Week 20 Progress

All approvals are complete and our closing date is next Thursday!  We still need to see the settlement docs, but I think we are very close.

We still haven't packed anything but at least we have until Feb 29 to move out of our apartment.

Week 19 Progress

We are awaiting the FHA appraisal.  Once completed, our loan will be finalized by the underwriters and we will be closer to getting a settlement date!  We will likely be settled by the end of Feb!

Still haven't begun packing yet..

Week 18 Progress

We've made some progress in the last few weeks.  We were vacationing and just returned.  We locked in our mortgage rate at 3.75%!  Amazing rate in our opinion. 

All the inspections are done and the condo is approved for sale by the county.  We are in the final stages.  The next steps are FHA condo approval, appraisal, final mortgage approval, and then prep for settlement.  Our tentative settlement is early to mid February. 

We had our home demonstration this week and it was great.  We picked out some small cosmetic items to be fixed but the PM identified most of the items.  We also measured all 18(!) windows for window treatments.  We will likely use a combo of curtains and blinds.  Luckily Esmeralda can sew anything.

I guess we should start packing now.

Week 14 Progress and Clarification

Well we talked with the PM today and we got a better understanding of the process--which is unique to condos (and likely townhomes in our area).  Given that our condo requires so many inspections and paperwork, it is difficult for him and NVR to predict when everything will be finished.  It's not worth our or NVR's time lock in rates when they have no idea when closing is eligible to occur. 

Actually everything is about 90% finished.  All the appliances have been installed, the landscaping outside has been completed, and all that is left is the final cleaning and drywall touch-ups. Our home demonstration will be next month and may or may not coincide with when all the paperwork is completed.  Once the paperwork is completed, NVR will contact us and we can begin the process of finalizing the loan.  So that puts us in the range of mid/late Jan to mid Feb 2012 if everything goes smoothly.

Enjoy the pics.

Essie is hyped about the stacked fancy W/D

The fog cleared away within a couple of minutes

Kitchen shot

Landscaping complete!

Week 13 Progress and Questions for the Masses

We didn't get a chance to visit this week but we were informed that the condo is mostly complete.  We have carpet, side walks, heat, and a good chunk of the outside landscaping.  Can't wait to take a look!

We were also informed that our "home demonstration" will be in a couple of weeks.  We have a couple of questions...

1. What is a home demonstration?  Is this different than walk through? If he's going to show us how to work a light switch and turn a door knob, we've got that covered.  I've been living indoors all my life.
2. Scheduling...he called and dictated the time.  The problem is we will be out of town during his given date range. He stated that this will be the only time we can do it.  What is the big rush when we don't even have a remote idea when we will close (see below).
3. When will NVR talk to us about the mortgage?  We harassed them for a couple of weeks and they finally got back to us and basically said, "we are too busy". I guess that's a good thing for them but I don't like having to drop my life at their discretion.  Don't they technically work for us?

Week 12 Progress

We are able to sneak in and take some pictures this afternoon.  PM says the only major milestone left is the gas line hookup.  Once that's done, he can turn on the heat and water.  There's also a billion inspections that need to be on each unit and the entire building.  They've done a bunch along the way but many more remain.

It seems like we are still a ways out from being completed as NVR hasn't contacted us.  Our sales rep says they will contact us when we are within 60 days.  Our countdown is based on our own estimate of around late Feb 2012. It looks like we will be about right or about a few weeks later.

Enough talk, here's the pics.... 

They added some trim outside the doors.  I think the doors are green, Essie thinks they're blue....

I told Essie to take a picture of the garage.  I guess she found something more interesting.  (I assume these folks are contractors or bold thieves.)  Rejected caption:  Simon says, "touch your toes".

Balconies nearly complete.  Homeslice was working without a harness there.  Once false move and they won't call you Pretty Ricky anymore...

First floor powder room. 

We got the stove, microwave, and fridge installed.

The ol' fregadero and dishwasher.

Essie says we can put wine bottles in here...My wine comes in boxes!  LOL

Chandelier...in case it wasn't obvious.

One side of the roman shower...

The other side of the shower.  I couldn't get a pic of the whole thing but it's a pretty large shower for only 2 people.

Second floor hall bathroom.

One of Guardian security panels

One of the panels that allows you to eavesdrop on other rooms...and to shoo away door to door salesmen without going downstairs.

Adios!  I hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Week 11 Progress

There's not much going on the outside and Esie doesn't like the idea of breaking in after hours so we had to schedule *yawn* a 6am meeting to see the inside of the condo. It's really starting to shape up.

Boom!

Partial cabinet install

It was pretty foggy out

Garage

Stove goes in that gap...

Kitchen are