wner.

I'm assuming this will be long winded and boring but if you read through it and have anything you'd like to add, please do.

I've been looking to buy a condo pretty much all year and finally found an acceptable one. Unfortunately, it is a short sale which, if I am correct, means that the seller is trying to unload the property for less than what they still owe on it.The banks are willing to deal with that because they don't want to own a bunch of foreclosures.

I've been outbid for several other condos so when we saw this one, I offered what they were asking. The real estate agent listed it for 170. (Shouldn't the bank have pre-approved this amount?) I offered 170. Two months later, the bank agreed to the price. YAY!

My real estate agent neglected to tell them that I was getting a loan backed by the VA and that they would have to pay the closing costs. (about 5k) Another month goes by and the bank finally says OK to that. Verbally. Nothing in writing yet.

Great

Awesome

Super duper

I put money in escrow that I will get back if things don't work out, my loan is ready, all I have to do is sign .

Still nothing in writing from the bank.

Since this will be my first home, I am eligible for the 8k tax credit that expires at the end of November. I tell the bank if we don't close by then, they can keep their condo. It has been MONTHS and I'm getting bored with the process. (Rant within a rant: WHY is it that I can go to a car dealership, buy a 40k car and drive off in less than an hour but it takes half a freaking year to buy a condo?!!) grr

I am assured that all is well and the final paperwork will be ready within a week. Sweet.

My realtor called me Friday and according to her (I'm beginning to think she ain't too bright so I kind of half believe whatever she says) the sellers bank has decided not to let the seller dump the condo because he has a good job, high credit score, etc. He can either pay them what he owes or have a foreclosure on his record.

If that is the case, and it very well could be, why did they agree to the short sale in the first place?

The seller is not willing to pay them what he owes so it looks like I ain't gettin' no house.

Also on Friday, I saw a job opening for an environmental position with our sister company on the Big Island. It pays more than I make now and that island is much cheaper than Maui as far as real estate, food, gas, etc. I have until Nov 7 to apply for it if I want it. (Same parent company so my seniority, retirement, etc won't be affected)

Maybe it's time to move?

I dunno.

 

Move dude! I's gots some fam over there and then next time I go visit we can get beers!

Is it possible to get out of your deal if they gave you all the paperwork tomorrow?

You lived on the big island before right? did you like it? Do you have friends over there you can reconnect with? Are you tired of Maui?

What was your initial reaction when you saw the job posting.. excitement? Regret that you're buying the condo? Or was it more like, 'that would be nice, but woot, I'm about to be a homeowner'?

Good luck in your quest to become a real homo owner.

That sucks, bro. Buying a home looks like such a pain in the ass. It'll happen for you eventually. I know it.

Thanks guys.

When I saw the job opening, my initial thought was damn, I wish I wasn't in the middle of buying a house over here.

My office would be in Hilo but work would have me going all over the big island. My current position has me working for the generating stations. The Hilo position would be for the transmission and distribution side. (Line crew)

The plusses would be more feild work, slightly higher pay, cheaper cost of living, and living on a prettier island. I also may not have to be the NPREP coordinator anymore.

The minuses would be island wide drives for work. (The big island is larger than all of the other islands combined) and living in an area that has 260+ days of rain a year.

I have never lived there but used to pay frequent visits while on vacation. It is my second favorite island next to Kauai.

I think I'll apply and just see what happens. It's not like I don't want to live on Maui, there's nothing keeping me here either.

 

Oh you people who are down on rain :p

It aint bad, esspecially for when the other 100 days of the year you're surrounded by amazing beauty.

I think it's good to apply and see what happens.

And hey, if you continue to move from island to island, getting to know and commune with the land, you may get an invitation to live on Niihau!

Apply for the big island job.
If it isn't for you, then moving to the big island isn't meant to be and you can stay put. If the job is awesome, it sounds like a cool island to live on. Either way, you're still living in Hawaii, which had to be better than most other places in the world.

You mention the 260+ days of rain each year. Is the weather that much different in Maui? How often does it rain in Maui? It doesn't seem that far away. What would make the weather so different?

Hilo gets a lot of rain because it is on the windward side of the island. With the tradewinds, storm clouds almost always come in from the northeast. They dump their rain on the north and east shores as they climb in altitude to clear the mountains, leaving the south and west shores dry most of the time.
You can see it pretty clearly on that satellite photo. That line separating the green and brown parts of Molokai is pretty much perpindicular to the wind direction.
If you look at Maui county (Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe) you'll see that Lanai and Kahoolawe are mostly brown. That is because they are in the rain shadow of Haleakala, the mountain that makes up East Maui.
I live in that rain shadow too so, it only rains a few times a year in Kihei. We have a rain gauge at work in Maalaea that shows that we got less than 5 inches of rain last year. A 20 minute drive away in Iao valley, they get an average of 355 inches of rain a year.

ISLAND jumping. That's what I call it.

Jump! OR don't but dont' bitch because you live on a fucking ISLAND I would give my nut sac if I had one to live on an island so suck me!!!




I love you.

bigger they say is better Jiggy, and cheaper is good, especially with the high cost of everything down there.

Glad you're going to apply.

You're gonna need that hovercraft again aren't you?

Jiggy... i say go where the wind blows you. It sounds like a great opportunity.

Yeah, I'll talk to my boss tomorrow and see what he thinks. The last thing I want to do is piss off MECO by applying and then end up not getting the position.

Kohs, you mean you would rather live here than Dallas? I don't believe it!

TX has two armpits. Houston and DFW. Killeen is the taint.

I am

YAY Jiggy, you FUCKIN go GET EM.

And DFW is fuckin BEAUTIFUL this time of year.

Hmmm... I have my own stalker or imposer! WOO!!!! I've made it to level ZENU or something now right!?