I don't really care what condition the inside of someone else's unit looks like as long as it doesn't create a bad smell out in the common areas, is not infested with fleas, does not increase the rodent population or cause any danger or damage to other units (each a specific problem with an owner-occupied unit in the complex I lived in at one time or other) And it's much more difficult to remove an owner (usually only mortgage default will do that) than it is a tenant, even in our relatively tenant-based city.

But it does bug me when the common areas are dirty and more banged up as a result of the type of people who live in that particular entrance or hallway. Most owners, in my experience, did not sort their mail in the front vestibule of the building and throw all the junk mail right on the floor. A number of renters did. Some owners (not all) have more of a sense of ownership of common areas than renters do. For some renters the common areas of a building are an extension of the sidewalk outside the front door to their apartment. Our block is almost all owner occupied, and there is much less litter on our block than on the next block which is almost all renter or Airbnb occupied. Not because people passing down the street only drop litter on that block, but because homeowners are more likely to pick it up at least in front of their own houses, and are more careful about how they put things out on trash day, than most renters are. And people are more likely to throw their own litter on a street that already has a lot than to drop things all over a street that is pretty clean.

"Most owners, in my experience, did not sort their mail in the front vestibule of the building and throw all the junk mail right on the floor. A number of renters did."

Exactly why I am the foyer and trash woman police........!!!!

Our mail carrier loves me, trash pick up loves me....a handful of male residents.....hate my guts.: )

Have you looked at/considered extending lodging?

Longer term hotels and motels?

I will be harsh, but I see so much anxiety in your posts that I almost weep. My advice is to pick up your socks and find someone to help you find a suitable place. It might be a real estate person who deals in rentals or even timeshares; a savy realestate broker who has some "pocket offers" on the sly; someone recommended by your mom's doctor, nurse, homecare worker, the social worker at the hospital where she is being treated, your professional organization, or religous organization; or an agressive social worker advocate. Can your brother and sister-in-law suggest anything? You clearly are not solving this on your own.

Kendrah, I get that you’re willing to throw money at this problem, and I am in favor of that solution - but I’m not sure the money’s being thrown in the right direction here. Figure out who does most of the executive relos in the city you’re moving to and contact them - they’re used to moving people with cash, specific needs and not a lot of time and are almost sure to know of something for lease or for sale that you can make work without resorting to an apparently marginal place in need of a lot of improvement before you can even move in.

Good luck with your mom. You don’t need additional stress in your life.

Hey Everyone - Your feedback and observations have really made a difference on how I am looking at this 3rd floor apartment with roof, water damage issues. Since your mold comments this AM, I am much more hesitant to more forward. My anxiety about my mom is clouding my judgement and you've helped me see through the fog.

Two weeks ago I viewed a unit on the 2nd floor. All windows look out on the brick side of a building across the driveway. Aside from being depressing, I worried the lack of sun and view would make resale hard. But, I'm realizing resale could be difficult too for the 3rd floor unit with all of the water damage.

I lived in a basement apartment for four years in my 30s. Maybe I could do an apartment with no view again? The second floor no view unit has original parquet floors with no water damage in the living room, dining, and hallway, a tiny new kitchen, and updated electric panel. No immediate signs of water damage, no smell.

Between needing dog friendly, no elevator, and no toxic smells, beggars can't be choosers. I can handle noise and many other things. They don't allow rentals or sublets in this building. I guess the students who buy here are total nerds??? I have heard no noise here aside from someone above me playing Simon and Garfunkel on the piano, which I actually liked. The neighborhood is posh so no trash. But that wouldn't deter me either. There are a handful of people in their late 80s, 90s, and one who is over 100 who have lived here for decades. I'm having drinks with one tomorrow night to get more of a scoop on the building.

Yes, @Yvonne Martin, I'm dripping with anxiety. I've been doing a good job of trying to not let it impact me when I'm with my family and then I let it ooze out here!

