the real estate deal

Yes, the seller must have laughed with derision, as he counter-offered $5k below his asking price (which was $80K above our offer). The property had been on the market for over a year, originally listed at $380K, and reduced to $325K. Karen offered $240K, on the outside chance that he'd be willing to take his profits (he originally paid $150K in 2005, and has, since then, split off 1/3 of the lot and built a new house, which he is listing for $480K).

At any rate, it is not going to be our great deal, and, considering that the seller's real estate agent is also his girl-friend, he's not going to get 'taken' by a couple of slick (not) Portlanders.

Did 5 loads of laundry, and the two house guests are, even as I type, in the air bound for points south. Spent today organizing our camping box and repacking for a slightly-different kind of week, among mountains and lakes, instead of the ocean (although there will be some oceanic experiences - more later).

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FLASH!! Just got a call from our realtor in Manzanita. The deal is not yet dead! Karen is willing to up her bid to $275. We will get some faxes with three degrees of compromise, to sign and fax back to our rep - she will deal with the seller while we are out of town, over the next few days.

Here's the funky old 1920's house (which the seller was going to just bulldoze, but is currently occupied by a very nice single English lady and her young son):



and here is the view from the back, looking out over the Nehalem river, the bucolic valley, and surrounding ridges:



The funky house needs either a major rennovation or a tear-down. Karen imagines a duplex, with a large deck overlooking the amazing view, with one unit permanently rented by a local, and the other available for us, our friends, or other occasional renters.

In order to make that vision happen, just imagine the sheer number of car trips between Portland and Nehalem, that this would entail! Yikes.