Not much going on here. Still waiting on the city permit to move the lift. That's fine, because we've been busting our budget lately.

Our old house still hasn't sold. The market has substantially slowed down here. We just lowered the price a second time. Realistically, we initially listed it too high so now it's probably close to what the market is now.

I guess the biggest news is my wife's daughter is getting married. I'm just dumbfounded about the entire process. They reserved the venue about 2 years before the actual wedding. They are spending what you could buy a house for on it. I just don't get it. She visited us recently and most of the conversations between my wife and her involved the plans for the wedding in excruciating detail. I just wouldn't care how napkins are folded. She has been agonizing over the dress. She spent months looking at dresses. Then my wife flew up there and, with her daughter's best friend, did more shopping. They found the "perfect" dress, which only cost a bazillion dollars. This was a few months ago and now she is second guessing whether that is, indeed, the perfect dress. Aye aye aye.

At least we have the date whittled down to less than a year now.

I reserved the Zilker Park Clubhouse for $50, including cleanup fee. Two kegs of Shiner at $15. I could have gone with Lone Star at $17, but didn't want to blow the extra money.

Lol. I remember when shiner was cheap beer. Your post made me think of us getting those returnable cases of lone star in the bottle for almost nothing. I had friends that had empty cases piled up everywhere in their apartments because they were too lazy to return them.

They still rent the zilker clubhouse. My mom had her 90th birthday there.

Not sure where we left off on the family. It's kinda hard to really know because mom can't get her story straight ever. Partially because she covers stuff up and partially because she just isn't all that bright.

R. just keeps getting in trouble. He went to court recently for one or more things he did (stole a dog, stole some guns, trashed a house and threw stuff in the street, created a swat standoff, and probably more). He got off. Mom said he got off on everything but since then it seems that might not be the case. We think he's living in some sort of VA halfway house or something.

D. seems to have been doing quite well and staying on her meds. Mom has an empty lot next door and D. has decided to put a small house on it. They got a loan somehow to do this. She came to our house a week ago and seemed pretty up emotionally which seems good. However, since then we fear she is going manic again. Not sure.

Our neighborhood is fairly large and just houses. No empty lots or anything. However, there seems to be an abundance of wildlife. We've seen rats, raccoons, and rabbits. We also thought there was something larger around because occasionally it looks like something is smushing down some of our plants. My wife figured it out this morning. She saw a coyote in our front yard. Yikes!

I think I'm going to try to write a novel. Wish me luck.

Luck. If it's a family - boat novel, I predict bestseller.

I'll buy it for sure.

Like a true Texan - Cheaper is always better. You wouldn’t last a day in London. Alcohol is almost as expensive as the whores.

No way I'm spending $2 for a beer in London.

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Nice! Glad to see the return of fishing pics!

Has the dock been fixed up so you can use it?

The dock is fine, but the lift is an issue. We can use it, but it's a little scary. The beams bow when the boat is on it. We are still waiting on city approval to move it.

Well, we lost a sale on our old house because of the roof. Even though we could get insurance on it through the insurer of last resort, no other insurer will touch it. Sooooo.... we decided to have a new roof put on. Although the existing roof is tile (and perfectly fine), we'll be putting on shingles since it is much cheaper.

if the previous buyers will close on it after you get the new roof or you give them a credit for the cost of it, then thats the way to go. no way or reason to put a new roof on as the next buyers may not even have seen it to be an issue.
best to sell a house where is as is and not capitulate to what some inspector or insure company says.
and most would rather have a tile roof.
the buying season is coming up and you will find many more prospects. never change things for a single buyer unless its a simple cost adjustment you dont mind doing.

Except it is over 35 years old.

I hear what you're saying but the market is sucking here and we really need to sell this.

Ceramic tiles? Don't be crazy. Leave them on there. If they are fiberglass or plastic, it may be another matter.

Well, it doesn't matter what the tile is made of, if its old enough you just cant get insurance. And you can't get financing without insurance.

generally you dont do well selling to those that need all kinds of financing and insurance before they can make a deal. too many of those fall through and just tie up your property from finding a willing buyer. ive bought and sold over a 100 homes and do it that way without any hitches. those people are not my customers. i never let anyone tie up my sale for more than a week without non refundable money.
this is not 1980 real estate markets.
good luck on your sale you never know who might pop up to buy. just because the market is softer doesnt mean you have to give up much only have to match a similar house for sale. but with those i dont mind waiting till it sells if much less and then there is no longer a competitor property.

Do you get non-refundable earned money? How does that work? Is it a Florida thing?

no its in my sale price that i tell my broker to tell the other broker or person. they get one week sometimes ten days to inspect it and then the earnest money is turned over to me. and 5% at least. no skin in the game, i dont hold it off the market simple as that.

they can take all the time they want to get an appraisal or inspections but i am not holding it off the market for them without money in hand.
first to put cash down gets it.

you cant go to a car dealer and tell him to hold it for a month to see if you still want it . he requires a non refundable deposit. even to hold it one day.

many or most buyers have it all in order or cash already when they buy. it also keeps someone which happens frequently, tying up your house while they look for a better deal or later then asking for concessions.

ive had no problems at all with it that way except other brokers not happy. my broker loves it as the tire kickers dont take up his or my time.
i also usually stipulate my price is firm with no exceptions and if they offer less i may not sell it to them at all. it works. they dont get second thoughts if they want it.
my last two sales this year were for 650 and 1.89 and both went exactly like that.
i sign the listing agreement and the acceptance. no other papers until closing docs.

you keep posting pics like this and i'm going to show up one day with a rod

But Is it edible?

I'm guessing it is edible, but I'm also guessing it's probably really thick and tough (for a fish, that is). Grouper is a thicker meat anyway and that thing is enormous. Doesn't really matter because they are highly protected. You can buy a tag for them but they have to be between 24 and 36 inches and can only be caught between March 1 and May 31. Pretty damn hard to fulfill all of those requirements.

We are actually having grouper tonight for dinner. Gag grouper. Yum.

hehe, better have some heavy tackle