Our builder FINALLY called! We are going to meet with him next Tuesday for lunch to go over stuff. Apparently DH's friend (the one I mentioned a couple days ago post) ran into the builder in Home Depot and mentioned that DH is getting a bit antsy about all this and him not contacting us. Whatever it took, I guess. Hopefully he keeps his Tuesday appointment with us now.
I also heard back from my realtor about my question to him on construction loans and fire zones. He said it was only an issue during and where active fires were going on at the time people were trying to get loans and insurance. He said it should not be a problem at all this winter spring when we are trying to get approved. He also said that in his opinion, the main reason land is not selling out here is because there is no industry base and no job (or no decent paying jobs) so people aren't typically going to build in this area. Makes sense and that's pretty much what I assumed. Like he said - this whole state is pretty much a fire zone!
So, we are feeling a bit more optimistic about it all, at least for now. And builder already answered a couple of DH's questions and now he's settled down a bit about it all and some of this site work he wanted to still try and get done now.
One thing I'm not feeling optimistic about is getting our bonus at year end. They re-adjusted the goal down some, but there's still no way we're going to hit that by 12/31. We'd need 20 million in sales by then and we're averaging 6-7 million a month. Bummer. I had really hoped to have that bonus to put toward our building. We're also coming up in the next few months on "review" time again and wondering if I might get a raise this next year is niggling on my mind. I didn't even get my review last year! She had me fill out all the paperwork and while I'd be ok (I guess) to not get a raise, I feel I should have at least gotten feedback on my review. Plus, this next year during review time I know she will be even more busy - with the company moving to the new office. If she has me do the self review part again and I don't hear back from her, like last year, this time I am at least going to ask for a follow up on it, at some point, raise or not.
Please do speak up about a review this year. You are working from home but obviously you are doing a good job. Otherwise, they would not let you continue from home. Are you planning to spend more money before you apply for a construction loan?
ReplyDeleteWe are now going to wait and see what our builder says, if we finally get get meet with him Tuesday. We do plan to spend some more money at some point on some of the site work that we can, but most likely not until next spring now. We're trying to put whatever we can out of our pocket, to reduce our loan amount needed for the construction.
DeleteDefinitely speak up about your review! I don't know your companies situation so I can't speak one way or another about that but everyone deserves to see what their review and value to the business is.
ReplyDeleteThe company is in excellent shape financially and has given most all the staff good raises every year (plus bonus). If I'm not to have a raise, so be it, but I'm not going to fill out all the self review paperwork and then not get any feedback on it, like I did last year. I'm going to at least ask for that.
DeleteMy friend was looking at land that was overrun with ants. Her son said if a place has ants before construction, it is in an area that will always have ants after construction. Ants will overrun the house, too. Fire ants do come inside. And, they set up their homes in house, too, stinging people. Get a forester or someone who is expert, not trying to sell you something to review your site before you build. I am not trying to be an alarmist, but...fire ants?
DeleteWe haven't noticed any ants there on the land (though 5 months out of the year it's covered in snow haha!). We had an ant problem at our old house and DH would spray a professional pest control type of ant spray monthly and that took care of it.
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