If/when it happens again, you might consider switching to transworld network...aka epowerc.net. I liked them fine when I had dial-up and have even kept them as a back-up since getting local broadband wireless which sometimes goes out. I think the monthly cost is maybe $16.95 with no contract and tech support can get you all hooked up via a phone call with no installation disc needed. They also have a free accelerator you can download too. A while back my broadband went out on a Thurs afternoon. Fri I was told it was a bad part on the tower and a new part had been ordered. Well I figured it would be express delivered for installation on Sat, or Monday at the latest since there were a lot of customers totally without service. No, it was sometime Tuesday before they got the part and got it installed and up and running. That's why I keep a dial-up as a back-up, plus the fact that I have by long distance with them (transworld) and get a really good price per minute and for the net, if I have paperless billing. Glad they got you fixed. I would have been going nuts being snowed in with no net. Sue Here is a link that might be useful: epowerc.net

Alrighty, let me see if I can answer you guys in order. NCRealEstateGuy, I gave the buyer all the information you gave me and thank you for that. I am not sure what he's doing with it. I got scolded on here before for trying to help my buyers get a loan. Trying to hold their hands and being too much in their business. So I didn't ask. We are not under contract yet. He called me today to let me know things are progressing. Sweet tea, he applied for the transfer and is waiting to hear. Don't know if he asked his bank about the letter. I suggested it. Yes Bill, the difference is the banks AND the market. Yes, multiple people told me the banks would want more than 20% but that was not for my original buyer. That was for my second buyer. After HE was rejected. After I lost the original buyer, I did what you're supposed to do and I called banks and asked them what they required. I told them I was attracting a lot of out of state people and at least one of them was self employed. They told me what he'd need. They told him what he needed. He got pre-approved. We went under contract. Later what the bank said he needed changed. That's why I lost him. It really had nothing to do with his house NC when it comes down to it. He was not coming out with as much money as he originally expected because of the flood insurance issue with his house. But at first that wasn't a problem. It wasn't a problem until the bank changed its criteria from him needing 20% down and one year's worth of mortgage payments in escrow to 40% and one year's worth of escrow payments, that it became a problem. Now he was short--he could only come up with 35%. The bank knew his whole situation being self-employed and relocating from the start. That was the purpose of the mortgage payments going into escrow. He was not starting a different business, just relocating his same business. But they knew all that. That's the point. We told them. Who knew you couldn't count on what the bank employee says? Now I know. And that's the point of this board. Not to constantly be picked on for being a for-sale-by-owner. Not saying that is specifically you NC. And what do you mean you put your own hardwood flooring in? How long do you think that's going to last? Ha! Funny you should say that live_wire_oak, because no, I don't have a note on my house. I paid for it with cash. All my vehicles except one were either paid for with cash or paid off early. Credit cards paid in full monthly. Yes, you're right, credit is a tool and I use it wisely. I will be paying off my only truck loan asap. I'm the customer. I'm a good customer. I don't really NEED them. I guess if you want to split hairs some buyers might need them. But I don't even really NEED to sell this house. I received more than offers. We were under contract. Why does the word "buyers" bother everyone so much? Okay, let's call them "pre-buyers,"--they're more than lookers, they're more than interested, they're more than people you are negotiating with--you are out of attorney review, you are under contract, but you haven't closed yet. So how about "pre-buyers?" No harm in interviewing realtors because that's what I did before I even put it on the market. There is nothing wrong with my price or my marketing. In fact, I just saw the agent who gave me comps, an expert in the area who specializes in horse property and she could not believe the action I've had on this place. I've been under contract three times, once for the full asking price, twice for close to it ($3,000. under) and I have a fourth one cooking. All in about eight months. I hate sounding like I'm bragging but some of you keep on insinuating that I am doing something wrong because I'm a FSBO. My problem is the banks giving someone a mortgage! I know this is not a vanilla kind of house and I know that's all they're giving out loans for--vanilla houses being bought by vanilla buyers. That's what I'm saying! That's what this post is all about! How the banks are over-correcting and making it almost impossible to get loans unless they are absolutely perfect and there's no risk whatsoever involved! And all I wanted to do was vent about how hard it is nowadays and maybe get some board buddies to shake their heads and say, "I know, it's a nightmare out there." Chrisdoc, I swear I have gotten at least two dozen people asking me if I'll hold a mortgage or rent with option to buy. More evidence people can't get loans. I can't because I'm using the money for my next place. And Live_Wire, the banks can go jump off a bridge because even though I could afford a mortgage, I'm not getting one.

