Closing in One Week.

Okay, it's been a long time (over a month) since my last post. I'm sure those of you who are already home-owners know why... this process is crazy and hectic! There's all of the back-and-forth over the inspection when you make peace over and over again with letting the house go, the conversations with the mortgage broker, digging up a tremendous amount of paperwork, signing another tremendous amount of paperwork, negotiating the best home owners insurance (which we'll talk more about in a minute) and finally sitting around for a little while thinking "there must be something I'm forgetting to do", watching HGTV and researching appliances online.
So, about that home owners insurance. First important point: you need it to buy a home. Second important point: Andrea and I have been burglarized three times over the last three years.

1. 30 days after we moved in someone reached in the 2nd floor window while we were asleep and stole my laptop (and a $2.99 Ikea lamp. Chumps.)
2. 30 days later someone actually kicked in the bottom half of the front door of our apartment, crawled through, and stole my new laptop and a bunch of jewelry. And sorted through our stuff, leaving via the back door which they left WIDE OPEN so all of my cats got fleas.
3. Maybe a year and a half later someone cut Andrea's bike off of the fence outside during the middle of the night and hauled it away.

• Important point: we had renters insurance - yay! We made claims for each of the incidents to replace the laptops and the bike.
• Second Important point: apparently actually having a need to use your renters insurance means that no one will give you home owners insurance.

That's right - everyone we called said "oh, I'm so sorry, I wish I could but it's against our policy to insure you." Now, you can't buy a house without home owners insurance so we were in a bit of a panic. I did get a quote for $2,000 (which is double what we'd be paying without having made claims with Allstate). Finally, Andrea whined and complained to an agent who was in the process of rejecting us and her "charm" prompted him to call his friend at Nationwide, give her a heads up, and have her look at our file by credit report and not by insurance history. Thank god, because we now have HMI for $979/year and are also saving another $45/month on auto.

So, with HMI taken care of, we've been procrastinating packing until we close (stupid, yes, but until just this weekend I really felt like this could fall through at any moment and we'd be jinxing it if we packed anything).

We've also been dealing with the fact that our apartment is being shown almost daily by Philly Apartment Company (in fact, there's a showing today at 2:30) so we've been trying to keep the apartment as clean and good-looking as possible so that someone rents it asap. It's getting exhausting.

And in the middle of all of this Hedgerow celebrated its 85th Birthday April 25-27th (complete with front page article in the Inquirer) so I've been completely insane. And Andrea's been working at Borders on Wednesday evenings and all day Saturday (in addition to her FT position at the Mazzoni Center) so she's been completely insane. We'll be on to greener, more insane pastures in just one week and there's some Sullivan family coming to help us out! Now, anyone reading this is also welcome to come help pack, haul or organize (although we've already charged Kendra with organizing the hallway closets in the new place). Let me know if you want to help!

Holy Crap

We're buying a house. They're fixing what we need them to fix (minimally, but alright) and we've told them we'll take it. Next step: mortgage. Final step: you all help us move and paint the walls in our current apartment white.

Yippeeee!

One Step Closer to Homeownership

Okay folks, we had the inspection yesterday morning and the results are in: the house is not haunted and we didn't get any really bad news. Sure, there are a couple little roof issues and the bathroom door doesn't actually close all the way (still want to come over for dinner?) but it's in solid shape altogether.

So now we finish all this crazy paperwork for the mortgage, do some negotiation around some of the issues we did find (dad, can you un-reverse the polarity in a couple of outlets for me?), and keep our fingers crossed until our May 16 closing date. In the meantime, I'm going to try to stop going to Ikea once a week (I've been there three times in as many weeks) and try to unload our apartment. Anyone want a 1.5 bedroom with back yard in the Art Museum area?

We took more pictures and updated the album - click on the slideshow below to check them out!

Inspection Tuesday Morning...

So we're on to the next step with the house. The inspection is Tuesday morning, and I'll be there taking pictures (this time I'll remember). Of course, I'm worrying that something is wrong with the place (like haunting or structural damage) but in the meantime I'm dreaming about the wardrobe system I'll be installing in the little bedroom of the place and organizing the kitchen in my head. For now, here's the link to the pictures I took on my iPhone when we signed all of the preliminary paperwork. Closing date, by the way, is May 16th!

New House?

Cross Your Fingers...

We made an offer on a house at 1350 N Palethorp. That's about a block and a half north of Girard between Front and Second Streets. The offer's in to the seller, so let's all keep our fingers crossed that:

1. they accept the offer
2. the inspection does not reveal some crazy structural damage, horrible plumbing, and/or dead bodies in the basement
3. all of my careful budgeting pans out

Here's the link to the listing, please don't outbid me!

http://www.solorealty.idxco.com/idx/2902/details.php?idxID=072&listingID=5275333

x,

Arin

I found it!...

...but it's out of our price range.

So we went to a couple open houses today. We looked at houses for $239,000 in the Queen Village and Bella Vista neighborhoods and discovered that they're not very big and tend to have wildy windy oddly carpeted stairs. Andrea hates these stairs and I broke the railing in one house (or it came off in my hand and I shoved it back into position on the wall...). Anyway, it turns out that even if we could afford these places we don't want them. They are small, cramped trinities and violet would have a hell of a time with the stairs. And our furniture wouldn't fit in the living room.

