We are committed now...

And the option period has ended. Not a problem, for we are ready and willing to take this leap and in time make this piece of land our permanent home if it will have us. Closing date is fast approaching and the to-do lists are growing faster than a weed in spring. Right now there really is nothing to do but wait for the title company and lender and real estate agent to do their work and hope that words like 'snag', or 'problem' do not enter into the dialogue. We are looking at taking a few of our vacation days here and there to give us additional time once the deal is done so that we will have more than a short weekend to tackle some of the big tasks at hand. Here is an abridged list of the many things that need taken care of first off the bat.
1.) Reconnect waste line to septic line where the pipe was knocked apart. (This is not as bad as it sounds. The two pipes are connected with one of those compression sleeves that can be tightened and it just slipped off one side of the pipes.)
2.)Repair the broken water supply line leading from the well (It froze and broke last winter when no one was living there.)
3.)Replace missing duct cap on ventilation ducts so wife can have A/C. (the cap was removed to allow the water to drain when hot water heater busted and filled the home and all the duct work with water.)
 It is plain to see, each job will create new and ever-expanding jobs and opportunities to both spend money and gain strong feelings of accomplishment. I actually look forward to the tasks at hand.
These are the first priorities and will allow us to function on at least a basic level while more permanent and substantial repairs can be prepared for.

One more visit...

The option period ends tomorrow (23rd of Aug.) and after that we are unable to back out without losing our earnest money. So... I went back to the property yesterday with my mother to explore and look for any final reason why we shouldn't do this. We went with the intention of taking more samples of the well water, measure some of the various fittings and stuff that need to be replaced, as well as just do some general exploring of the ten acres of woods. I wanted to get an idea as to how bad the poison ivy situation is and just get a feel as to how much work it will entail to clear a few spots here and there. We were successfully able to bushwack our way through various parts of the woods. We got a good feeling about the land, how the breeze sifts through the trees, where some good views could be found, how difficult the briar and ivy will be to wrestle and just visited with the place and let it 'speak' to us. It was nice.
So far the poison ivy has yet to break out on us (24 hrs later) and I have a renewed excitement and anxiousness to get the entire purchase process completed so that we can start our work. The well has tested clean of pesticides, arsenic, iron, lead, copper, and bacteria. We believe the septic to be in good shape and most all of the basic necessities will be up and operational within a day or so with some basic maintenance performed. Now we must wait for the title company to prepare all of the necessary paperwork and handle their part of the transaction while we use the next three weeks to make lists, purchase minor supplies and necessary parts for our first weekend on site. Here we go!

Let the option period begin!

The contract has been approved by all parties and now we enter the option period where we have all the inspections we can get (and afford). There is a double wide trailer on the property that we will be trying to renovate as temporary housing until we can start building our own home. We are mainly interested in the fact that because of there already being a home on the property, there is already water, electricity and a septic system in place. These things are what made it worth paying more for the place than what the bank appraised the raw land for. We are getting the land at a bit of a premium but the improvements for a steal, so it evens out in my mind. Unfortunately, it will be like glorified camping at first until we can get some basic comforts stabilized. The trailer has been empty for a year now and there was some damage done over the year that needs attention. We officially close on September 15th. The list making and the preparations have begun so that we will be ready for the first weekend on site. The list grows longer everyday. First on my list is water and septic. The first thing on my wife's list is air conditioning. Go figure.

Contract submitted!

We submitted a contract to the seller today... and I am not letting myself get excited. There have been too many disappointing let downs in the past to allow myself to get excited. Once the contract has been signed and the option period begins, then the excitement will be allowed to creep in a little. It will probably take a day or two to hear back. The seller has other family to consult before a final decision can be made. We shall see.