@theotherjaye - 95% of the relocation places do not allow dogs. The 5% that do allow dogs either multi-story and I cannot do stairs, or are new construction and I have serious reactions to VOCs. (I signed a lease on a relocation place last month and can't live in it because I have allergic reactions there. Good-bye $40k on that lease that I can't get out of!)

"Find someone to help you find a suitable place." My family has lived here for 4 generations. My grandma was the first female real estate agent in the state. My grandparents ran a big management company, and all of my aunts and uncles were agents. Everyone is helping me. Their contacts are still good. My parents know someone in nearly every building in this city. They know of every one story home in the city. (This may sound like an exaggeration but I'm quite serious and it isn't hard because there are so few.) I've networked like mad, put the word out through everyone I know. I know more than all of the real estate agents I've met with.

@JAN MOYER - I have a great rolodex of caregivers we can hire when needed. For now, she is well enough that my dad and I can do it ourselves. With her chemo she is great some days and others not. She can do all of her ADLs. She is allowed to drive but is choosing not to.

Kendrah, how bad are your allergies? I am allergic to mold and respond in minutes. When I was house hunting in my hometown I reacted to about 50% of the houses. We get a lot of rain here and the town is in a valley where the water table is high. Some I reacted to as soon as we entered, but some only when I went into the basements.

10 minutes in a property with mold and I am sneezing and my eyes are watering.

If you have more subtle symptoms or take longer to react you may want to see if anyone in the area has a mold detection dog. (Same as drug or bomb detection dogs but trained to sniff out mold.)

There are not a lot of mold sniffing dogs, but there are more and more of them being trained, so you could be in luck and have one near you.

My dog actually alerted me to termites in my exterior bedroom wall. She wouldn't stop sniffing the wall. I inspected and saw a tiny hole where she kept sniffing and then I saw something move and it was a termite. When the pest control guy came out he couldn't believe that I found them before they did any real damage. He found the nest in the garden next to that wall, treated the perimeter of my home, but found no damage to structure. I had to patch a few holes in the wall where he opened it up to stick in a camera.

Forget mold detection dogs, I need to have you come house hunt with me @Jennifer Hogan. Your nose seems as sensitive at their nose!

We are going to pull the offer on the condo. We will reconsider the smaller condo with no view.

" To be near my parents, while mom has chemo "

Buy or rent a one floor house near them. Get a driver if you must.

Your "plan " while beyond loving, ....might be trying to tell you something?

Kendrah, is there a reason you are looking at these older condos, that need so much work? rather than a house or apartment close to where your parents live?

My three barriers:

- Own a dog

- I can't walk stairs (4 or 5 steps is fine)

- New construction gives me allergic reactions.

I need a dog friendly, stair free home, that isn't new construction. I can only 6 elevator apartment buildings for sale or rental that allow dogs. Five are new construction rentals and one is this condo building built in 1960.

I have looked for one floor houses and the only ones on the market all have lots of stairs leading up to the front door and steep stairs from the garage to the first floor.

" I can't do new construction" ( allergies) How does one know this? What New have you lived in?

I am beyond curious as to what city doesn't have a suburban/ close area with a ranch style home?

"Privacy" .......what the heck does the city have to do with it? We already know NYC to "somewhereville", and every body malady or limitation......?

The parents can't live in some new construction for a year, and you swap? You live in theirs?

" I can't do new construction" ( allergies) How does one know this? What New have you lived in?

AirBnB's, friends homes, new hotels, new restaurants, new theaters. Even when I have done renovation in my home using all no or low VOC products I have to leave my house and live elsewhere for a period of time. If you deep dive into reviews of low VOC products you will find reviews of other people who have this issue. It is a terrible club to be a part of!

I am beyond curious as to what city doesn't have a suburban/ close area with a ranch style home?

There are ranch homes in the burbs and some in the city but all the ones I have seen for sale have steep stairs going up to them on the outside. It is a terrible problem here for people with mobility issues and likely why condos are packed. They are a good alternative if you can't do stairs.

"Privacy" .......what the heck does the city have to do with it? We already know NYC to "somewhereville", and every body malady or limitation......?