After our open house adventure we went home and I took the lovely Violet for a walk. We ran into an open house at 2214 Brandywine and I decided to see how the other half lives. Well, they live well. In fact, they live exactly how I'd like to live. $625,000 would buy me the perfect house. Although I told the woman that it was "just" out of my price range it is obviously well beyond our ability to buy it. I'm including the link so that you can fall it love with it and then slit your wrists just like I did: 2214 Brandywine Street.

Urine Soaked Crack-House

So remember that house that we were excited about? Yeah. It's seriously been used as a crack house. It was in a really awesome location (938 N Randolph Street in Northern Libs). Unfortunately it was was saturated with urine and Andrea was afraid we might fall through the floor. There were ominous dark spots on the carpet and holes in walls, floors and doors. It was in such bad shape rats and squirrels wouldn't even inhabit it. Needless to say we won't be putting an offer in on that one (and our realtor was horrified, which I thought was a good sign).
The other two had so much wood paneling that we were immediately transported back to our grandma's houses. In the 1970's. They were also way too far south (we're using Tasker as our furthest point south... we'll see how that goes.)

This evening Andrea and I looked at 1210 Gerritt Street... it's super fabulous but has some ominous cracks in the walls and uneven floors. Like, it maybe all tilts west. Also, the kitchen upstairs is basically fake. It's got a stovetop and a sink, but the real deal is in the basement... along with a little toilet in a small saloon to the left of the water heater... Uh, this is clearly our new home. Seriously, it's the right size, the right location... it just will need lots of wallpaper, carpet and kitchen love... We're going to try to find out if it's the money-pit and we'll keep you posted!

Here's the link to the house:
http://www.prufoxroach.com/search/search_results_profile.cfm?propID=52ef30a1-ea00-444a-a1ae-0f5739609482&propNo=1

House Hunting

Okay folks, we're buying a house. Well, at least we are going to try! Stay posted for pictures of the places we check out along with witty commentary (yes, Andrea will provide the commentary. I know I'm not witty).
This is the house we are currently excited about:

Philadelphia - $ 172,900
County:
Philadelphia
School District:
Philadelphia
Listing Number:
5260365
Home Type:
Rowhome/Townhouse
Living Area:
1518 sqft
Beds: 3
Baths:1 Full


Comments About This Property
Home is located in Northern liberties. Property is a 3 story straight thru rowhouse with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. Has living room, dining room & eat in kitchen. Is being sold in as condition . Corporate addendum to follow accepted AOS.
Interior FeaturesBasement Type: Full BasementFireplace #: No FireplaceKitchen: Eat In KitchenInfrastructure FeaturesHeat Delivery Method: Hot Water HeatWater: Public WaterCooking Fuel: Gas CookingLaundry Hook-Ups: Basement LaundryPrimary Heat: Gas HeatCooling: No A/CSewer: Public SewerHot Water: Gas Hot WaterType: Row/Townhouse
Exterior FeaturesExterior Materials: Brick ExteriorGarage Spaces: No GarageParking (Ex Garage): Street ParkngSwimming Pool: No PoolStyle: Straight ThruDesign: Three+StoryAccessibility FeaturesAccessibility Features: No Modifications/Unknown

National Arts Marketing Project Conference... MIAMI!

Last weekend I attended the National Arts Marketing Conference in Miami, FL with a big group of Arts Marketers from Philly. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance offered a scholarship and, no surprise, response was overwhelming from the Philadelphia cultural orgs. Just under 50 of us found ourselves in sunny, construction-laden downtown Miami for four days of conference (web 2.0 and "viral marketing" were the catchphrases of the weekend) and indulging. Somehow I slept less there than I do on a given weekend in Philly...

Here's a link to the pictures and some video of the people dancing on the wall in Southbeach (also below): http://picasaweb.google.com/arindenise/NationalArtsMarketingProjectConference.

Enjoy!

Happy Halloween from Gang Green

That's right, Gang Green. Need I say more? Thank you Kendra, for having the vision and making it a reality.

Link to pics of Gang Green attending Len's party here.

Casey Boyle & Kevin Bittle Wedding

On Thursday Andrea and I drove down to Virginia Beach to see one of my college roommates, Casey Boyle, marry her Navy sweetheart Kevin Bittle. It was a long, rainy trip (and Andrea and I travel SO well together) but the wedding was great. Casey was gorgeous, of course, and it was great to finally meet Kevin after hearing so much about him.

We spent Thursday night with Chuck and Carrie in Waterman's Bar and Grill (with the locals, including a couger who definately left early to get it on in a car parked directly 0utside). Carrie was in rare form and dug through the cougers bags of halloween costumes, trying them on herself, the bar's manager, and Chuck, Andrea and I.

It was great to see most of my college roommates (and Charile Fidele). Adrienne was definately missed, but we all drank one in her honor!

Click here to see the pictures from the weekend.

