Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Setback. . . and towards Resolution

We received an unexpected word last week.  The purchase offer on Pilgrim's Rest, our humble abode here, fell through.  Turns out they were mortgage lender shopping. . . and even at the best available terms, they truly were never qualified to make an offer and buy this residence.  Grrrr. . . waste of our time when the market is moving and people are making plans on what to buy.  Unexpected, but not unforeseen, as it's simply more difficult to qualify for a mortgage loan in the US these days post 2008 Great Recession real estate bubble pricing and lending. 

We ourselves would not qualify with our current income for this house!  That says a lot right there, so I have empathy for those who are struggling with the mortgage loan process these days.  We had a Spanish speaking real estate agent and Spanish speaking buyers who made the offer.  Probably on the low income end of things.  Common around here, and I understand the desire to own versus rent.  Lots of income and housing price disparity in Southern California of late, especially around the Los Angeles metro area here.  Affordable housing is getting harder and harder to find, to buy or even rent. 

Combined with a death of a former friend from our previous church, a tremendously regrettable action on the part of one who was employed at our current church's school - when one hurts, we all hurt - and the death by suicide by actor and comedian Robin Williams, it has not been an upbeat week here.  We have frankly been in mourning about these things, and the work we have been diligently been about in getting ourselves ready for traveling to Ecuador seemed to be for nothing - at least that was the feeling.  At least I had the knowledge that the deal could go awry if the maker of the offer to buy did not qualify for the loan. . . my Sweet Polly Purebred acted like it was a done deal, and was a larger shock to her as a result.  We have talked. . . (smile)  She knows better now for the next round. 

Speaking of the next round, now that the house has been relisted for sale, we once again ended up getting quite a few looks on the Internet for this place - understandable as it's very reasonable in price - and like clockwork, like before, a prospective buyer wanted to come and see the residence Sunday morning like the last offer maker.  Leaving our adult Sunday School class that I hate to miss, I gave the tour myself with the real estate agent present, and they seemed to like what they saw.  Sure enough, I got a phone call from that real estate agency in Granada Hills (Los Angeles) last afternoon, wanting to know where to submit the offer in writing as my Broker/Realtor was in Australia with his wife!  I checked on Facebook and it was true. . . my agent the world traveler once again!  I said to submit it to the Real Estate agency I am with via email.  OK.  Will check up on that later today. . .

A (not chance, was truly serendipitously provided by God) chance running in with the pastor who teaches our adult Sunday School class Sunday mornings - who I never see at the local Costco store. . . what are the odds. . . was very useful.  Finish what you've started.  You need people to help you?  Come and talk to us!  (slaps side of head)  Don't take on too much in terms of things to do and be involved in, especially the wife.  Duh.  Very useful time and thanks to God for putting people in the right places at the right time. . . I need that more than ever. . .

Because of what has transpired in the life of our church in the last week or so that has been so very hurtful to two minor children at the hands of one adult - draw your own conclusions, but it is not worth repeating here - our Senior Pastor Chris Johnson gave a great exposition of Psalm 42 and 43, which really flow together as one Psalm.  It fits.  In time of discouragement, feeling apart from God, like the world is not working the way it should, when others let you down. . . Hope in God, and act in faith in what is unseen, instead of what is seen.  He rewards those who act in that kind of believing faith that sees beyond one's own temporal circumstance.  Time to be a doer of the Word, as James put it in James 1.  By His Grace, not by my human power.  Thanks again Lord, for picking us up. . .

So, time to press on and reconnect, get answers, and get 'er done.  One of the frustrating things I have noticed is that the procedural requirements, especially for the importation of pets (we plan on bringing our dog with us), are not terribly precise in wording.  I can't say if it's due to my learning difference and language pragmatics, or if it really is that ambiguous.  Within 60 days, or longer than 60 days?  How hard can it be to be that clear?  Government speak has always been unclear, especially when you get a foreign government involved that speaks a different language.  Sigh. 

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