This morning I should have been on my way to the airport for my flight home. However, I have extended my stay in Mexico City by another week.
When I originally made my reservations for this trip, I was only going to stay until August 17th. I thought that it was going to be a relatively quick trip to sign papers to take possession of the apartment I am buying. But before I had even left, the realtor said that the paperwork would be ready in mid-August. So, just what does "mid-August" mean here in the land of "mañana"? Shortly before my departure, I changed my schedule to leave on August 24th to be on the safe side. But I still don't know when the documents will be ready to sign.
First the paperwork had to be rewritten because they did not include the apartment number. Then I was told out of the blue earlier this week that I had to pay for an appraisal of the apartment which had already been done. I went to the ATM and paid for that. The appraisal was necessary to calculate the closing costs which are fees paid to a notary. I talked to the realtor and asked if another week would be enough time for everything to be taken care of. "Oh, yes," he said. So, I changed my flight reservation yet again. But I am still waiting to hear what the closing costs are, and I am beginning to think that another week is NOT going to be enough time.
It has been a very frustrating experience. There are days when I feel depressed or angry, and there are nights when I cannot sleep. I love Mexico, but quite frankly, if it were not for the fact that my husband is here, I would not put myself through the aggravation of buying property here.
I have never experienced buying or selling a home in my life. I just hope that when I finally return to Ohio and put my house up for sale that the experience north of the border is not as frustrating as it is down here!
No point in making a return reservation until it is all done. Truly.
ReplyDeleteNo one, not the realtor or anyone else will know when it will all
be ready for you so, just relax and sooner or later manana will arrive.
Babs
Sorry, but there is no reason that he had to wait until now to do an appraisal of the apartment... which he never even told me was part of the process. And then tell me out of the blue that I have to pay more than $1000 USD for the appraisal. Alejandro is also angry over the way it has been handled, so it's not just my "gringo" preoccupation with timeliness and organization. Alejandro really didn't trust the realtor from the first time we met.
DeleteI have to return home. I have appointments that have been put off, and things that have to be repaired before the house is put up for sale. When he finally knows exactly how much I owe in closing costs, I will do an electronic transfer from my bank in Ohio, and then return to sign papers. (He had previously suggested that I bring $10,000 USD in cash with me on the plane! No way that was going to happen!)