blue bird print tea dress

Twenty four little hours

This is what I was wearing the day we started negotiations on the sale of our house.*

Yes, folks, we got an offer. Yay!

But it wasn’t nearly high enough to allow us to move. Boo!

blue bird print tea dress
swallow print

blue dress with Peter Pan collar and swallow print

The whole time that the house has been on the market, there’s been only one property we were seriously interested in buying. It’s been pretty nerve-wracking, to be honest. We knew the house we wanted could be sold at any time, but after weeks and weeks of non-stop searching, we hadn’t found anything else in our price range that we were even vaguely interested in buying: not even one. Basically, we needed an offer on our house ASAP, and it needed to be high enough to allow us to make an offer on the new one. If the house we wanted was sold BEFORE we got the offer we needed… we wouldn’t be able to sell at all. (Or we’d have to sell without having anywhere to move to, which isn’t really an option for us for lots of boring reasons I won’t get into, because, boring.) Just to make things even more complicated than they were already, the owner of the house we want to buy was also marketing it for rental, which meant that not only was there a chance that someone would come along and buy it while we were waiting to sell ours, someone could also come along and rent it. Which would suck.

We started negotiations with a potential buyer on Tuesday.

The seller of the house we’re interested in agreed to rent it to someone the same day.

If any of this is sounding familiar to you, then yes, you’re right: it’s familiar because this is JUST OUR LUCK. In fact, you may remember this exact set of circumstances from such scenarios as “the first house we found was sold on the same day ours went on the market” or “Nigel waited years so he could try to sell his house at exactly the same time as us“. Honestly, I’m not in the least bit surprised by it, because it seems that there’s just no other way for things to happen for us. I’ve been predicting all along that we wouldn’t get an offer on our house until the one we wanted to buy was off the market, and oh hey, look, I WAS RIGHT! Again. I may not have much luck with property, but damn, I’m ON FIRE over here with the predictions, seriously!

All is not quite lost, though. Or not yet, anyway. The seller of Potential House #2 has told us he’d much rather sell it than rent it: it’s still possible for him to pull out of the rental, and he’s given us until Friday to get back to him, after which the rental will go ahead, and we’ll lose the house. OUR potential buyer, meanwhile, is trying to decide between our house and another one, and has also said that she’ll give us her decision by Friday, now known in our house as D-Day. Or, actually, let’s call it OMG-Day, yes?

Basically, then, we have 24 hours to sell this house. If we don’t get the offer we need tomorrow (and honestly, I’m not hopeful), we lose the possibility of the only house we were interested in, and will basically be unable to sell ours at all until we find something else.

So, no pressure then. I mean, it’s not like absolutely everything depends on what happens in the next 24 hours, and we’ll lie awake all night talking endlessly over all of the “what ifs”, and getting up early to sit and stare at the phone, waiting for it to ring. Oh no, wait: that IS what’s happening. And we’re already spending most of our time staring at the phone, willing it to ring, and then feeling sick to our stomachs with nerves/excitement any time it does.

Basically, it’s a bit like being in an episode of 24, only with, you know, houses instead of terrorists. And us instead of Keifer Sutherland. If you could all just imagine the sound of a ticking clock at this point, then a 4-way split screen with Terry and I in one box, the potential buyer in another, our seller in the third and, I dunno, let’s put Rubin in the 4th, just for the hell of it. That’s my life right now. I think we can all be grateful that my Twitter account is still hacked at this point, because I can’t even begin to imagine the hysteria I’d be subjecting everyone to over there.

Any good vibes you have going spare would be really welcome around about now…

Rubin

(*We took the photos BEFORE the negotiating started, obviously. I mean, I didn’t go, “Oh, we have an offer on the house? Quick, let’s run out and document my outfit!”)

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books by Amber Eve
COMMENTS
  • Heeee. I smiled when I saw that dress and was like ‘that looks like a dress I would buy’ and also ‘that looks like a dress from ASOS’, but that is obvious because about 90% my dresses are from ASOS.

    I think it is meant to be though, because I have never missed a package from ASOS, even though I am not a fan of their delivery service, Hermes, who seem to employ 19 year old girls dressed in tracksuits who deliver goods by shoving the parcel of wonderfulness in your face and say something like ‘package for ya’ with a slight scowl, then walk off. Oh, thanks. But I never miss them, they use the door bell, you see, so we can actually hear them. Unlike Royal Fail.

    I don’t know why I am talking nonsense.

    Anyway, good luck with the house house house house. Hope you get to sell and buy, will be waiting for an update! Woooooo.

    Any luck with your twitter account? I studied Russian for a semester at uni, but have no idea what The Others are talking about over there.

    Corinne x
    http://www.skinnedcartree.com

    May 9, 2013
    • Hi Corinne,

      you aren’t missing out on anything. The Others are promoting cars and a russian online magazine which roughly translates to “our home” and is targeted to women. It’s spam, but it could be WAY worse.

      Greetings from Berlin
      Natalia

      May 9, 2013
  • i love, love love your dog! Your dress is very beautifoul!

    May 9, 2013
  • Oh my word, it’s all happening. I have my everything crossed that it all falls into place for you. Hopefully it will all happen and you will get your new house. Sending good karma your way! Xx

    May 9, 2013
  • Stay strong and good luck! Will be thinking of you.

