Nobody wanted to pay a high enough price for it so I wouldn't need to bring money that I don't have to the table. The first time it was on the market all the lookers talked about how much work the house needed. When I set up a water collection system to catch the roof leaks I took it off the market and borrowed money to replace the roof.
We resolved to stay and hired a painter to paint the exterior. People gave me compliments on how good they thought the house looked. I contented myself with the rock maple floors and charming architecture. My contentment was short lived.
My eyes were getting worse and I wanted to learn a new city before they got so bad I couldn't see much. This is the first time I've mentioned this. To add fuel to the fire, nearby fast food joints we closing or moving to other parts of town. I was afraid I'd be stuck in Pine Bluff with no way to get around to anywhere.
Then came the Wood Revolution. We'd gotten some wood circles from somewhere. They don't burn like split wood or even round wood. FYI, round wood is branches cut to length while wood circles are like trees cut into six inch slices. Even when split, they don't fit in the stove in a manner conducive to burning. One day I caught the devil getting and keeping the fire going. I'm out splitting wood circles and smash my finger. Right after that Andrea comes out to tell me the fire had gone out again. I can't begin to describe the fit I had. After I calmed down I turned the furnace all the way up to 66 and considered myself done. With or without the wood fire our gas bill was still in the mid $300's. My consolation; no more scrounging wood, shoveling ashes, splitting wood circles, buying wood, or bringing in wood. The Campbell s were the only holdouts now.
I decided I had to go. Because I was dissatisfied with the former real estate agent I decided I'd market the house myself. That man couldn't even figure out how to get the pictures I emailed him on the MLS. I held an open house almost every Saturday and Sunday, ran ads in the paper, advertised on Oweners.com, zillow, Front Door, Craigslist, and even Ebay; no takers unless you count people wanting to rent to own.
I listed with another agent. Pine Bluff agents are allergic to pictures. He managed to post two or three exterior pictures. I don't know what possessed him to post those backyard photos. For the record they were crap he took. I didn't choose my cousin who's a real estate agent because he said he likes to work with sellers. He said buyers were too much trouble because he had to find houses for them to look at and then take them around to see them. Anybody can get listings and hope another agent shows the house. I had more people through that house than the last agent had. There was no way in hell I was giving him 7% for nothing. I stopped calling to find out how things were going. I just let the listing time expire and told him to come get his sign.
I half heartedly posted a few more free ads and a Lady contacted me. She was looking to rent to own: I was so over the Martin house I agreed. We worked out the dates and we moved to Atlanta and she moved in. She stayed until her job transferred her across the country.
I ended up renting to another couple. What a disaster. They had no concept of rent to own or much else. I would have sent them on their merry way if I'd known. Beazle was my property manager and she let them move in without their paying the full rent and deposit. Beazle gave me the full amount as if the tenants had payed it to her. Later I found out they had payed her part and she had made up the rest.
Hurricane Isaac brought it all to a head. Pine Bluff got so much rain that the old oak tree in the back yard of the Martin house toppled over. It was a miracle nobody was killed or hurt. It damaged the tenants cars, neighbors carport, truck, and work van. The insurance declaired it an act of God and didn't pay for the tenant's car damage. They only had liability so their insurance wouldn't pay either. Her estimate to fix the car was more than the blue book value and I couldn't pay even if I had to. They decided not to pay rent. I reminden them if they didn't pay rent I wasn't paying the mortgage.
The Martin house was foreclosed on almost a year ago. I thought I was rid of it and good riddens. I'm still glad to be rid of it. As cold as it has been I can't imagine trying to keep warm there and not to mention how high the gas bills are now.
The Martin house has sense sold. I keep up with it on realtor.com. It was priced several thousand dollars less than what I owed on it. I saw when it sold but realtor.com hasn't posted the sales price yet. I'm curious though. I'll keep watching. I wish I could have seen the expression on the new owner's face when they got their first gas bill.
The other day I got a 1099A reporting the outstanding balance as ordinary income. I did my taxes today and found I owe $1003 in taxes. OUCH. I hope the IRS will let me pay in installments for such a small amount to most people. I look at it this way, if I'd stayed I would owe that amount in two or three months of weather like this and take about the same amount of time to pay it off. I'll call the IRS on January 31st to see what can be arranged.
When I get the IRS payed off I sincerely hope I will be done with that damn Martin house.
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