House Hunting continued...

So, I thought I would post a little more about the process of purchasing a home.  I hope one day I can look back at this and laugh, because right now I am just frusterated.

You see...in Chino Hills (where we live), we are faced with homes in short sale situations.  There are virtually NO standard sales in Chino Hills. Well, at least not in our price range.  This makes finding a home, a LONG and stressful process.  I often fantasize of "the normal way" people buy homes.  They find one, then put an offer on it and 30 days later they get the keys.

Unfortunately, with short sales, the process can be drawn out to months.  So, we are stuck making offers on short sales if we want to stay in Chino Hills. 

So far, I believe we have offers on about 20 different houses.  Seems like a lot, right?!  IT IS!  In fact, we have made so many offers that we just signed a blank contract so that realtors can just send them in for each home we think we like.  We are even making offers on homes we haven't seen.

We have to make offers ASAP because some homes will have 25+ offers submitted within the first day or two of being on the market.  So, there is no room for error.

We recently had an offer accepted-which was a HUGE accomplishment.  THEN, the bank countered our offer $20k more.  While we wanted to get into a home, we didn't think it was worth it, so we walked away.  It was a HARD decision since we have been looking for what seems like FOREVER! 

However, currently, we made an offer on another home and we went to the bank on this one too.  The reason it is such a big deal is because with 25+ people competing for one home, you have to be hand picked.  Basically we beat out others, so that was exciting!  So-currently our offer is at the bank.  IF the bank accepts our offer, we still have a long process ahead of us.  The bank would STILL have to send it to the investor and the investor would have to approve it too.  Then they would have to appraise it, etc.  If all went well we would be looking at getting in sometime in late May.  So, we are crossing our fingers, but not holding our breath, cuz we've been through this before...

House Hunting

David and I decided in October that it was time to find ourselves a home.  What an exciting time in a couples lives...or so we thought!  I have come to despise the house hunting process.  What once seemed to be an exciting adventure, has now turned into a stressful limbo between extreme highs and lows. 

Now...I suppose I should be somewhat thankful for the opportunity we have to purchase a home, because, let's be honest...without the downfall-correction-PLUMMET-of the economy, there would be no way we could have afforded a shack here in good ole' $outhern California. :)

So, I just felt the need to share.  I have been really irritated with looking lately and not finding anything.

David After Dentist

This is one of my favorite youtube videos of all time.  This little boy just got back from the dentist...

I HATE teeth!

...seriously!  Why do we need them?!  I mean, hasn't modern technology thought of a better way yet?!  We can send people to the moon, talk face-to-face with people in Tokyo, and travel by plane, but we can't live without teeth?! 

Well, I thought I could.  In fact, when my dentist told me I needed my root canal "redone," my first response was "just pull the damn thing!"  ...and then he told me that if he did, he would have to drill a titanium screw into my jaw to replace the gap that would be left.  So...I waited...and waited...about 5 years...then it got infected...and I waited a little longer...

Then, last Monday (6+ years later), I FINALLY got it done.  I was really proud of myself.  I have an insane fear of dentists.  I was injured by one when I was about 12, and since then, I have been a big wuss!

Do you honestly blame me?!  Who wouldn't be afraid of this?! 

...right?!  Is it crazy that I am afraid of this?!  Cuz apparently, my Endodontist thought I was unnecessarily stressed out...I guess most people don't turn white, shake uncontrollably and grip the dental seat.  Humm...

Well...anyway...now I am currently on antibiotics to kill the infection, then I will get my crown on Monday.  And to think...all of this fun will ONLY cost me $2,000!  What a DEAL!!!(NOT!)

...and, we're back!

Happy New Year!  I am back, and have decided that one of my many resolutions is to keep up on my blog.  So...here goes nothing!  Stay tuned...

Kristin's Annual Birthday/Bowling Extravaganza!

The day after Christmas, my family has an annual bowling tournament...boys against girls! We started the day off by heading over to the portrait studio to get family pictures taken. It was the first time, in a VERY long time, that the Reid B. Pearce family was all together. We were able to get a few really great pictures.

After getting our pictures taken, we headed over to have lunch. After lunch we went to the bowling alley. We had three lanes...one for the boys, one for the girls, and one for the kiddos! As usual, the boys won, but it was probably because they always cheat! LoL! j.k.!

Christmas Evening...

Christmas evening was spent at my Aunt Terri's house. We had dinner at her house and waited for my cousin Katie and her family to come down from Idaho Falls. They hadn't celebrated Christmas with us yet, so her kids got to open all of their presents from everyone. It was a lot of fun watching them! Afterward, we played bunko. I wasn't very good, but it was fun anyway!

Christmas Day!

We woke up Christmas morning and headed over to my Aunt Cindy's again. It is always a lot of fun to have breakfast at her house. Dan, Danika, and Luke came over from Layton, Cory, Kristin, Braden and Will came from home, and Jenni was already there. It is always so much fun being in a house full of family! :)