Easy Come, Not so Easy Go

A battle has been raging between Shawn and I--we are both Taurus' (our b-days are one day apart), and both stubborn and opinionated (even though I am always right). He has wanted to buy this house in Fishtown on Oxford Street--the one I mentioned in anearlier entry. I could see why he was swayed--the pretty hardwood floors, the woodburning fireplace, the cement back yard, the dirt in the basement, the tiny, tiny, tiny itty bitty powder room next to the kitchen, the mud room with the fridge in it, the challenge of building closets, the creativity that would've been enhanced in searching for plugs in the kitchen, the clogged pipe in the side yard, the charming and mysterious bump in the floor, and the termites. But let's just say that I was less than excited to take on this potential liability. We went back and forth on it--the deal seemed shady to me because in the disclosure, the seller didn't mention any of the problems the inspector noted and b/c they turned it around so quickly--bought it in October for $56,000 and were selling it six months later for $179,000 because they installed a new tub (without shower curtain rack, might I add). Because of some of the problems with the house, we had the option to get out of it at any time; we agreed instead to ask Dominic to offer to buy it if they'd take $15,000 off. The sellers said no. They said they would pay for the termite extermination (which, duh, they'll probably have to do when they put it on the market again) and build a hand rail in the basement. No offer to move the fridge or the door, and no big sum off. Shawn's dad came in to look at the place today and he wasn't certain about it either--they ate at Johnny Brenda's and had some beers and Shawn seems to have accepted that we will have to start looking again. Being the ultimate voyeur, I don't mind--I like to go into people's houses and see what they've done to it. I hope Dominic doesn't give up on us. But I am so so so so relieved.