2011 – July

2011-07-01 Counter Offer received

What to do? What to do? I received a counter offer for the boat today. So what to do? Counter the counter? Accept? Sleep on it? Delay and let it slip away? Wait and let the seller sweat a bit. Accept it and, possibly,  forego a better deal?

“Round,
Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning
On an ever-spinning reel
Like a snowball down a mountain
Or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that’s turning
Running rings around the moon
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes on it’s face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind.”

If I counter the counter, how much do I go up? Where will we meet? Will the seller just walk away? Will he meet me halfway?

Questions with no answers!!!

2011-07-02 Offer accepted!!!

This says it all:

Now we wait for the Marine Survey, Mechanical Survey and Sea Trial

2011-07-06 Survey set for next week

So far everything appears to be on track If all goes according to plan, my broker, the marine surveyor and diesel engineer will be “looking” at the boat as well as taking her onto the water for a “sea trial” on Tuesday.

The purpose of these inspections is to ensure that there are no major underlying issues or faults that could impact on the safety and reliability of the boat as well as to get an approximate market valuation. If there are any major issues then one can withdraw from the sale or re-negotiate the price. I guess the equivalent would be a builder’s  report on a house you were considering buying – the accepted offer is subject to this report.

I am very confident knowing what my broker has told me as well as knowledge of the owner (Google is a wonderful tool!!!) that the boat will pass with flying colours!!:)

2011-07-08 Survey date set

OK, so the date for the survey has been set for next Thursday (14th) and by the end of the day we will know whether we have a boat to keep or whether we start looking again!! After the survey, if all goes well, we will just need to wait for the oil analysis for the whole survey to be complete.

My broker will be emailing me updates during the course of the day (our night unfortunately ) and the surveyor will be posting photos on the web for me too. So, don’t know how much sleeping I’ll be doing!!!!

2011-07-14 Feelings

Yes, fear, trepidation, excitement, anticipation. Many emotions rolled into one. The boat is being surveyed today hence the mishmash of feelings.

Trepidation and Fear – So much time has been invested in this process that the fear is that the boat will not pass muster and we’ll have to start the process all over again. It’s said that the trick is not to become emotionally involved until the deal is done. Of course that’s always easier said than done!! How can you not become emotionally involved when you are about to spend a small fortune on some fibreglass and metal that will be your floating home for several months. Fortunately, there is my broker to reign me in if the boat is a dog!!

Coupled with fear is excitement and anticipation that everything will pan out well and we’ll be the proud owners of said boat. Here’s the emotional involvement again

Pity I have to work tomorrow or else I would stay up the whole night waiting for updates from my broker. Oh how I  hate time zones.

Ah well, more tomorrow :)

2011-07-15 Survey summary in!!

Well it’s in. I have just received a summary of the survey and it seems that everything is good – a few minor issues but that’s to be expected

The photos that were taken are also great, so I’m very satisfied to say the least. We’ll get the full survey on Monday and then it’s just the oil analysis (which should be fine) and we’ll close the deal.

2011-07-23 House officially on the market!!

Well, today we had our first “open home” and according to the real estate agent, there were 15 parties through the house!! Of course we had taken ourselves of for a nice peaceful lunch at Altura in Albany. We are sure that a large number of these would have been all our nosy neighbours.

The marketing program started this week with listing on the website – Listing - as well as a full page listing in the Property Press. Marketing will continue for the next 4 weeks and then the property will be sold by auction on 14 August.

Just had a call from the agent who said there was only one neighbour!! So hopefully the interest continues high!!!

2011-07-26 Amanzi

Well! Essentially we own a new (to us) boat :):)

Yep. everything has panned out – the survey was good, the engine survey was good, the oil analysis was good!! So we signed off the final acceptance as did the seller today!! Now we just have to pay – the word “pay” should really be spelt “pai.” Why?? because it is part of the word “PAInful” and isn’t that what paying is?! No, I joke. I think we got a good boat at a fair (to both parties) price

So, now it’s just the paperwork of deregistering her as a USA boat and re-registering her as a NZ boat. To do this we had to choose a name – leave-it-to-the-last-minute-Garcias again!! We’ve been mulling over names for months really but couldn’t really come up with an agreeable name but the Admiral came up with a great name.

A M A N Z I

Amanzi is a Zulu (African) name reflecting our roots in Southern Africa and it means water which we felt appropriate as that’s what we’ll be surrounded by on this our great adventure! It is also the elixir of life!

Of course we still haven’t actually seen the boat in person. We still need to see her, touch her, feel her underfoot, listen to her purring diesels, feel her power underneath, smell her boaty smells, exhilarate in the sea air. Ah I dream but soon….

Click on the name and you’ll be taken to a page of photos.

2011-07-30 Shannon gets engaged!!

Yes, great news from Shannon, our youngest daughter, last night. Her boyfriend, Dan, popped the question!! And she accepted and is now officially engaged. They’ve been going out for quite some time now (don’t ask a father for exact dates, just accept it’s been “some time). We are very happy for them, wish them well and look forward to exciting times