Rochester Visit

So, in the middle of all of this total insanity of new jobs and end of Fringe Festival, Andrea and I took a little road trip to Rochester to spend some quality time with friends. I didn't take nearly enough pictures but we did see just about everyone we could in a 48 hour period!
Des and Maison's toy-littered front yard with (with Fennel and Andrea in the foreground and Pancetta the Pig in the background) pretty much sums the trip up. Violet (see second picture) was simply exhausted. Click here for more pics, including some of Andrea's BEAUTIFUL nephew Makhi and the lovely Madonia kids. Oh yeah, there are also pictures of the Tubia-Scahill hellions!

Second Annual Spring Garden Beer Olympics

Ridiculous outfits. Slosh ball. Gym class rejects. Beer. Add in a little perfect weather and you've got the Second Annual Spring Garden Beer Olympics. I don't think I can actually explain this event - you may just have to look at the pictures. All I can say is that we started the day with an opening ceremony complete with a torch and the Star Spangled Banner and ended it with beer pong and a Miller Chill bottle. You'll have to look through the photo album and discover the rest of the highlights yourself. My muscles are too sore.

Your captains, Dan and Arin, would like to thank you for all of your hard work. See you next year!

Seafood Extravaganza II

Before the lovely Shawnda Urie and the handsome Chris Holden left town to buy houses and have babies, we celebrated the feast of fish. Rachel, Kendra, Andrea, Chris, Shawnda and I played some Twister, soaked ourselves in butter, and ate until we could no longer move. Then, because it was the next natural step, we put small dog shirts on our fat fat cats. You can see all of that and more if you follow this link.

We'll miss you Chris and Shawnda! Rochester is lucky to have you back.

Mary & Nate Preston's Hawaii Wedding

So, the whole Sullivan family packing into the plane (okay, a couple different planes, but you get the picture) and traveled to the Island of Oahu, HI for my little sister's wedding ceremony. Mary's the middle child, the quiet one, and probably the nicest one. She married her long-time boyfriend Nate in a beautiful beachfront ceremony at 9am on Tuesday, July 24th. This was the most low-key, low-stress wedding ever (outside of adventures in bobby-pins and Angela's intimate engagement with the paved parking lot). I'm the hottie in the strapless dress with the sweet sunburn.

Here's the link to the web album.

Of course, after the wedding we had time to relax and enjoy some time with each other in the AWESOME house Mom rented for the week (rat watch, pina coladas and a beautiful backyard pool). We also had adventures playing in the waves at the North Shore, snorkeling in Hanauma Bay and wandering around Waikiki.

Here's the link to the rest of the pics.

And here, just for fun, is a little sample of my brother Andrew's best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression:

Girl Scout Theme Parties Rule!

That's right folks, although I was never a real girl scout (which I think actually angered some of the top cookie sellers in attendance at the party) Kendra, Martha and I threw a girl scout themed party. Yes, those are badges you see on our official Martha-style sashes. What you'll also see (in the below slide-show) is a fine pair of green knee high socks on each of us. Oh man, we were HOT.

However, you'll see in the pics at the website (click on the below slideshow), Andrea prefers Brownies...

Happy Birthday Kendra!

I can't believe I haven't posted these yet - here are a few of the pictures from Kendra and Jen's "Goodbye 20's Hello 30's" Birthday Party (guess how old they were...). It was theme heaven - thank god our friends love us and dressed up too!

Here's the link to the rest of the pics.

Makhi Joseph Matthew Farrier

Kendra had her baby (Andrea's nephew) on April 25th at 2:52am. She pulled through labor like a champ, and although he was 5 weeks early he was 19" long and weighed 5 lbs and some change (I'm getting the stats from Andrea). He's a beautiful little boy, and I promise not to call him "Big Mac" too much (because Kendra hates it - but really, she should accept the inevitable!)

Andrea drove up to Rochester to meet him and took these great photos. There's also some video that I'll toss on youtube and link to once they are uploaded.

Here's the link to the pics - there are some super cute ones!

A Very Busy Week!

The last week in March was BUSY. Troy and Gus came down to Philly to see the Justin Timberlake concert (Pink opened and was AWESOME). They stayed Mon-Fri and then on Friday we all drove to Rochester. Troy and Gus just needed to go home and Andrea and I needed to a) see our friends, b) see Anna's play (Godspell) and c) see Andrea's pregnant sister Kendra. We did all of the above and had a great and busy time.


Picture links:
Troy and Gus Visit (and concert photos)
Trip to Rochester



These girls knew Justin was singing only to them!


Pink's awesome closing number - with an aerial display!

St. Patrick's Day 2007

I actually can't believe I survived St. Patrick's Day this year. No, I didn't drink as much as some (no Irish Car Bombs for me - see video below) but I think I ate my weight in irish soda bread. With butter. Lot's of butter. Lot's of fun and food were had by all, and we ROCKED Guitar Hero like it has never been rocked before.













Okay, like always, click here to view pictures of the party at my yahoo photos site. Martha, there are at least 2 new MySpace pics in there for you!

Dan and Shawnda compete! Shawnda (almost) wins!

Shawnda and Chris RAWK! And my video skills are awesome.