More Realtors, More Preschools, ...

This week's news revolves mostly around realtor progress (or lack of) and preschool progress.
First, the realtors -- we had two realtors come in to do "reports" for the relocation company. They were both very different - and they came up with two totally different numbers for what they thought we could sell our house for. Of course, we would like to think that the "high" number is more accurate (but maybe that's because the "low" number was 10% LESS than what we paid for the house three years ago...before we did the addition.) I know that we bought in '05 -- when the prices were so inflated, but it's still depressing to think that the last three years in this house could set us back so many thousands of dollars... Both realtors were asked by the relo company to "re-do" their reports. The "high" realtor lowered her list price slightly (but kept the "sell" preice the same) and the "low" realtor has yet to turn in her new report. We don't like her - she is just not interested in our little house. I am trying not to get too stressed out about this whole realtor thing - the numbers that will really matter are the ones from the appraisals - those are the ones that determine the buyout offer from the relo company.

Now to the Omaha realtor -- Frank met with him last week. The good news is that the Omaha housing market IS just as bad as it is here (so whoever we buy from will be losing money on their house, too!). The realtor asked Frank what we "needed" in our house out there and Frank proceeded to list off a bunch of things that we absolutely could never afford here -- at least 4 bedrooms, 3 car garage, hardwood floors, updated kitchen, full finished basement,... Even in our price range, the realtor didn't even flinch - seems like most of those things are fairly standard in Omaha -- it might be kind of fun to house shop on the Nebraska end. Although there seem to be a lot of houses with a second kitchen in the basement, which I think is weird - but who knows - maybe there would be occasions when I needed to make two dinners at once, or maybe I would feel like cooking something, but wouldn't want to walk ALL the way upstairs. :)

On to preschools - Yes, the Imagination Station is still the front runner. Frank went to a couple more "upscale" daycare type settings this week -- Primrose school and Goddard School. He said that the buildings were impressive - brand new, "wow" when you drive up kind of buildings. But, Frank said that the "teachers" looked like they were about 18 (OK, maybe we're just getting old -- they could have been much older than that) and overall, not nearly as "homey." They also didn't have a specific preschool program - and one of them "didn't recommend" 2-3 half days per week for someone Ellie's age, because by the time the kids are 4, they really have a curriculum and it might be confusing for her to be doing the letter "W" on Monday and when she comes back on Wednesday, they would on a different letter... really? Somehow, that doesn't seem like it would be that big of a deal. Frank thought they were pretty full of themselves. He has already filled out the application for the Imagination Station and he's going to drop it off this week!

One of our next missions is to plan a trip for the whole family to head out there, probably over spring break. It might be a good time to buy a house by the first week in April, and it might be kind of fun to get the kids a sneak peek at the new stomping grounds.

Of course, more next week... :)