A $2,500 Semi-Bluff

I think for my darling wife and myself the last year is not going to be remembered as a calendar year but from the point this time last year to this moment. Last year at this time Christina's work gave her the stark choice, lose your job at the beginning of what was then predicted to be the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression or move to suburban Houston, Texas. We took the full time possible to make that choice and the process had everything from anger to depression, worry about our marriage, worry about simply living.

The year is now over with the acceptance of our offer for a house in Houston. The end of this process is finally in sight, a home of our own with our planning requiring simply enough effort for Christina to remain employed and for myself to ensure that we are fed, clothed, sheltered and happy. We have agreed to not even think about further planning for another year. We're just going to move into this place and gently vegetate in the sunshine. You know those all-inclusive resorts with a pool, cocktails and island music? We're going to go with the approach of a year long resort.

In the last year there's been a lot to do. I have never sold a house before, and that, with multiple contractors and painters and documents was an enormous stress. Christina and I spent several weeks apart for the first time in our relationship, I drove 3000 miles with a "Check engine" light on. We both have had bouts of depression, times of anger. We had to buy a car and rent a house in two days in an unfamiliar city. I've been bitten by a snake, seen the Grand Canyon, felt the disappointment of a nearly-failed vacation (Puerto Vallarta) when a vacation was really necessarily. I've said goodbye to too many people, and hello to not nearly enough. Our dog Larry is recovering from his second surgery this year. I've spent time with family in enormously different circumstances and experienced everything from being swamped in social interaction to feeling utterly alone in the world. It's been a tough year for me, and there are billions of people in the world who would love to have a year like mine. I am a lucky man. My marriage is as strong as ever after having been tested, the sun is shining, and I have enough money in my pocket to celebrate with a nice beer.

The title of this post comes from the circumstances of the negotiations today. The house was listed at $189,500, we offered $180,000. This afternoon we learned that there was a counter-offer at $182,500. In the scheme of things that $2.500 was not really going to change our minds about buying the house. It was a very clever counter-offer in that it was small enough that it could be reasonably expected that someone who wanted to buy the house wouldn't balk at it. But Christina and myself decided that we thought no-one else had an offer on the table. With such a small difference in the counter-offer it seemed very likely that he would take the original offer but was just trying to get a little extra cash out of it. We thought we were in the stronger position and stuck to our offer,which was accepted. A semi-bluff worth an hour of thought, and a little nervousness. I've never made a gamble like that before with that amount of money, looking at the odds and making a read on a person's position and taking a risk. $2500 wasn't worth not getting the house, but we have the house and the money. I feel like a proper grown-up.

Home.