appealing. We looked around carefully, went to see another house, and then went back again. It felt like it would fit us quite nicely.

So we wrote up an offer.

Then we found out the mortgage is held by Countrywide. And Countrywide, no matter who the lender you're going to use is, preapproved for a billion dollars or not, requires you to get preapproved through them if you're trying to buy one of their foreclosures.

Doesn't matter if you tell them there's no way in hell you're getting a loan through them. If you don't at least apply for a loan, they won't even look at your offer. You're free to use whatever lender you want...after you apply with them.

Cripes.

So now we wait some more to see if Countrywide will offer us a loan we don't even want just so we have a shot at a house we do want.

Whole thing should be illegal.

We should know tomorrow about their preapproval (don't see why not...) and hopefully whether or not they accept our offer in Friday. When they do, our offer on the first house will be officially withdrawn. I feel bad about that--not because we won't get that particular house--but because the people trying to sell it have been totally hosed by their lender and will likely wind up in foreclosure because of a clerical error.

Can't make that our problem, though...

If we get this house there will be some fun places for the kitties to climb, I'll have my very own office, and if we want later we can screen in the back porch so Max and Buddah can go outside.

Of course it's all about the cats.

Sheesh, did you think we were buying a house for us?