    These things work out in the most unpredictable ways. When my dad bought his new flat, which was the only thing in his price range he fancied, he lost it for two hours to another bidder. So because he really needed a flat, he went and bid for another flat which he didn’t like nearly as much. Now both were sold by the same company, so imagine when my dad got a call, another two hours after his bid, saying the first bidder didn’t want the first flat anymore…but the second one!

    So my dad and this other couple essentially exchanged bids and everyone ended up with the flat they wanted…in five hours. :p

    Hoping your 24 will be as good. 🙂

    May 9, 2013
      • Keeping my fingers crossed! 😉

        May 9, 2013
  • Super good luck. Sending lots of positive thoughts. It’s such a difficult position to be in but I am crossing everything that it works out for you.

    Also, as a superficial aside – that is my PERFECT dress. How did I miss it on ASOS?! This is clearly destined to become my new tragic ebay stalking target. I know you understand.

    May 9, 2013
    • Hi Holly,

      I happen to have a size, 12-14 bnwt.
      What size are you?

      All the best with the house Amber, maybe your buyer has a similar saga playing out and needs to wait till friday too!

      May 9, 2013
      • Annoyingly, I’m a 10 – unless it comes up small? 🙁

        May 10, 2013
        • I double checked and its a
          UK 14,
          EU 42
          US 10.

          :-/ (there’s always tailoring.. or failing that, cake.)

          As for the house, at the very least a rental means its still available, and this lease might give you the chance to a. make sure the seller knows you are still interested and/or b. wrap things up in a less dramatic fashion.
          Hang in there!

          May 11, 2013
  • Good luck on the whole housecapade. I know it is an extra stressful time. I will be sending good vibes your way.

    bisous
    Suzanne

    May 9, 2013
  • This is just so funny, not in a mean way or anything like that, but in that this stuff DOES always happen to you! Hoping for the best, and looking forward to the updates on this house saga… (Not via twitter, obviously ;-))

    May 9, 2013
  • Oh gosh, I was just thinking I hadn’t seen you on Twitter for a while, I must have missed that you’d been hacked. But I am working an endless battle against time through the 800 or so unread posts on bloglovin’ – argh.
    I have my fingers firmly crossed for you to get the house you want!

    May 9, 2013
  • love that dress! and good luck with the whole house situation! 🙂 x

    May 9, 2013
  • Hope you get good news tomorrow!

    Can I be an unsolicited voice of negativity? Haha. The housing market is terrible, and your next door neighbor selling his house makes the whole situation tougher. While I’m sure moving out of your house without a new one lined up would be extremely unpleasant, it seems unlikely you are going to get many good offers on your house soon (housing market + Nigel’s house for sale too); therefore, if you don’t hear good news Friday from the people who looked at your house, the only way you may be able to get what you want, when you want it, may be to be “homeless” for a while after getting a good offer on your current home. Could you put your things into storage, and rent for a while, stay with family, or stay in a hotel? Sorry to be a naysayer, just something to think about, because that is a lot of stars to align.

    May 9, 2013
  • Hey Amber. I feel your pain, my ideal house is up for sale only we can’t afford it until september by which point it’ll surely be sold, probably on August 31st or sooner if anyone actually decides to lend us the money! I’m sending all my positive energy your way and will be eagerly awaiting your next update. If this man really wants to sell and you can convince him of how serious you are about his house, maybe he’d consider only giving his tennants a 6 month lease therefore buying you some valuable time to sell up, just a thought…
    Love your dress, it is so nicely cut and looks fab on you. Rubin is such a cutie, he looks so happy in the last pic. My dog passed away just before xmas and I so miss my dog walks with him and seeing him with that same happy look on his face! xx

    May 9, 2013
  • Sending good vibes your direction!

    May 9, 2013
  • Okay, now I’m getting a nervous tummy. I’m over here in Vancouver experiencing severe empathy right now Amber. Not only with the 24 hour drama, but the whole wanna move, never wanna leave feeling. Sending you my best Louise Hay vibes. All is Well!

    Sue xo

    May 9, 2013
  • Oh good luck! I really hope the potential buyer picks your house, so you can buy the other one you’re interested in. Really stressful situation. I would be the same if I was in your position.
    Your outfit is amazing, and I love your shoes. Such a pretty color!

    May 9, 2013
  • I hope you’ll keep an eye out on my blog later today. I’ll be featuring this as one of the looks I love today.

    Terry

    terrystwocents.tumblr.com

    May 9, 2013
  • the colour of your dress is quite stunning and I absolutely love the print! x

    May 9, 2013
  • Ugh, real estate just sucks doesn’t it? The whole buying/selling thing is one of the reasons I am never leaving this house. That and our fridge is so big we had to remove a door and cut a slice off the end of the kitchen bench to get it in! Good luck!

    May 9, 2013
  • Good luck! Remember everything happens for a reason 🙂 I love your Spring dress! Gorgeous!

    http://www.cakeandcouture.com

    May 10, 2013
  • Hi Amber,

    Just wanted to pop on and say good luck for today! Fingers crossed for you, Terry and Rubin 🙂

    May 10, 2013
  • Ah, real estate sounds scary and frustrating! I hope you sell your house!
    And you look GORGEOUS!
    xo
    Kristina
    http://www.eccentricowl.com

    May 14, 2013
  • Good luck in selling you house! 🙂
    you look amazing in your dress. I love it!

    May 18, 2013
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