Too close for comfort

So today was a rather intense day. I've been going back and forth with the seller since yesterday, negotiating on various repairs identified during the inspection. He was playing hardball. I was playing hardball. The reality is, I understand that owning a home means assuming a great deal of responsibility. And I know that I will be responsible for repairs and maintenance starting on day 1 of ownership. I feel psychologically, emotionally and even financially prepared to take this on. However, I was not comfortable dealing with certain issues, specifically those related to shoddy work done by the seller during the rehab process.

My agent advised me to walk away. I cried at my desk at work. My agent totally went to bat for me with the seller and we finally came to an agreement.

I don't particularly like roller coasters, including the emotional ones.

But we are back on track and things are moving forward. The repairs must be complete by August 15th, at which time I will reinspect the property with my agent. Providing all is in good shape, we are still set to close on August 22nd.

But it reminded me of how important it is to maintain emotional distance from the house. I could have walked away if I needed to, but I didn't want to. I really didn't want to. And things are still tenuous, so while I need to make plans, I also need to be ready for anything.

That said, I'm still thinking about colors for the kitchen. Damn it. This is pretty hard.