Jonathan and the realtor stood outside of the two-story, white-sided, 2,300 square foot house. The paint was flaking off and a couple of screens on the windows were ripped. The porch columns looked rotted at the base, and one of the front steps had a broken board. They had to be careful when they walked up them to get onto the porch.
“So you said that this house has been vacant for three years now… How come?” Jonathan asked.
The realtor explained only what she knew. The most recent family who lived there walked out on their mortgage after two years and disappeared. They had no idea that the people left until they were six months late with their mortgage. The house need’s a lot of repairs because it has been neglected, and the bank has been trying to sell it ever since. The house is twenty-five years old, has four bedrooms, and sits on five acres.
She told Jonathan that it needs a new roof or a good patch job. They had noticed that it leaks after a heavy rain. In two of the bedrooms, most likely the kid's rooms, there were some really bad stains on the carpeting. She told him that they tried to clean the carpets but it didn’t help. She said she thinks that there are nice hardwood floors underneath.
Jonathan walked throughout the house and looked in each room and closet. It had three bathrooms, two downstairs and one upstairs. Because it was a four-bedroom farmhouse on five acres and was in Jonathan’s price range, he decided to buy it.
“My wife would love it here, outside of the fact that it needs some work,” Jonathan smiled as he looked around.
“Is she going to move here when you get it fixed up?” The realtor asked.
Jonathan looked at the floor and paused. He looked at the realtor and told her that his wife had passed away six months ago. The realtor apologized and paused before she changed the direction of the conversation.
“So, what do you think, are you ready to fill out the paperwork?”
Jonathan paused for a moment… Glanced around and said, “okay, let’s do this.”
They walked into the kitchen to use the counter. Part of his wife’s inheritance money was going to be used to buy the house. So when he signed the papers he put his wife’s name on them as well. The realtor gathered up the paperwork when he was done, and handed him the keys and her card.
“If you have any questions please feel free to call us,” she shook Jonathan's hand and walked out the door.
Jonathan was going to be on vacation from his accountant job for the next two weeks so that he could move in. He works from home usually so that is why he can move to the country. He and his wife dreamed of moving to the country for years but it never happened. Even though it was too late for her, he felt like he owed it to her when he found this place.
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