Asked by someone who has never been stalked or sued by a crazy person! I don't recommend it. It makes you become extremely aware of good internet hygiene practices!

The parents can't live in some new construction for a year, and you swap? You live in theirs?

Smart idea. But, I won't ask my parents to leave the comfort and familiarlity of their home during cancer care. They are surrounded by incredible neighbors who do so much to lift her spirits. It is a wonderful community that is important to her.

My "three" barriers:

- Own a dog

- I can't walk stairs (4 or 5 steps is fine)

- New construction gives me allergic reactions.

- to include:

AirBnB's, friends homes, new hotels, new restaurants, new theaters.

_ Most OTHER things give me allergies

_ I've weak hands and fingers

_ Mom's community support is invaluable can't move* them

_ hubby loves her as much as you do, can't be left behind

- "I can only( find/use ) 6 elevator apartment buildings for sale or rental that allow dogs. Five are new construction rentals and one is this condo building built in 1960.

Perhaps............

You look into Independent Senior Living Community for you to use now, in a cottage style/private portion of a lovely spot with progressive care.

YOU and hubby live in it in the present - virtually ALL allow dogs.

All of them .....have zero clearance entries and elevators. You keep it for the off chance they will need it at some point.........or you WILL.

Many are inhabited by those as young as very late fifties! Not to be confused with an "aging fast" environment.

Perhaps up the road a swap of living circumstances - you do not have a crystal ball on palliative cancer care.

One thing I learned when taking care of and watching over the parents. It is not possible that all parties will be 100% happy , 100% of the time. Believe it or not everyone adjusts to this - a pleasant surprise.

The only thing perfect with your scenario to now? You don't have a resource problem rendering it yet more "impossible".

I appreciate how far you're trying to think outside the box @JAN MOYER.

We are too young to qualify for a senior living community. :) I have a disease that impacts my joints including my hands and mobility on stairs, but we are not yet 55!

I'm super willing to adjust to butt ugly apartments, look at a brick wall, live in a tiny place, deal with noisy neighbors, live on a busy street, be the only person who speaks English in a building, drive far, sublet, lease, buy, I just need to be able to breathe , walk in my home, and we are not giving up our dog. (I have suggested it and my parents were furious at the thought.) If I could get rid of my disease I'd gladly do so too!

Thankfully my parents have done a *stellar* job planning for their future. They have taken care of six family members who died of cancer, parkinsons, alzheimers. Thankfully we are so far ahead of the curve with anticipating their needs. We can never know 100% what will be involved and have to have flexibility in the moment.

My limitations are newer and we are all adjusting to what it means for me to live with them.

@Kendrah I can relate, although I am now 63, I have lived with an autoimmune disease for decades and have odd medical issues that are difficult for others to understand, even doctors.

I can relate, though not by my own condition thank God......!!!

Have a dear "forever" client in the Mid West with an autoimmune nobody anywhere can conquer. Mayo, and beyond, nobody.When we remodeled? She was sleeping when I was awake, I was sleeping when SHE was awake. She is a literal BAT. Her "am wake up" is 4:30 p.m. and there's an hour time difference to boot. A simple cold can put her "down" for a month.

Looking back? I am not sure how we pulled it off! Eleven years ago, but not sure I could do it again. All I know is we did, and in the nick of time, as the BIG finale ( following a 12 hr install of everything on two floors in a single day right down to art on the walls AND EVERY WINDOW TREATMENT.) saw major league tornado's the very next day. I was gonzo.....amen.

@JAN MOYER, incredible story and you are a good friend in addition to being a great designer.

@Jennifer Hogan, while I don't wish you the ill of dealing with autoimmune disorders, there is often comfort in knowing someone else who deals with the odd life that it creates.

We have officially withdrawn our offer on the unit that I started this thread about. Saturday we will see the unit that looks out on the brick building next door. If we buy it I will be posting about ideas to divert attention away from the windows and how to make the entire gray apartment feel warmer without painting.

