The Case of the Disappearing Seller

I've been hoping to skip past the drama and post about Frankie's house but it just keeps getting weirder. First off, I must have cursed the closing date by getting prematurely excited. Obviously since I'm writing this, nearly a month later, he STILL has not closed.

Right after I last posted Frankie informed me the seller's agent and/or the bank had not been able to get a hold of the seller (who lives out of state) to finalize the closing time. Umm, OK, she had known the date for a month. I know if I was getting free money from selling a house I inherited I would have that date engraved in my brain or at least written on the calendar. They finally get a hold of her to find she had been in the hospital with her husband and hadn't had time to deal with it. OK, some sympathy goes out to her. (though really, sitting in the hospital with only basic cable daytime television? Seems like the perfect time to catch up on paperwork to me) Anyways, now all should run smoothly...right?

She only had a couple things left to sign and I guess she doesn't believe in faxing or e-mails or something because everything has to be done by snail mail. About a week and a half after the supposed closing date she mailed (yes, snail mailed) an extended letter about how she received the paperwork and wanted to thoroughly read through it when she had time, she still wants to sell the house, so on and so forth and that is the last we have heard from her. She found the time to write this well thought out letter but not sign her name on some papers?? And read through what? The contract is signed so no turning back there. All she needs to sign are the papers saying she accepts money for the house and probably where this money should be deposited. Pretty straight forward.

Closing in on one month after the supposed closing date. The agent had been able to occasionally get a hold of her by phone but now that has been disconnected. The agent is now writing a letter to see if they can get a response about what in the world she is doing.

We just can't figure out why on earth she isn't signing. Does she have second thoughts on selling the house? The agent says she is really (really) elderly so what would she do with a dirty, slightly dilapidated home 600 miles away? Is she just confused about everything and has no family near her to help? In the mean time Frankie maybe should start looking at other houses BUT I'm guessing if he wants out of the contract she is still going to have to sign something, something she will want to read thoroughly through first when she has the time. If they can get that much out of her it might as well be a signature on the closing papers!

Frankie's "New" Home

I admit, I have been slacking on the blog and I use Christmas as an excuse but to be honest, I'm not that busy since the parents and rest of the family provide most of the food and gifts. Mark even does the shopping for the most part so I just have to wrap and decorate, maybe bake cookies if I feel like it.

This is another post for my "Save this House" section, but oh wait, my brother already is!! Hooray! I currently just have real estate photos and, you guessed it, the Realtor didn't take any photos of the "interesting" bits and pieces.

http://www.woodsbros.com/homes-for-sale/NE/Lincoln/68502/711-Sumner-St-67100554/popup#listingphoto-gallery-large

It looks like an unsuspecting 2 bedroom bungalow from the outside so it does a good job of disguising the 2 bedrooms, full bath and kitchen on the second floor. Aluminum siding and windows wouldn't be my first choice but it is maintenance free and the only thing needing done outside is a little paint and a new porch spindle or two.  

 Oak is everywhere from the floor to the crown molding. The woodwork is all immaculate too so no refinishing there. The floors will probably need something.

The shiny, clean woodwork definitely contrasts with the circa 1943 carpeting and wallpaper. I don't think it has been refinished anytime recently either because how would they have done it without damaging/staining the already crumbly wallpaper??
What we suspect to be the original 1920's dining or living room area rug is in the basement. If we determine it hasn't rotted completely away, Frankie will be convinced to move it back to its original location.

Oak french doors leading into a first floor bedroom/den/office/G.I.Joe battle room/whatever Frankie has planned for it.

This is the fantastic "shed" out back which is in addition to a garage. The original screen doors are carefully labeled "original screen door to stay with house!" Same with the porch swing.

What is not included in the photos which I will get photos of and include in the section "My Brother's Bungalow":

The original kitchen cupboards and the original farmhouse sink still perched on its original legs. The description says the kitchen needs updated?? Maybe a few more cupboards and a new fridge. The stove is cute and from the 1940's?50's? so we'll see if that works and cleans up. The floor is a cheery yellow 50's linoleum and it includes a matching chrome table.

The huge basement laundry room/1940's apartment kitchen has near mint condition art deco linoleum with a matching cabinet and hutch and it is topped off with a bead board ceiling.

The basement also boasts not one, but TWO more farmhouse sinks (I have dibs on one for my kitchen someday) along with TWO more 1940ish cute stoves, 3 more refrigerators (I also have a claim on the fridge with a lot of chrome and aqua happening), a 3/4 bath, another (not yet legal) bedroom, living room and a dining room with a built in hutch.

The second floor, as mentioned, has a kitchen with yet another cute 1940ish stove and a metal Youngstown kitchen sink cabinet which has a sliding drainboard. It also has another full bath, what is currently a living room (as it still has a couch in it) and a bedroom which also includes a pretty waterfall style bed.

I will also note, whatever was in the house when we saw it comes with the house because the people who inherited it live out of state. Everything in the shed photo is still in the shed and there are boxes of tools and all sorts of crazy things in there. There are things in the basement and crammed under the eves so it will be interesting to see what we find. Also, this house has been in the same family for 3 generations and the current owner passed away (not in the house) so we know this has to be almost, if not, the original family which adds to the intrigue of the left behind items.