Quote that is currently inspiring me...

Let no man be sorry he has done good,

because others have done evil.

- Henry Fielding

I'm in limbo...waiting for number 4...

http://www.hernandoluxuryhomes.com/ HernandoLuxuryHomes = Spring Hill Real Estate

This is the hardest part. Maybe the second hardest. I'm waiting patiently for a closing date on our fourth investment property in Spring Hill, FL.

I'm pulling at the end of my leash. My neck is hurting, and I just need someone to mercifully come along and unhook me, and let me run.

Anya

It's funny how life works. I thought this place was going to be my 3rd. I was outbid. It was a former grow house. No kidding, really. Someone paid very good money for a beautifully renovated little home and then proceeded to use it as nothing more than four walls and a ceiling to grow marijuana in. What a waste. Well, maybe not to some, but to me it was. They tore out all the work the previous owner had done finishing the garage into living sq. ft. I guess they had some sort of reflective stuff on the walls, and there are tons of screws in the ceiling from where there were rows of lights. What a disaster. Oh! And did I mention they had hotwired the house directly to the underground electricity? Completely bypassing the meter and making for an electrical nightmare. Luckily, the Spring Hill authorities busted these people and they're outta there. Now, it is owned by a bank and sits empty.

Well, I had put in an offer on this house several months ago. I was outbid. I received the ol' "highest and best" call & paperwork, basically the bank's agent letting us all know there are more than one offer (3 in this case I think) and we are all to put in our highest and best because they're going to pick one. I let it roll. I knew my bottom line and I'm not looking for "the house", I'm looking for "the deal". It went pending, with the buyer offering $8,500.00 more than me. Good luck to them. In the mean time I moved on, and bought the place I just rented out.

Well, what do you know, couple weeks later the call comes in...financing fell through...am I still interested?...will I come up on my offer? Josh informed him I'd moved on, and might be interested at some point but would never be upping my offer.

And so I worked on this last place, and the former grow house sat...and sat...and dropped their price. Now that our last place was done and rented we took another gander. I offered $5,000.00 less than I was originally willing to pay and...*drum roll please*....it was accepted. We've had some serious back and forths with the electric company - thank God for Josh's patience and tenacity because he worked miracles with them - and now we wait for closing. It'll be a 3 Bedroom, in the same Spring Hill neighborhood as my first two, and I'm really excited to make a difference. This home has been used and abused. She was a detriment, and a danger to the people in the area. I plan on making it a great home that someone, including me, would be proud to call home.

Please wish me luck. Lots and lots of it. We're going to do our best, and hope for the best all the while.

Hellish day saved by the Night of Flight

http://www.hernandoluxuryhomes.com/ HernandoLuxuryHomes = Spring Hill Florida Real Estate


We had the walk through and I definitely spoke too soon. Not done. Had to have our handyman out to fix a couple drains, and have to have a window company come out for some windows. Ack! I'm already over budget on this house, dang it! In any case this was the first pre-lease walk through I've ever walked away from feeling bad. So bad I cried. Yup.

We'll see where this leads...right now I'm wishing I had held off and done the lease option that came up the day after I told the other agent her people had been approved. If only I had a crystal ball.

Maybe things will improve drastically from here, and all will be well. Maybe I'll actually feel good about this whole thing again.

The trellis I put up yesterday and tied the yellow flowering vine to looked spectacular IMHO. Wish it was at my place. Ah, well...live and learn.

As soon as I publish this blog I'm heading off to Snew's Night of Flight! What a fantastic way to turn a day around and brighten my spirits. I'm ready to have my socks knocked right off. Well, I live in Florida, so I guess it'll be my flip flops getting knocked off, lol. Their show is based on West Side Story...I know, right! I'll report back ASAP.

And I'm back to smiling as quickly as that.

Another milestone

http://www.hernandoluxuryhomes.com/ HernandoLuxuryHomes = Spring Hill Florida Real Estate

Tomorrow is Snew's "Night of Flight" for her marching band. She's been looking forward to, and working hard towards, this moment for several months now. We'll be seeing a full on performance of their program for the first time. I can hardly wait! Glad my parents and niece will be there to enjoy along with us.

We've ordered mild BBQ Wings from Pit Boss BBQ (if you're ever in Spring Hill, FL check'm out!) and need to get'm picked up and at the school's cafeteria by 5:30 the latest. Not an easy task for people whose schedules change in the time it takes a phone to ring.

Additionally we're doing the walk through, and handing over the keys on our latest place at 10am. It's always bittersweet for me. I'm thrilled to have someone living in them, and hopefully loving them as much as I do. At the same time it's weird not being able to go in them anymore, lol.

Each of them is such a great little place, and we've purposely put the rents at slightly below market because it makes us feel really good to have people happy because they found a great place in their price range.

Need to make sure all the smoke detectors get fresh batteries tomorrow, vaccum the last two rooms....and my work is done. At least I hope it is!

Oh, also, finally having the two problem spots in my garden cleaned out tomorrow. I'd given up on keeping the invasives in those areas under control and I'm just going to start from scratch. Hope I remember pics...and have time to take them...and then share them.

Maybe I should wake up my two assistants. They are sleeping under my desk:

Butch the Poodle, and Nermal the Siamese

Third times the charm?

HernandoLuxuryHomes http://hernandoluxuryhomes.com/

Well...we'll find out. About to buy our third investment property. Fingers crossed. Well, after I type this post they will be.

We have been absolutely slammed. I'm happy to see that many people are wisely taking advantage of the market and striking now rather than jumping on the ship once it has already sailed. Kudos to them, and many, many thanks to them as well.

How many of you out there have had to sacrifice a room in your home to that temple of male worship, the Pool Table. Holy moly do they require a lot of room! My former formal living room is now a big empty room with a gigantic pool table in the middle of it. I don't even know where to begin as far as decorating the room. I mean...do I go the whole dogs playing poker, sports memorabilia thing? Well, seeing as how it's Josh it would have to be music memorabilia...maybe a signed photo of Paul Allen or Bill Gates or something, lol. I mean, what do I do??? Must make time to search ratemyspace for "pool table" and see how skilled decorators have handled this dilemma. Hmmm...found this one...kinda like the built in idea but not too crazy about the chandelier over the pool table thing. We really need a ceiling fan. This is FL, and we have 17 ft ceilings. Need some sort of fan/pool table light combo thing. Maybe we can make our own version of it...this should be interesting.

On the other hand we have a whole new appreciation for our customers who need a game room. I think for our next home we'll be requiring that same feature, lol.

Additional thanks to those visiting our site world wide. It is an exciting time, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to be of service.

Dreams do come true!

hernandoluxuryhomes.com HernandoLuxuryHomes

It has finally happened - I can take my love of making over older existing houses into somewhat updated and nice to live in homes! HAZAAAA!!!

Okay, so my DD loves Pirates of the Caribbean and "pirate speak" has now become an ingrained part of my vocab. Could be worse - I've yet to use shiver me timbers.

Where was I? Oh yes!!! Okay, so very exciting things have been a popping. Josh and I have recently purchased not just 1 but 2, count them 2, adorable little foreclosed houses. We have been working hard on the first - and have now just started on the second as we near completion of the first. Thank goodness for Dad, he has been a life saver, and is very handy.

I will be back soon with some before & afters and more about each.

Wish us luck - this is either the beginning of greater things to come - or the painful death of a dream.

Nat