I want to preface this whole discussion, by staying I believe in jinxes and am really crossing my fingers at this point. So, please do wish me luck and maybe even wish me a martini fairy. Those exist somewhere, right?
I have been on a house search for a while. When I looked for and bought a house in New York, it took me a two months or so. And I thought that was a long time to be looking for a house. Here in Los Angeles, I have been looking since around December. A good six months. We really got serious at the beginning of February but that is still four months and counting.   We had one offer rejected because we didn’t go with the seller’s preferred lender. Shame on them, really.  Then another possible house purchase fell though as the sellers were not in a negotiating mood despite their desperate need to leave Los Angeles as they hated the city.  We tried to get them yo really hate LA even more but it was still a no-go on the house. They pulled it from the market. This has been a long, tortous house-hunting road.

Because of the crazy housing market, we have had to go see over 50 houses at this point. It may even be more than that.  I lost count a long time ago. After a while, the houses tend to blend in with one another. Which house had a jack and jill bathroom versus which one had a fireplace in the master suite? Which one had the crazy realtor versus which one had the rat problem? Which one had a one foot garden versus a veritable jungle?  Who knows at this point. Actually, I remember the rat house quite well.
When I had started this search, I truly was hoping for a rose garden somewhere. No, I’m just hoping for a place that’s decent in a decent neighborhood for a decent price. Its so thrilling to have such high standards.
What I have come to realize is that none of these gardens will be mine. And I’m ok with that.

After nearing desperation and attaining some insight into what I am willing to live with and what is not negotiable, I spent 6 hours looking at houses this past saturday. I saw a total of 14 houses across three different cities.  We were happy in that finally we found houses that were worth looking at and bidding on.  We put offers in on four different houses.   Well, two little houses and two townhouses.  One has a jaccuzi and one square space for a plant. The other a rooftop gazebo with a firepit. There can possibly be a plant in the corner as well.   We had wanted a yard and a nice garden but it just may not be possible considering our other wants. Because this market is so unstable, we may not get any of the houses that we bidded on.  But at least we tried and we will keep trying.  Or so we think. Although, I will happily note we’ve heard favorably from two.  Should things work out I’m having a martini and going to Disneyland. Actually, no I won’t do that but here’s to some random trip somewhere. Perhaps Dublin and a Guinness.