This is such a complicated problem. There are going to be hurt feelings all over the place. I know that it hurts BM for her daughter to want to leave, but it's not like she didn't see it coming in plenty of time to mentally and emotionally prepare herself for it. You have stated that SD has said she has always wanted to move to your home for high school. BM should be preparing for this. My son's BD has been "conditioning" him to come live with him when he turns 12. In Texas (where we live), children can fill out an affidavit stating which parent they wish to live with, but it is ultimately up to the courts. Just because he "wants" to go live with dad doesn't mean the courts will think it's the best situation for him. Anyway, I have been steeling myself for this for a couple of years now and he's only 9. I still have 3 years before this is even possible. But I know that my DS wants to share time with his dad, whether I like it or not. BM needs to realize that she does not have a monopoly on SD's raising and sometimes she has to let go. Hard.....I know and it probably seems impossible. Just being candid, I know how hard it is to NOT "coach" your children into what to say to the other parent. So many times I've wanted to tell my DS what to say to BD because it might keep the peace or make me right about something. But I've always stopped myself because I don't want my son to ever have a reason to be mad at me. Sometimes DS will say "Dad lied about that" or "You don't have to cover, I know he lied". They know when their parents are lying and I think it's hillarious that a parent thinks she can tell a 15 y/o to lie. She's got to know that she's old enough and smart enough to see whats going on. As far as discussing these things with the children, I think that you have to guage each children's maturity level individually. My DS is 9 and FSD is 13. DS is WAY more mature emotionally than FSD, even with 4 years separating. FSD refuses to stay home alone for any reason and freaks out. DS is ready to stay home alone (which he does not do yet). We've been teaching him about safety and what to do in certain situations. FSD won't even hear about it. She begs to not be left at home alone even though she is of age. She is just not mature. My BF made the mistake of telling her that the puppy (who was only 8 weeks old) has round worms, which is normal for every puppy. She flipped out, told her mom the dog had RING worm (definitely not the same thing) and wouldn't touch the dog for 2 weeks. We even took her to the vet and had the vet tell her the facts about round worm (that it's hard for people to get and that almost every puppy has it). She still wouldn't touch the dog. We told DS and he asked 1 question: "Can I get it?" We told him the truth and he went on with everything as normal. Hugging and playing with the dog. So we know what we can discuss with FSD and what we can't and the same for DS. No matter how hard a family tries, the kids are always put in the middle of different ways of parenting. It's just so much more pronounced in divorced families. I wish you all the best at your meeting and that this will all work out smoothly! (Sorry for the long post)

Before I started taking classes at Palomar College, I thought wood was something you stained. If you wanted walnut, you couldnÂt possibly afford it, so you bought birch and stained it. Well, as it turns out, walnut is only a little more in price than the birch, and if you figure in the amount of time it takes me to stain it and such, it pretty much comes out to the same thing. And then I learned that, basically, when youÂre staining, youÂre using a product that is suspended in a mineral solution, or as my instructor told us, "youÂre rubbing dirt on your wood!" And finally, I learned that wood in its natural state is such a glorious thing! From that day to this I havenÂt stained anything. But when I was first "elevating my consciousness" I made a pine wall cupboard for my brother-in-law, which I gave a natural finish, just clear varnish. When we opened our gifts that year, his 90-year-old grandmother croaked, "Ya forget to stain it!"