First, thanks to http://misscrankypants.livejournal.com/ for the link. It’s very much appreciated. Also, thank you to the readers who have e-mailed. I love e-mail.

The sewer scope didn’t go well. The owner was there as well as the tenants of the house who refused to leave. Or as the woman screamed, “I don’t pay 600 hundred fucking dollars a month to be told to leave my own bedroom!” After I got over my surprise at the screaming I thought, Wow. $600 is cheap for a four bedroom house. Plus, they were given four days notice that they needed to be out of there that morning for one hour. Not feeling too sorry for the tenants.

The scope man couldn’t get his tiny little camera down the pipes because they were only two inches thick.(Is it just me, or does that sound naughty in some way?) They ended up pulling off a toilet and the pipe there was only two inches as well. I know little about plumbing, but I fear we’re going to have some backed up toilets and sinks if this sale goes through. Two inches?

The only option is to dig into the front yard and cut through a pipe there. The owner offered me $6000 at closing if I would skip the scope. I told him I wanted to have the sewer scope. The house is very old and there are a lot of trees on the street. I have known people who have had problems with sewer lines that cost 10s of thousands of dollars. As far as I am concerned the seller should not be communicating directly with me anyway. He should talk to his realtor who then speaks to mine who then calls me. Like some sort of functional phone tag. This man has started crying twice on me already. I know all about his job, his divorce, his son. I brought my Mom with me this last time because she has a lot more experience than I do. The seller has also not produced the permits and the final walk through papers that we asked for when we made the offer. He built a very large addition on the house after he bought it and if he can’t produce those permits I am not buying it. With our luck it would all be illegal and it would cost a fortune to fix it. So basically I signed something with my realtor that gives this guy a few days to produce the necessary papers and allow us to do the scope or we’re walking. I looked at a couple other houses yesterday just in case. One of them was beautiful but when my realtor called on it it had just had two offers accepted (one was a back up). The market seems to be pretty hot here in the under $300,000 range.

The whole thing really sucks because we are already packing and getting ready to move and I wish Alex didn’t sleep days because he’s much better at dealing with situations like this. I end up getting silent and just wanting to leave. Did I say the man’s face was buried in his hands as he wept? My Mom got up from the table and we left. I know this man is going through a rough time but oh my god. He should really send his realtor to do the talking.

Blah. The kids have been sick. Just a virus, according to their doctor. I have been looking around for a job and have even submitted a few resumes. If I can find something that’s doable with the bus schedules here in Portland, and something that isn’t graveyard shift, I will be happy. That’s about all for now. I am going to go drink a beer. Sorry this is a snooze of an entry.