Some news and notes:
- When we first put our house on the market, there were 7 other houses for sale on our street alone. Now there are 11.
- We put our house for sale at $163k. Selling at this price would represent a loss for us.
- We also put $2500 worth of upgrades and repairs into the house to ready it for sale. Again, more loss.
- We’re also having to front the mortgage for our Texas house month after month until it sells. Still, more loss. And after 4 months of this, I can afford no more.
- At this point, most of the homes on our street are selling for $10K-20K less than ours. If we have to lower our price any further, it will be a loss we simply can’t afford.
The odds are stacking up against us being able to sell this house. And, as much as we like Syracuse (or Canada, or Hawaii, or Italy, or France for that matter) it doesn’t matter if I can’t afford to move there.
When our kind, caring friends and family of the praying, energy channeling, or thought focusing varieties asked what they should pray, channel, or focus for, I’ve always asked for clarity. I asked for a sign indicating what we should be doing — something to point towards what the best choice for us right now is. I think those prayers, energies, and thoughts have finally reached their goal.
So, we’re staying in Dallas.
Our desire to be in the North East has not changed and we are still planning to be there. We’re just postponing that plan for the time being.
I know this news will make some of you very happy. It will also make some of you quite sad. This was, and continues to be, a very hard choice for us, and I hope you’ll remember that when you express your joy or sadness. We need our friends and family both near and far more than ever right now.
We are, of course, very happy to be staying in Dallas near many of the people we love, and relieved to have the stress of selling our Texas house, buying a new house, relocating across the country, and starting a new job all lifted from our shoulders. However, at the same time we are feeling the sadness of loss that comes with delaying our plans to be where we want to be, as well as the continued distance that we feel from our family and friends in the North. It’s one thing to have desires and goals and be wishful for them. It’s another thing entirely to have the promise of those desires just within your grasp only to have them pulled away from you at the last minute.
Thanks to all of you who have supported us with advice, offers of financial help, prayers, energy, thoughts, and distractions. It means so much to us. We love you all, dearly.
