15 June 2006

NOW IT REALLY IS OURS

so, at 2:30 on tuesday we got the call...

... saying that settlement couldn't go through.

because we gave them TOO MUCH MONEY. that's right. too much.

so i was pretty annoyed. because we'd done EVERYTHING right, but someone somewhere hadn't calculated the first homeowners grant into/out of the amount we owed. so we'd given them $10k too much, and they wouldn't give us the keys.

then our lawyer did a lot of phone-calling around to the vendor's conveyancer etc, and eventually they came up with the idea of getting us to sign a contract saying that we could only have the keys to the house that day if (among other things) we used the property only for residential purposes. so, there went our plan for an opium den, brothel etc. never mind. another day.

so we signed things and faxed them (the grumpy post office man was even nice to us! whacko!) and taxied to the estate agent for the keys. picture this: us on one side of the desk, agent on the other side of the desk, keys in envelope on top of desk... we considered doing the proverbial runner with the envelope, but decided we should try to make it all legal. eventually, at 5:10, the agent gets the call from the vendor's lawyer saying it's all good.

WE HAD THE KEYS! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?!

actually, surprisingly, nothing!

we went to the apartment (OUR apartment) did the rounds with candles and incense, opened and closed the cupboards, laughed at the heater (it is attached to the wall, and the cord is about 15cm too short to plug into the power point!), peeled an enormous sheet of wallpaper off the wall (whoops!)... erin, rachel and esther came over for pizza and cheese and wine (thanks ej!) and champagne (thanks erin!). managed to spill champagne on the carpet, and IT DOESN'T MATTER because the carpet is OURS!

dan and i slept over on the floor on tuesday night. cold, uncomfortable, etc. but an adventure!

yesterday may and sara-jane helped us move a heap of boxes (thanks guys!), drink tea, eat huge luncheons at sugardough on lygon st, etc. we all went for a constitutional walk along the creek (so close!), and at about 2:50 we got the call...

... saying IT'S OURS!!!

it felt different after that!

the agents gave us a hamper with wine and chocolates. free stuff! we should buy a house more often!

yay! house! ours!

8 comments:

  1. love you, db.

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  2. CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!!!!

    Wow... a home...all for you!!! Cool! Now crack out the red wine and drizzle it all over the floor! Just cos you can!

    Toodles,

    Julia xo

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  3. wow wow can't believe you own your own home (almost - I guess the bank still owns it for the time being...)! Congrats and have fun doing it all up! I'm about to time out now!

    Love you both lots!
    Mich XO

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  4. heya chappies in distant places, thanks for the wishes and all! we are still unpacking boxes and enjoying ripping wallpaper off the walls! speak soon, guys.

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  5. Congrats on the settlement of your new place! I hope you enjoy spilling your booze on your carpet for many years to come.

    Lots of love,

    El

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  6. heya (defacto) brother (in law)! thanks for writing to us, and we will make sure that there is a piece of carpet reserved especially for you to decorate with the alcoholic beverage of your choice when you visit... soon... we hope!

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  7. We did spill champagne on the floor on our first night there.

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