14 August 2007 - 1:08 pm

And, as of Friday, August 10, 2007, I became a homeowner here in Los Angeles, one of the most expensive cities to live in.

I have the keys to prove it.

More finagling took place at the eleventh hour, more money flowed away from me, but even so, I was cut a small check and some money in the end was given to me. Amazing. In the end, it only cost me a piddling $1,175 to buy this place. And a large sum of someone else's money too...

And in addition, as the keys were being handed to me, the previous owner said in passing, "Oh, I still have some tools and things in the window seats, my mom really wants those, so can I come get them?" I almost felt like saying no. We exchanged phone numbers, and I told her only that I was available this last weekend. And when I called on Saturday and got no return phone call all day, I wondered what a reasonable person would do. I was already being accomodating. There was not only the tools that her mom wanted, but also the TV, DVD player, Dish box, and VCR and various remotes and extension cords, that the realtor had assured me with the tools would be removed by the time I took possession. The property had been on the market 100 days before I made an offer, 30 days in escrow, and in all that time, the owners could not bother to come collect their items. Amazing.

So Sunday, when the boyfriend returned my call before I had even got out of bed, telling me that they would be available "at my request" that morning only.... I was a little annoyed. Why was the boyfriend calling me, why could not the owner call me? And at my request? Wow, what had she told him? She was the one making the request, inconveniencing me, not the other way around. She had been at the closing and after signing everything, even handing the keys to me, said, Oh? so when will closing be? And no, I'd rather not wait to get my check on Monday, Monday's my birthday, and I'd rather not bother coming into LA if I can help it.... I would think a $30,000 check would be a welcome birthday present, and well worth a drive to pick it up. But not her thinking.

So when she offered me the TV and VCR and DVD player, I said sure. Didn't she want it? Nah, I have one already, you can have it. I just wanted to get her and her obnoxious boyfriend out of my space as quickly as possible. Sure, I'll take it. The TV was bigger than my own, I could now get rid of mine, and not have to bother to move it.

And I thought, it must be nice to be rich, to just leave things with the thought you can buy something else to replace it.

But I have a place of my own now, and it looks as though moving will proceed apace now. The furniture is the next big thing to happen. Need to get some movers lined up. On my list of things to do.