We had a deal!

Looking for what I thought would be a "forever home" for my daughter, Marie, and her friends, Ava and Paul, the economics of a mobile home came to mind. Hubby and I had lived in one when we first got married and found it to be a resourceful way to own property. Knowing Marie has limited money for a residence, I searched the Zillow ads to find a good buy. One in particular popped out at me because it was under $25,000, something Marie could afford on her own with a loan.

I excitedly took a ride out to the address to check the place out before bothering the owner with a "meet and greet.” It looked perfect! Sure, there was construction debris around it and I had to be careful not to step on boards with the nail pointing up, but that only signified that construction had actually been done on the home. Peering through the windows, a fully refurbished mobile home peered back at me. It was so exciting! The yard was a nice size and I pictured a cozy rocking bench in the corner with a garden of beautiful yellow flowers sitting nearby (maybe even a few monarch butterflies to make the picture complete). I couldn't text the owner fast enough and we agreed to meet the next day for a walk through.

The next day I met the owner, Veronica, at the mobile home, which looked even better in person than through the dust-covered windows. The kitchen had been redone to the delight of any chef. (Although neither Marie nor I are chefs, Hubby would most certainly love it.) With all new carpeting throughout, the floor was squishy and comfortable – boing, boing, boing – what a pleasant feeling, like walking on a proverbial cloud.

Our extra couch and love seat, in a mint green color, would fit fashionably in the mint green living room, along with the mandatory wire wheel table that we have used since the ’60s. With the table’s wheels and flexibility, it made the perfect couch companion with accessibility to all. A few carefully chosen pictures and colorful throw pillows would be all that would be needed to complete the ambiance in the room.

The bathroom was new and shiny, with a fashionable rectangle sink and a large bathtub with shelves on which shampoos and body wash can sit. (Hmm, which scent of Bath and Body Works body wash would fit in this atmosphere? Waikiki Beach Coconut? Watermelon Lemonade or Wild Madagascar Vanilla? ) I envisioned fluffy, yellow towels with blue seashells on them and a lovely, fake, burning candle surrounded by flue flowers on the counter. A powder room oasis!

The master bedroom was large with a ginormous closet encompassing the whole wall. Surely it would be big enough to fit my daughter's clothes, and the room would fit her bed, her video phone AND her computer desk. The other bedroom was large enough for a Ava and Paul's queen bed along with a crib for the baby.

Marie had been face timing with me, and she had electronically viewed the home as I showed her each of its lovely features. She was so excited and enthusiastically nodded her hand up and down for “yes, she loved it!” in ASL.

Enthralled by what I envisioned to be my daughter’s future home, I negotiated the price down a few thousand dollars less than asking price, to which the homeowner agreed. With the dispensation of a personal check as a deposit and a handshake, we had a deal. Or did we?

The next day, the owner texted me that we had to come up with the money right away. Another buyer had offered her full price and had the cash. When I mentioned Marie did not have the money at that exact time but was expecting it from the bank in a week or two, the owner said that was not good enough, so she sold it to the other buyer! But we had a deal!

(The story continues next week.)