The super in the building also told me that an elderly resident in another unit went to live with her daughter this week and the family will be putting the unit up for sale in June. I gave him my number to pass along to the family in case they would be interested in showing it to me before listing it.

@Kendrah - Living with an Autoimmune disorder sucks but like the saying goes, I complained about not having shoes until I met someone with no feet.

Great quote @Jennifer Hogan. I'm grateful on a daily basis that this is all that I have wrong with me and that I am in so much less pain than I was in just a year ago. What a gift!

The super in the building also told me that an elderly resident in another unit went to live with her daughter this week and the family will be putting the unit up for sale in June. I gave him my number to pass along to the family in case they would be interested in showing it to me before listing it.

Small world insanity. I did some sleuthing and discovered the daughter is my mom's oncologist! WTF? Such a small world. I'm not going to ask to see the unit. I don't want to mix medicine and real estate. My mom adores this doctor and I just want to .keep that relationship pristine.

There is another junky unit in the building, has been on the market for a year. Having it inspected next week and will very likely make an offer. This place scared the crap out of me originally and now seems like a good option.

Ohhhhh my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you can hear someone screaming in frustration it is probably me.

@JAN MOYER - Do you have any snarky, tough love words of advice on this one?

The apartment (the second one - the first one we backed out of), that we are having inspected on Wednesday and wanting to put an offer on - the agent gave me the keys to the unit to bring electrical contractors over to get quotes.

I went in yesterday and noticed the ceiling (plaster) in one of the bedrooms had water damage that had not been there before. I got a moisture meter at Home Depot and sure enough 21% whereas the rest of the ceiling is 13%.

I kept my cool. Contacted the agent with pictures. The owner, who now lives in Florida, said that this damage is new. She has not seen it before. She contacted the super of the building, who checked the apartment upstairs to see if their radiator was leaking. He said it is not. The listing agent forwarded me a text from the owner saying:

"The super said that most likely the problem must have been from the owner before me.. They must have had some work done in there with a bad plaster job it probably just needs to be scraped and redone. I'm definitely willing to pay a credit for that and the buyers are welcome to have any of their people check it out as well."

The woman has owned the apartment for 13 years. And within just 2 weeks a "bad plaster job" starts showing and even though it has moisture is somehow not a current leak? That is bullshit -- right? I mean, it is bullshit, yes? I sooooooo wanted, needed this to work.

Am I missing something?

The area that is reading 21% is actually not right at the rippling and cracked area of the ceiling. It is about a foot away from it.

The super, who has worked here for decades, says he has never seen mold even in the worst of leaks because the building is so hot and dry from the radiator heat. (True, the place is like a desert, my skin is parched in here.) But STILL - there is a problem here, my body is a hunk of allergy junk, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Ahhhh Kendrah, I am sorry to read this. I know how badly you wanted one of those apartments to work, but, I honestly would not believe that this is a problem from over 13 yrs ago. It sounds pretty obvious that something is leaking. I wonder about maintenance in that building. That unit sounds like it will take not only a lot of money, but, a lot of time, to get livable. With all your allergies, etc. I am thinking nothing in this building would be good for your health.

Wow. I visited the unit just now with my dad. Mr. completely skeptical HVAC engineer who has tons of building experience and he didn't think it looked horrible. He thinks the owner is full of it. There is obviously a problem from just glancing. BUT, the moisture levels in the plaster ceilings are inconsistent all over the entire apartment. He said, don't rule it out yet. See what the inspector says. Think on this.

The other problems with the unit will take about a week to fix, and we can negotiate the cost with the owner who is eager to sell.

I would make sure the inspector knows about the moisture, and can check all that out for you. Maybe it will turn out better than you think.

Thanks for your postitve thoughts @cat_ky. I need them right now!

There is not ONE ranch home, limited stair access, in the "city of mystery" nearby suburbs, that shall allow a renter a dog combined with a very hefty security deposit. Even with signing a two year lease. Not one suburb has such a thing. Money buys nearly everything but health, so I do have great difficulty wrapping a head around that.

