Sunday, February 27, 2011

Feb 27th

Um.
She said yes.
SHE SAID YES!!!!!!
Oh my goodness, the butterflies.  
All through breakfast and just driving out there today, never mind after hearing she'd accepted our offer!

We got an SMS from the agent this morning confirming our request for a second viewing today.  So after a leisurely breakfast, we headed back out to High Street (just off Chapel *laugh* - no really!) at 11am.  We were met at the gate by the agent - only to be rushed at by the vendor with a huge bag filled with pears from the neighbour's tree!  After seeing them safely tucked away in the car (preceded by many profuse thank yous on our part), the vendor quietly vanished and our attention turned back to the agent.

"The vendor indicated to me from the beginning and all the way through, that she wanted $XXXK(an amount $10K less than her asking but still $5K more than our offer).  But after meeting the three of you yesterday and seeing how much you loved and appreciated the gardens and trees, she's accepted your offer".

I was giddy.  I didn't quite know what to say.  I almost kissed the agent instead of Ben!
This is the first time my first offer on a property has been accepted.  And this is a pretty awesome first.  The real estate negotiation game can be tiresome at best, anxiety-inducing at worst.  There's a lot to be said for offering straight up the most you are prepared to pay for a property you love.  Nothing worse than losing a property to another buyer when you would have paid more.  Ouch.


So, where are we moving to?
A little hamlet called Fryerstown.  10kms out of Castlemaine, Victoria.
Awesome alternative culture.  Passionate eco-conscious residents.  Fabulous permaculture community.
This city also has a Steiner school and no wind.  Two pretty big drawcards for me.
Our settlement date is 20th of May.

I almost moved here just over a year ago.  The work transfer was approved.  Land was being surveyed for purchase and building.  This wee dream of mine was almost underway.  But then circumstances changed, specifically my relationship.  And all future plans were on hold while I picked up the pieces of my life.  So here I am again, with my perfect partner in all things life, love and future-related, to embark on take two *smile*.

Driving into and around town these last two days felt so familiar.
Lying on the grass at the botanical gardens (yes, I love these gardens, hence their very own link) and watching Lucy run around, it just felt like home.  I'm a country woman born and bred and having my own wee woman, it really makes me yearn for that slow pace of life again.  Castlemaine has this and so much more.

So!  Neither of us ever expected (really, even for us) to be owning the first house we viewed in our search for our tomorrow.  But here we are.  It's not perfect.  However, the things we have compromised on (land size, dam, firewood forest), we are exchanging for 30+ years of soil improvement and food forest growing.  Effectively reducing our estimated time frame of living from the land by 30 years.  And that's just brilliant.

I'm currently experiencing such mixed emotions.
But like most things in my life, when it's supposed to be, everything just falls into place, effortlessly.  And this is one of those times.  So I know we're on the right track for us.

So, now the question is - who's coming with us?
*grin*

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