Day 68 - Siding and Progress

I stopped by late last night and again today.   My main reason was to measure the garage door for the installers (5 panels = 8' FYI) and measure the windows so I can order blinds for the 2 bedrooms.   The other bedrooms will have to wait a bit, but the master and our daughters room need blinds ASAP.

There seemed to be a slight variation in some of the window sizes (+/- 1/4 inch usually) but all were very close.   Also, the family room windows are huge (75") which we didn't realize when we first built.  Very cool and lets in tons of light.

Speaking of light -- I think all the electric is done.   One of the garage coach lights is out (bulb? wiring?) but everything else seems to be done.   Very cool to see it lit up last night.

Painters were finishing up some stuff today, doors, etc. and staining the rails.   

And lastly we now have siding.  The color is beige, but it doesn't look yellow like the photos show it.  The first photo (front view) is probably the closest color.  

Shutters should be up tonight, maybe the front door trim soon.  

Siding Done

Stain on Rails

1st Floor 1/2 Bath

Back view of Siding

Day 64 - Cabinets and Stuff

Stopped by today (shocker, I know...)  with my parents who are visiting for the weekend to show off the house.   It had only been 2 days but a lot of stuff is coming together.

• Guardian terminated all their lines.   Not sure if they messed up in the basement or not.  I need to open their panel to confirm.   I had requested, twice in writing, that they leave all the cables at their full length (roughly 6') and it looks like they cut them all to size to fit in their box.   If this is the case then they are going to be making me a bunch of 6' jumper cables
• Fireplace granite installed, mantle trim installed (Tropical Brown granite, looks great)
• Counters are in, and look great.   Funny enough they are almost the exact same ones as in our current house.  At least our taste is consistent.  There is a ding over the refridgerator but not bad and probably not noticeable even.   I will mention it to the PM at some point, but I might let this one slide.
• AC unit is on, but not hooked up. 
• Most of the doors are in (not basement)   Basebord trim is coming along.    Bathroom mirrors are in, countertops are in but 1 needs to be replaced (warped) and the somebody already caught it and marked it (guessing it was our PM)
• Lastly, no siding yet, but they were hooking up their scaffolding today and I would guess knocking it out tomorrow (mothers day??!?) or monday.   

We got to meet 2 of our neighbors also.   Thomas stopped by and introduced himself briefly.   They are 2 months behind us and breaking ground next week.   I look forward to raiding his and his neighbors construction dumpsters for 2x4's (Sgt. Rich style) for summer shelf projects.

Also met the kids of our across the street neighbor and they were extremely polite.  Always a good sign.

Things are really starting to move fast now,  just like everybody predicted.

Day 62 - Interior coming together

A few things got done today.   

• The brick got acid washed and looks a lot  better.  All the stuck on dust is gone.   Photo below does't do it justice.
• Banisters installed, most of the doors installed
• HWFloors are done :-)
• Tile is done in the master bath.   Sinks/Counters are in both upstairs baths.
• And lastly, I did another DirecTV look angle test with my phone.  Now that the trees have grown in we still have a clear shot from behind the garage.   I had hoped to put it on the other side of the house next to the AC unit, but I think the trees will block from that side. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be the plank siding (finally... a week late), cabinets and rest of interior trim, and possibly the deck.    

  

Day 61 - Rate Lock, PMI Drop and Floor Time

Today is officially 30 days out, and we locked in our interest rate at 4% with a 1.375% credit towards closing.   I think the $0 (Nothing towards closing, no cost to get rate) rate was 3.75% but cash towards closing today has a lot more value to me.    

Here was how I justified going with a higher rate.  The monthly payment difference between the 2 rates ends up being about $35/month, so I am paying more to get that 1.375% off my closing costs -- but it will take 10.25 years of $35/month to reach the break even point, and if you factor in the future value of that money with 10 years of compounding interest that stretches it out to 12 years.   So if we stay in this house (actually this mortgage...) for more than 12 years then we would have been better off with the lower rate, but up until that point we are winning. Plus my stress level of bringing less to closing is priceless.  

Second great thing today --  NVRM loan officer changed our prepaid PMI policy to a different vendor based on our credit scores and we saved almost $1200 on this charge.  

Honestly, this is the first time I felt NVRM rewarded us for having good credit -- through the rest of the process I was starting to feel like they were suspicious of everything we provided and were convinced we were a credit risk, despite not being one at all.   The level of documentation they require is borderline insulting, but maybe every mortgage company is like this now.  It has been almost 5 years since I have been through the process, but I remember it being a breeze the first 2 times.   Credit Check, 2 paystubs, a W2 or so, and you were good to go.  

3rd Thing -- and I didn't even think about this one, but when you close (varies from state to state and county to county) in Montgomery County ohio the seller (NVR) owes the buyer (Me) a prorated amount of real estate taxes.   My rough calculation is $8.44 / day since January 1st until closing.   I knew I owed this to the buyer of my new home, but never thought of the reverse.   Loan officer brought it up, and says it might chop as much as another $1200 off the amount due at closing.  

Montgomery county uses the SHORT method of proration, which can be confusing (http://www.daytonmortgagebankers.com/consumers/taxproration.html for more info)

Lastly,  I stopped over hoping to see some siding but there still is no siding -- but the hard wood floors are going in,   Thankfully I still like the color we picked 5 months ago.

Day 60 - Primed and Ready to Go

We stopped by today to check if the siding was delivered like it was supposed to be (it wasn't) but the drywall appears to be done and a fresh coat of primer was in.   Looked good.  Still light in a few places, but it could almost past as the finished coat... almost.

We also had a garage full of Kitchen cabinets and interior doors, but I resisted peaking.

Master BR with Tray Celing.

Upstairs Hall

Family Room

Kitchen & Morning Room