The object of current (lukewarm) affection, has cool gray paint, exposures facing a brick wall, has some leak .... somewhere, as water, location of cracks, simply suggests that water is highly mobile. The air from radiator heat is dry as dust......

I'm trying very hard to discern the good news in the unit, might consider renting it, would buy it never. An autoimmune system that allows a sniff of nearly nothing, is to suggest a miracle dwelling will appear in one of these aging buildings. Seems quite doubtful. The marketplace won't adjust to the needs, the seeker of dwelling can not adjust, and I have absolutely NO clue.

My further attempts would be in a better building, money thrown at their board via a meeting with the powers in the building/ other owners. A slush fund gift for lobby decor, repairs whatever. Perhaps a time limit imposed on your stay. Maybe it is two years, maybe it is three. .......

In other words, use the only obstacle free pathway in this? Money, and some faith in the "kindness" of strangers toward humans and a dog needing a home. . Sign me out of ideas.

Thanks for your reply @JAN MOYER.

"might consider renting it, would buy it never. "

Good to hear your thoughts on this. I was up until 5 am, thinking maybe I just go for it and buy the one with the big water pucker bubble in the ceiling that we just noticed yesterday ... nope totally foolish... but what other choices... nope totally foolish.

Nope, I have my zillow alerts set and check daily for ranch homes that don't have stairs. Zilch, nope, nada. I was so excited I thought I found one yesterday - no stairs outside hurray - but then I clicked on the pics to find once you get inside it is a huge staircase up to the main level. WTF!!!!!!

I have barked up the trees of asking to have rules bent with a huge, generous deposit thrown in. (My parents know board members in some of these buildings and it was all hey sorry but a firm no!) There is a good deal of money floating around these falling apart places - foreign students from Singapore with wealthy parents, the garages are loaded with Benz', Audi's, Cadi's. They are stubborn as hell.

If you are flat out of ideas, then it is confirmed that I am too.

I'll bring this up again in case it's worth reconsidering now that you have looked around extensively: Have you considered moving your parents temporarily to a location near you rather than moving yourselves to a location near them?

Guaranteed reply...............of mind read

"Their community of friends is sooooo supportive and wonderful,that a move from that would be impossible. They are just too embedded in their community. A nice thought, but....no"! can't do that."

All things can NOT remain of equal importance. Move in with mom, SOMEWHERE in their residence ,hubby comes frequently, like every weekend , leaves dog with sitter at apartment. AND!!!!

Keep looking. I'm out, and out of ideas: )

Do not think of answering the DOG is as important as mom. We already know hubby loves her, and then you alternate back and forth. You go back to the apartment and dog, HE tends mom.

As the movie title? "Something and SOMEONE's Gotta Give"

( yeah...........I was sorta yelling....call it tough love, because at this rate, you will need more care than the "patient" involved)

More? This too shall pass..........................

How far is your parents’ city from home base. Neighboring suburbs might be a better fit. Can your parents’ or brother’s properties support an ADU? Could buying an RV be an option? Long term hotels might be worth looking into as well.

My sister-in-law - who lives in the same city as my parents - just called and suggested we give them our dog. It isn't a terrible idea. It would break my heart and my husband's heart. But, our dog loves them, loves their dog, would have a yard, and a very good life. We could still go visit her and my parents can see her. Ugh. A good, heavy, sad solution.

Well, that could be a soloution, for you, but, it would not be for me. I would live in my car with the dog, before I would give him up. The dog might like the family etc where he would go, but, I guarantee, he will miss his own family more

"My sister-in-law - who lives in the same city as my parents - just called and suggested we give them our dog. It isn't a terrible idea. It would break my heart and my husband's heart. But, our dog loves them, loves their dog, would have a yard, and a very good life. We could still go visit her and my parents can see her. Ugh. A good, heavy, sad solution."

__________________

Yes a big change...but it need not be permanent. I might add, you and no one else has a crystal ball. It's a temporary, and if you can't get to the sil and brother three times a week, with all "our Moms caring friends so helpful?" and supportive? Well! I don't understand that. At all.

