'Panic Switch'

Yesterday there was what I like to call a "development" in our relocation. I prefer this word over something stronger so that I don't completely lose it. I've been told I have a tendency to exaggerate, so it is probably more akin to an error, an oversight, a blunder if you will. It feels like a FUBAR but like I said, a "development" is safest at this point.

In short, the Company told us yesterday (yesterday!) that they had changed the housing policy regarding the sale of our house. "Changed" is probably not the word either. Removed? Eliminated? Abolished? Apparently if you want to sell your house, you are on your own. This is a complete reversal of the policy when we were relocated to Australia. The Company used to provide you with a realtor, put your house on the market and if it didn't sell within 90 days, they offered to buy it from you for the price you paid for it. A pretty amazing deal - which is clearly why they don't offer it anymore. The Company claims that most people keep their homes in the US for the sake of the home visits, vacations etc. But I think we all know this is due to the housing market and a general economic pulling of the purse strings. This also explains why the Shipping company told me we are meant to pay for our own storage now. Why pay for storage if you still own your house?! 

The silver lining of getting this information so late in the game is that I really don't have time to investigate how this information was lost and whose fault it is. Maybe we didn't read the paperwork. Maybe we didn't ask enough questions. Maybe we were just too busy dreaming about our safaris and summer vacations that it never occured to us to return to Houston for 2 months- in the summer.

That being said, we are still selling our house. We don't want to be long distance landlords and we are confident our house will be picked up quickly. It's a great house and walking distance from a brand new school with an amazing reputation. And honestly, when we do the math (mortgage, insurance, furniture we don't currently own!) it's just not a price point that anyone looking to live in Bellaire would pay. Thankfully we have a good friend who is a realtor and was coincidentally the seller's realtor when we bought the house from them. He lives in the neighborhood and can help manage the post pack-out punch list: cleaning crew, handy man, lawn care, aircon, the works. Which is a really good thing, because we've got a 40 foot container and a hotel booking next week.

eek.

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