Sleepovers and Prospective Buyers

Today Grayson is having his first sleepover. Some friends had asked us to a surprise birthday dinner but we had a lack of childcare options so we had to decline. Oddly enough, the friends who invited us needed childcare (I think their previous arrangement fell through). So we agreed to it.

Grayson had a hard time dealing with all the sharing and having another kid that got to choose TV programs and activities. His sisters don't live here full-time and they are so much older than he is, they typically just give him what he wants. It was good for him, in my opinion.

On the selling of the home... We aren't officially on the market right now. We have a sign in the yard indicating "Media Room" and "Coming Soon". I was walking with Grayson and his friend and happened to strike up a conversation with a couple coming out of the Builder's Model Home. I saw a California license plate and wanted to find where he was moving from. Turns out it was a rental and they were moving from New Jersey.

During our conversation I mentioned that we were getting ready to put the house on the market because we were relocating to California. He promptly asked if he and his wife could take a look at it. I called Kim and asked if she was OK with it. She said she was so we all went to the house.

They got a personal tour of the place. They indicated they like it quite a bit. He said he was going to have his Realtor contact our Realtor. They loved the size of rooms and the media room. He said he would not need to come back and see this house if they found it to be what they were seeking. They asked how quickly we planned to move. We said as soon as the house was sold we were gone. He said that they were set to sell their home in New Jersey on June 7th. WOW! If he is serious we could be gone before the end of June!

YIKES!

But it may all be for nothing at this point. He was only expressing interest.... We shall see.

Can we get an offer?

WOO HOO! The big boss called Kim today and let her know he has pretty much finished putting the pieces into place. Early next week we should be getting the compensation and relocation package. This is going to be quite the adventure!

Kim told him that we planned to be there before the end of August so our son, Grayson, could start school on time. KINDERGARTEN here we come! Seems weird that my last child is starting school while our daughters are in middle school and high school already. When they say time flies, this is what they are talking about.

Her boss said he wants her there before then! I think the house will be gone in six to eight weeks after we put it on the market. Kim thinks it will take longer. The day we put the sign up that says "For Sale" I will definitely blog about it. We have already had the most fabulous Hulkowich's out to take the pics and evaluate the property. Love Wendy and Gary! We are hopeful that we will have no problem moving and making a small amount of money. We just moved in here ten months ago! It's a brand new neighborhood and the spec homes sell faster than they can build them. Right now there are no inventory homes on the ground so it is in our favor!

Oh yeah.... I worked from the house again today in an effort to continue testing the theory of managing my team remotely. I attended all the calls and answered all the emails with no issues. Was actually more productive than normal because I got to start at 7:30 instead of 8:30. I see no reason for them not to let me keep my job when we move.

So we are thinking of renting an apartment for at least six months when we first get to the SF Bay Area. There are some sweet places out there. It still amazes me that the property prices are so expensive! Even the apartments are pricey. We saw a couple that are about a third the size of our current home and the rent was more than we pay for our mortgage!

Well...... The transition buildup is slow. Can't wait to see what it's like once it gets rolling! Hopefully, my posts will become more interesting.

Downsize to California?

Why the title "Downsize to California"?

Good question! Answer is simple... We live in a great house here in North Texas. It is a large home with a game room, media room, four bedrooms and four bathrooms. A comparable home in a similar neighborhood gets us over $1,000,000 in California. Way out of our price range! Hence, the title. We have to go to a house about half the size without a game room or media room. Makes me sad to lose two of my favorite rooms. But the trade-off will hopefully be worth it!

Worked remotely today. We have the flexibility to do that. I am making sure that it is workable to work from home on a constant basis. I am not working completely from home but I want to be able to explain to TN that I have been successfully completing all my tasks remotely so there is no need to fire me! I can just change my home address and keep on working. Hope they go for it. Be nice to keep my job.

My daughters live in Nashville right now. Their mom moved there and took them with her last summer. I gotta say... That sucked. We haven't told them about California yet. We are waiting until we actually sign the offer letter and have a good time line in place. I think our house will be sold before the end of July. They come during the summer for several weeks and may be here when the house is sold. I think it would be fun to have them along for the adventure. Maybe they will love it so much they decide they want to live with us!