You aren't "giving up" the dog. That is to humanely put a dog down for ill health, or to give him to strangers as you can not care for the animal.. This is not those instances..

It's your health, your mom, your dog, alive and happy and adjusting Your sil with all the family he knows..... very close at hand.

Add that your mom's treatment is 'Palliative".........no crystal ball there.

Don't tell me there aren't any scents, any moisture, any flaws where you currently reside, either. Your body might simply be used to them, and you aren't running around with with a water meter/tester in your hand.

Sure beats the daylights out of a gray tomb, with a confused dog staring at a brick wall, awaiting a walk and a POOP.

Giving up the dog would, for me, be a complete non-starter, even to my sister. Having my dog go *stay* with my sister, on the other hand, I’d see as a viable solution, especially since she’s close enough to visit.

I hear you on the unavailability to truly one story houses - we wound up building ours because we couldn’t find anything except ”one-story-but” houses: ”but, the laundry room/garage/craft room/workshop/etc. is up/downstairs”. I also have an auto-immune condition that limits my mobility. It will only get worse as I age, so a true one story was important for us. It’s surprisingly hard to find.

@JAN MOYER - You are completely right. Having had moisture and mold in our own apartment from an upstairs neighbor's pipe bursting is exactly what scares the hell out of me. Luckily in our home, we have a guest apartment down the hall where we could live for 6 weeks while the smell cleared out and dehumidifiers were run. At other times I have had to go live in hotels. And no matter what place we buy here, even if there is no visible water damage now, who is to say it wouldn't show up next week? Is is sooooo stressful having a body that reacts so strongly to smells.

@theotherjaye - Building a house is no small task. I'm glad that you now have a home that works for you and is truly all on one level.

We adopted our dog five months ago. I couldn't even contemplate this with any of our previous dogs with whom I was so incredibly deeply bonded.

I love this little girl to pieces. But, we know that honestly, she might have an even happier life with my brother and sister-in-law. We live in NYC and she hates it there. The organization that adopted her out SHOULD have said she needed to go to a home with another dog and not in a busy city. I have adopted country dogs before and they adapted to the city. She is a quite traumatized little being and it is really hard for her.

My brother and SIL live five doors down from a wooded park with many miles of hiking trails. She and my brother's dog are in heaven together. I really think that the most loving and least selfish thing to do would be to have her live with them. But, I don't know how much more stress and change I can handle right now.

Many people find themselves in the position of having to re-home a pet for many different reasons. It may be that your brother and SIL can foster your dog until you are in a position to bring it back into your home. If your keeping your home base home and will travel back and forth to some degree you could take the dog on the weeks you go home or your hubby goes home. You can take the dog for walks, to a dog park or group play dates along with visiting at your SIL's home and at your parent's home. ( You mentioned that your mom likes visiting with the dog.)

I wish you the best and hope you find something soon and can concentrate on spending time with mom instead of searching for a place to live.

Just . Do. It.

Five months with a dog is not five years. The stress will go when you VISIT and see the dog you adore romping in the yard, with her pal, kids in the neighborhood. In fact, you were warned as to the dog and her needs when you adopted........yes? If you "love her to pieces" do the best thing for her, and you.

Write it down, "I will do"......and close the thread until settled. In fact, take the dog to the SIL and stay there a couple days, well before you pack and move. In other words, transition. Stop worrying on every POSSIBLE stink / allergy/stair/ache/ dew point/ and get on with your life. You could be hit by a bus and have NO worries at all, anymore.

( I had a friend who used to say: "You can't obsess on anything for longer than three days, unless you are willing to really DECIDE to do something about the damn thing"

You decided. It just took a lot longer than three days) .......right?

No, we were not warned about the dog and her needs when we adopted her. They didn't do a very good job of evaluating her. But that is ok. We figure we have to be ready for anything when we adopt a dog. And, we did put my bro and SIL down as the people to take our dog is we couldn't care for her. :)

And yes, I do run around my house with a moisture meter when I see evidence of a leak. I am my father's daughter. He is an engineer. I grew up being quizzed about cracks in the ceiling!

