Straw...camel...moving on.

So, what day is today? Wednesday?
We started the negotiation process for the condo we're trying to purchase last Thursday, and these people...

I swear, I know after multiple experiences like this, I should think it's us...but I really don't know what we're doing wrong. We aren't being pushy, or greedy, or stubborn, or asking for weird things. Well, perhaps slightly stubborn, but mainly straightforward and (outwardly) patient. We're behaving and it has gotten us absosmurfly NOWHERE.

We have tried to respond quickly (immediately) to multiple counters.

We contacted our lender at the sellers' request to make sure that we could get a mortgage within a 14 day turnaround instead of 21 because they are nervous with such a quick closing date.

We have been patient with their 48 hour deliberations before they come back with a virtual non-move forward. We're told the price of the offer isn't an issue, but the $11,000 special assessment that has been levied prior to this is. We try to work with them.

Then, we're told the price is part of the issue. They have a number in their head they are stuck on. We try to counter, guessing at this magic number.

We were straight with them from the initial offer that this is a higher price-point for us, so we completely understand if they can't work with us, but ask them to please let us know soon because we are looking at another property.

We are told "we are close." Then they "sleep on it" for days and come back with another counter, like they still want us to pay the $11,000 special assessment that has been levied on their place. I thought we'd been through this already.

Fine. We agreed to pay part of it, so they come back again with a counter that still has us paying the majority of it.

We came up again in price, which is really stretching it for us. We are literally within maybe $2000. We can taste the final agreement. But they are hemming and hawing, and even though their agent is going out of the country today, and they were supposed to respond last night, they still haven't responded...but it's "looking good."

I have started to arrange our furniture...in my head, of course...in what will be our new, awesome and cool condo. I'm actually excited. I can't wait for the close. I can't wait to move our stuff in, and repaint the dining room from the navy blue they've coated it in.

And then this morning they tell us they can't move until August.

Of course they can't.

Now, why we would need to make sure we can secure a 14 day turnaround on our mortgage that we wouldn't then close on for three months...I can't possibly fathom, but let's see if there's another hoop we can jump through.

When we looked at the place we were told they wanted to move quickly. We were also told they've already had two offers fall through prior to this.

I simply can't imagine why!

So, now we're putting another offer in on another place in the building. It's not quite as cool, but it's a lot less expensive and it doesn't require a strightjacket...which is a definite perk.