It has been a busy month in the wider household. Ever since the brother and his girlfriend had their argument, it has been flat tack around here - at least for the others, I do my best to stay under the familial radar...
First it was the trauma of having the grandchild over for the weekend, when there was no certainty of seeing her again, or having her live in Australia. Then there was the hope that the girlfriend would come back, maybe in four to six weeks, my parents agreeing to help her out if she did this side of the Tasman again.
Then the first weekend of the girlfriend recovering from the argument back in New Zealand, there was the first thoughts of looking at the current rental market. Then before the second weekend, it was to a head because she and the daughter were coming back on the Sunday. A bit of frantic rental market viewing later, and there was the possibility of a place the next Tuesday, but it would be a full house here for at least a few days. The two of them came back, and the full house ensued - she was not going to go back living with my brother, at least for a few months - to 'date' again, and see what happens from there.
Then the Tuesday house fell through. More frantic rental viewing ensued, the full house continued, and a place was found a few days later. My parents helped out with the financing, and the move. All the while with my brother and the girlfriend doing an awkward dance of possible reconciliation at the same time.
And at almost the exact same time as all of that is going on, my sister decides she has had enough of the home cooked meals and not having her own space, and decides, on whim of the month number 24, to go and buy a house. Which, with the housing market for first time buyers as it is now, means that she has to have the parents help out with any purchase.
Kind of the same thinking that my parents had when they bought the place my brother is now renting - because the brother and girlfriend couldn't have bought the place themselves, and one big argument later...
Anyways, the sister got the typical bee in her bonnet to get a house (actually, she is unit buying) the first hour, day, weekend that she makes this decision. It was only a few months ago that she was intent on going to Europe, especially Germany, or, failing that - because the travel mate she was planning on going with went down to Melbourne, to follow a boy or something - failing that she bought a laptop computer.
And now it is a house. I roll my eyes a bit, because I just know my sister and eight months down the track she will make a completely new life choice, and, sure, she can rent out the property if she wants to go overseas or something, but getting rid of a house isn't the same as shifting rentals, or coming back to save money with the parents...
Anyways, the exact same day that the brother's ex moved into her new flat, in the afternoon, my sister had a range of properties lined up in the morning to look at. Apparently there was one nice one, bit of a doer upper, but first property, fine enough you would think. Totally a seller's market at the moment, there were two other offers in on the place already - it had just gone up three days beforehand - and if you dare negotiate the stated price, you will probably have to keep looking. Anyways, my sister put an offer in on the place, at the full stated price, and got approved, subject to finance. So then, they had to go back to the place, because my sister hadn't gotten pictures of the place on the first visit. While the brother's ex is waiting with a baby and furniture to move into the rental.
And then the deal becomes apparent - my sister is apparently getting a mortgage for half the price, while the parents are guaranteeing the remainder. Once the first half gets paid off, I guess that the second half gets mortgaged to my sister instead of just guaranteed.
So, what with all the moving in, moving out, making big life decisions, having a crowded house, financial issues, and me ducking for cover in the meantime, it has indeed been a busy time.
Oh, and although the place my sister may be getting has a rental tenant in there, maybe until July, she has already gotten about five home decorating and renovating magazines, got a paint chart, and has repainted all the rooms already. Once she makes a decision, she makes a decision...
Pauly
First it was the trauma of having the grandchild over for the weekend, when there was no certainty of seeing her again, or having her live in Australia. Then there was the hope that the girlfriend would come back, maybe in four to six weeks, my parents agreeing to help her out if she did this side of the Tasman again.
Then the first weekend of the girlfriend recovering from the argument back in New Zealand, there was the first thoughts of looking at the current rental market. Then before the second weekend, it was to a head because she and the daughter were coming back on the Sunday. A bit of frantic rental market viewing later, and there was the possibility of a place the next Tuesday, but it would be a full house here for at least a few days. The two of them came back, and the full house ensued - she was not going to go back living with my brother, at least for a few months - to 'date' again, and see what happens from there.
Then the Tuesday house fell through. More frantic rental viewing ensued, the full house continued, and a place was found a few days later. My parents helped out with the financing, and the move. All the while with my brother and the girlfriend doing an awkward dance of possible reconciliation at the same time.
And at almost the exact same time as all of that is going on, my sister decides she has had enough of the home cooked meals and not having her own space, and decides, on whim of the month number 24, to go and buy a house. Which, with the housing market for first time buyers as it is now, means that she has to have the parents help out with any purchase.
Kind of the same thinking that my parents had when they bought the place my brother is now renting - because the brother and girlfriend couldn't have bought the place themselves, and one big argument later...
Anyways, the sister got the typical bee in her bonnet to get a house (actually, she is unit buying) the first hour, day, weekend that she makes this decision. It was only a few months ago that she was intent on going to Europe, especially Germany, or, failing that - because the travel mate she was planning on going with went down to Melbourne, to follow a boy or something - failing that she bought a laptop computer.
And now it is a house. I roll my eyes a bit, because I just know my sister and eight months down the track she will make a completely new life choice, and, sure, she can rent out the property if she wants to go overseas or something, but getting rid of a house isn't the same as shifting rentals, or coming back to save money with the parents...
Anyways, the exact same day that the brother's ex moved into her new flat, in the afternoon, my sister had a range of properties lined up in the morning to look at. Apparently there was one nice one, bit of a doer upper, but first property, fine enough you would think. Totally a seller's market at the moment, there were two other offers in on the place already - it had just gone up three days beforehand - and if you dare negotiate the stated price, you will probably have to keep looking. Anyways, my sister put an offer in on the place, at the full stated price, and got approved, subject to finance. So then, they had to go back to the place, because my sister hadn't gotten pictures of the place on the first visit. While the brother's ex is waiting with a baby and furniture to move into the rental.
And then the deal becomes apparent - my sister is apparently getting a mortgage for half the price, while the parents are guaranteeing the remainder. Once the first half gets paid off, I guess that the second half gets mortgaged to my sister instead of just guaranteed.
So, what with all the moving in, moving out, making big life decisions, having a crowded house, financial issues, and me ducking for cover in the meantime, it has indeed been a busy time.
Oh, and although the place my sister may be getting has a rental tenant in there, maybe until July, she has already gotten about five home decorating and renovating magazines, got a paint chart, and has repainted all the rooms already. Once she makes a decision, she makes a decision...
Pauly
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