I like the three day rule. Damn, I had gotten so ready for buying this apartment. We noticed the new dampness three days ago, so I guess my limit is up!

Some things in life I am very decisive about. I knew within an hour of talking to my husband the first time that I was going to marry him. I knew within 30 seconds of meeting a dog whether they are the one I want. Every home I have purchased, I knew within 10 seconds of walking in the front door.

But things that can impact my health really unnerve me.

Even the things that "impact" your health have not killed you. : ) I'd certainly not suggest you cozy up to some mold and breathe deeply, nor stand in front of someone smoking a cigarette. I'd not suggest you sleep in a room painted that morning! Avoid what you can! Did you even know when you got a dog, that there wasn't a chance her dander might make you sneeze?

At some point, since despite all the sensitivities you are still alive? You have to accept that getting around in a bubble is quite inconvenient, albeit ......safe. Good luck : )

I have zero dog allergies. She is my fourth dog.

Not killing you is a pretty low threshold @JAN MOYER! They have made me cough to the point of throwing up, closed my airways, created sinus pain like daggers going through my face, and made my face go numb. Good thing interior design and not healthcare is your chosen profession. :)

^ True that! I'm sometimes surprised I'm still alive.......But then again... even, you are: ) lol

I'm sometimes surprised I'm still alive

You crack me up @JAN MOYER! Sometime I'm surprised I'm alive too. But only because I've had cancer...

Thanks for your motivation @JAN MOYER - and everyone else too. I had the home inspection this morning. The inspector is not concerned about active leaks and says the ceiling does not need to be addressed immediately.

We engaged realtors (family friends who are fantastic.) They are drafting up an offer that we will put in tomorrow. Fingers crossed they will accept and the goal is to close in three weeks.

"Fingers crossed"? Seriously.....I assume you need a place to live and very soon? I call this not the "primo bargaining position" lol

Get the ceiling fixed, so you aren't back here in three months post closing!

Aurrrggghhh

Sort of feeling a pity pang for the pooch : )

Jan, you are a genius compared to some people!

When I was working in the humane industry I had a woman call me to find out if there was a breed of dog that I would recommend. Her daughter had an organ transplant and the doctor said she couldn't have any pets. They wanted to get her a dog and heard there were hypoallergenic dogs and thought this might be okay. Totally clueless - doctors weren't worried about an allergic reaction, they wanted a sterile environment because the kid was on immunosuppressants.

The thought that because you have an allergy you might have additional allergies isn't crazy. We have all known someone who seems to be allergic to everything - pollen, dogs, cats, mold, foods . . .

It makes sense that if you have an immune system that is highly reactive, anything could cause it to overreact.

But often people have developed an allergy to something but it is the only thing or one of a few things that cause the immune system to overreact.

I call this not the "primo bargaining position"

This unit has been on the market for a year. Was under contract in January and buyer pulled out four days before closing. Seller's agent has told me multiple times the owner is very eager to sell. But, I still say 'cross my fingers', because life is full of surprises. I'll throw some salt over my non-superstitious shoulders too.

It would be no great loss if I were allergic to cats, but thank god I'm good with dogs. I never had these building and chemical allergies until 14 years ago. It all started after I contracted a nasty virus from a four year old who goes to day care. (One of my best friends refers to children as vermin and he isn't always wrong!) A rheumatologist thinks the virus triggered my environmental asthma. She said just as COVID unleashed long covid in many people, loads of viruses can create horrible long term after effects. Like mono and lymphoma.

Negotitated an offer yesterday, signed contracts, hope to close in 3 weeks. Thanks for your swift kicks in the rear @JAN MOYER . Now if you could only go shoe shopping with me and reduce the time it takes me to decide on a pair shoes, my entire family would thank you.

As I say to my sister..............................?

Well THANK GOD, That's over!!!

The answer to shoes is Zappos.........order, try, decide, return the unloved within one day. It's a shoe, not a marriage.

Or Nordstroms. The only way.