Thursday, October 30, 2008

Slacker

I don't mean to be a slacker, but I have been lately when it comes to the blog...I have been so busy with getting everything ready for the property that we're trying to flip, I haven't had time to write. Just know these facts:

Jesusito is still the kid with the most energy in the world.

Jasmine has the best latina figure in the world...and she's only 7 months.

Big Jesus is the nicest person in the world to do all of the hard labor on the house for me.:) Hint hint, my dear...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Seven Random Facts (Tag!)

My lovely friend Jennie tagged me, so here goes...I expect to read everyone's on their blog soon...:)

1. I am addicted to the Peoples Court. I may say that the Office is my favorite show, which it is one of my favorites, but I love the Peoples Court! I really want to go to NY one day to go see Broadway shows...and the Peoples Court. I think it's because I love Judge Milian. She is a powerful hispanic woman! She says things to people that I don't think I could have the nerve to do. It's sad how much I watch that show.:)

2. I chased down Karl Malone with my dentists daughter when I was little. I was obsessed with the man. I couldn't believe it when I saw him riding his bike by my house! I was on my way to the dentist, and when the receptionist, who was also the daughter, found out what was happening, she agreed to chase him down with me. I was screaming on the top of my lungs as we passed him once, twice, and then got the nerve to stop the third time. I kept on telling him he was huge, which he was...I just hope he didn't get offended.:) My family met him at the State Fair a couple of weeks later, and he totally remembered me. "Oh, was she the one screaming?" It was the best day of my young life!

3. I buy chocolate chips so that I can "make cookies," I tell Jesus, but it's really so that I can eat chocolate and he doesn't think I eat too much chocolate. Who's going to notice a bag of chocolate chips gone, instead a bag of chocolate?:) It works, my friends, it really does.

4. I really hate listening to people eat with their mouths open. AAAGGGH! I don't know why, but I just think it's the most annoying sound in the world! Actually, people who breath heavily who are eating with their mouths open is the most annoying sound in the world, and just eating with your mouth open is second. I remember when I was younger and someone was eating by me, I would seriously eat with one hand and have the other covering the ear closest to them...pathetic, I know. I do, however, love to hear my kids eat with their mouths open...funny, huh? I guess two year olds and 7 months olds are exempt.

5. A couple of years ago I had a canary and he had a very fertile wife! She was ALWAYS laying eggs! Well, she died because she layed too many eggs and around the same time a baby of hers got really sick. I had a good paying job at this time, and was pretty respected...until I called in because I was too traumatized about the death of the mommy and the baby. Once again, pathetic, I know. I was bawling for days over some canaries! And, to top it off, my boss and EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TEAM were boys...yeah, they didn't get it.

6. I love it when my kids cry. Little Jesus has to be held when he cries, and he automatically goes for my hair and will play with it to calm him down. I love that! Jasmine has the cutest little face when she cries, and the cutest little cry! I can't help but smile then too...such a mean mom!

7. My husband and I love to play jokes on each other. My favorite is to get him when he least expects it. A couple of weeks ago I had both of my kids crying, and he thought I was very occupied with them...little did he know that I was just occupied getting a HUGE glass of cold water. Pouring that on him in the shower is the best because of his reaction.

Man, this was hard to think of things that people don't know about me. I guess I'm an open book and tell everyone everything anyways! I hope y'all enjoyed it!

Monday, October 13, 2008

YEAH!!!

I am so excited! I can't even contain myself! I have been trying to buy a house in foreclosure, or distress, or anything cheap for that matter, for over a year now! The first offer I made was on my old house in Centerville last May. The poor little house needed so much help, and I was so willing to buy it and fix it. Unfortunately, they accepted an offer for WAY more than I offered. I was so sad, but I think it was a blessing in disguise.

Since then, I have followed foreclosure auctions religiously. It was my new job. I only went to one auction, though, because I could never find the funds to buy the properties. With the auctions, you have to make a $5,000 down payment that day and then give them the rest the next day. I couldn't find a lender that could give me that amount of money in 24 hours notice, so it wasn't working that well. I also realized that if the house had a second on it, sometimes you wouldn't even know until the day that you purchased it...I wasn't too keen on that.

So in August, or so, I believe it was, I had given up on the whole thing. I had gone through four Realtors that year, and they just weren't able to help me. I don't know if it's because they thought I was high maintenance, or what. I must admit, they had daily emails.:) I had given up, but then realized that my new aunt was a real estate agent, and I decided to try her out. I am so glad I did! I can't even express my appreciation for her!

Monica McQueen has been an agent for awhile, and has flipped I believe four houses in the last two years. She has the experience I need, and I wasn't even aware of it. We made offers on multiple houses that were in short sale, but none ever came through. I became discouraged again, and then with the market like it is, I got really worried and stopped looking.

Well, last week, her husband called me and told me that they had just gone through a wonderful property the night before, and even though I had stopped looking, I should check it out. The house was an REO (bank owned) and the bank hadn't even put it on the market yet. Monica knew the agent and got the heads up. I won't go into figures here, but the listing price compared to what it was worth is only 60%, or so, so there's a lot of money to be made on this house. And I just got a call from Monica and they accepted my offer! Yeah!

It is in a beautiful part of Sandy. Apparently one of my cousins lives like four houses away. Here are some pictures of it...
















This is a picture of some work that they've done on the outside. This is going to be a great patio area. It's kind of hard going through these houses, because you know that the people lost them. I feel bad. This one they were trying really hard to make great improvements.















This is a picture of what it looks like below the patio area. The yard is HUGE, and I think here, the kitchen and the bathrooms is where I'm going to do the most work.














This is a picture of the front. It doesn't have a garage, just a carport. That will bring the asking price down a little, but I think it still has great charm.














This is another picture of the patio area (behind the fence.) I couldn't take pictures of the inside on this trip, because I was by myself, and I didn't want to break any windows.:)

So, my faithful readers, that is my project for the next couple of months. If you have any contacts for cheap labor, feel free to let me know. I will need some sheet rockers, mudders, tilers, landscapers, and even masons (hint hint family members:)).

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Iron Man

Little Jesus is OBSESSED with Iron Man! I have never seen him so excited about a movie! Since it came out last Tuesday, he has watched it at least twice a day everday! Goodness! He hates all the "boring" parts...he just likes seeing Iron Man fly. I had to buy him his costume for Halloween early so that we could return the movie we rented, and then I had to buy him a toy to keep him from trying to go find the DVD at home.:) He's playing with his toy here with little Jasmine.














This picture is of Jesus watching Iron Man...he is so focused.:)














This is little Jesus a couple of minutes later...out.:)

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Okay, I'm a little bit of a slacker on this. Jesus had his birthday September 26th, and I'm just barely blogging it...bother. I'm sorry, my cute chubby hubby!:)

I had to take a moment to dedicate some time to him in this blog. He is such a great husband! He does all that he can to make sure that I am happy. He works so hard so that I can stay home with the kids, and I'm so grateful for that.

Here are some pictures from his birthday party. We made him do "mordida" and got cake all over him...it was priceless!