Tag Archives: house

Ups and downs of buying a car

29 Jan

Travis and I got our new Pathfinder today. We went to work around 7, then left at 9:30 to drive down to Colorado Springs, where the seller lives. We got to usbank around 11:00 and quickly found out that the bank had just been expecting that we would sign the papers and leave–no check cut, nothing. WHAT!?!? We drove all the way down to Colorado Springs for the specific purpose of getting the car and then we can’t get a check cut?

Turns out it was the banker in Boulder’s fault. He didn’t communicate enough and didn’t fax over the paperwork that was needed to complete the transaction. So the people at the Colorado Springs usbank had to pretty much start from scratch on our loan. We were at usbank for about 1 1/2 hours and the loan we took out is a 4-year loan, not 5 like we had been hoping for. So our monthly payment is a little more than ideal. What should’ve been a very easy process was a long and complicated one. And we felt bad because the seller, his wife, and their 3-month-old daughter were there waiting too! But we got everything squared away and now we have a second car! Oh the possibilities that have been opened…

I got back to work around 2:10 and went straight into a meeting with my boss. Whereas before I had been really looking for work to do (and not finding much), the workload has finally picked back up. Yay! I finally left at 6:10 to go home–it was weird going home without Travis, something that will happen more often, now that we have 2 cars.

Travis and I also talked a little more about the whole housing situation. We are thinking about continuing to move forward with the house hunt. While it would be nice to have more money for a down payment, we realized that we would be spending $9,600 (conservatively) on rent for a year and have nothing to show for it. So spending an extra $15,000 on interest because of a smaller down payment probably isn’t that big of a deal. The thing that will make or break our buying a house, however, is if we can really afford it month to month. With a house comes more costs–not only is a mortgage payment more than rent but you also have utilities and all that jazz.

I’m not sure what will happen but it’s exciting to think of the possibilities!

Tags: ,

Sad day in the neighborhood

28 Jan

I know that God is sovereign and good. He is able and willing to provide for His children and He does provide. So I’m trying to not be too upset.

But Travis and I balanced our budget the other night, refiguring how much money we need for all of our different categories so that we can start putting $500 in savings every month for buying a house. As we looked at the budget, we started to realize that maybe buying a house this spring/summer isn’t possible for us. Well, it’s possible if we don’t want to put much or any down and we want a higher interest rate on our mortgage (turns out my credit might not be so hot because of stupid mistakes I made in college). We might just have to move into another apartment in Arvada/Wheat Ridge. At least that way, we would be closer to work and our friends, even if it’s still not a permanent residence.

Adding insult to injury, Travis found out this morning that our car loan was denied. “What?!?!?” I said. The guy at the bank did NOT say that this happening was even a possibility. He said that we had been approved for “x” at y% for a 2000 or older and approved for “z” at q% for a 2001 or newer. We were buying a 2001 so we thought we were good to go. Nope! I guess the bank sends some paperwork to someone else saying “We’re going to give these people this much money. Okay?” To which those people said, “NOT okay!” Travis said that the guy at the bank resubmitted the loan request, trying to appeal the denial. We find out this afternoon what happens.

God is sovereign and if He wants us to get this car, we will get it–of that I am sure. And if we don’t get the car, I have to trust that God knows what He is doing by not letting us have a car. He’s working something out and it is positively for our good and joy in Him. It just makes me a little frustrated at myself because I’M the reason why we’re having this trouble. I paid my car loan late just one time but it’s still a “discrepancy” in the eyes of the lenders. And since the car we want to buy is “borderline,” meaning it is right on the cutoff between the loan rates and amounts, the lenders denied it.

I’m praying every minute that God is delighting to give us the Pathfinder… it would be so amazing to have 2 cars again!

Tags: , , , , ,

Newer Entries →