[aspenhall]

Ok, now I'm really freaking out!
I just got a call 10 min ago that our Homestudy appointment is this coming tuesday!
I just told one of my friends who hadn't got her refernce letter in yet, that I wasn't worried about how long she was taking, I was just curious when I could start worrying about something else!

My heart is jumping out of my chest! luckily my hubby has spent all week trying to get the family room finished (except for carpet) Will having no real carpeting make a difference???

Advice Please?????

AAGGAHAHHHH !!!!!!!!

[SonianJasonW]

Congratulations!!!!

I am sure you will do fine in your homestudy.

Keep us posted

[heavyhearts]

Aspenhall

I have Faith in you, you will be fine.
Just remember to Breath!!!
I think that as long as the home is safe for you to live in then it is most likely safe for a child. At least your trying to make your home better...We just started on the babys(or Toddler's) room... I hope they dont come out soon, We havent even started our classes yet so I am think were ok for a few months.
Keep you Chin up, and relax!!
Jen

[aspenhall]

Ok, Update.....Homestudy is today at 1:30pm
This weekend we thought that the sewer just needed a little drano.......4 bottles later we called roto-rooter and started digging...... 5 hours later my entire front yard is being torn up by a backhoe....turns out the entire sewer line had collapsed/crumbled....So I have pretty much given up on the perfect cottage impression. It is mostly filled back in now, but while it was dug up, my hubby took the opportunity to lay a new main water line, but he hasn't connected it yet. He also took the opportunity to start to rip out the existing sprinkler system (old and crappy too) So now there is mud everywhere and various pipes sticking out of the ground. But if she uses the bathroom or if she showers and does laundry while she's here......She'll be impressed LOL.
I told hubby to just vacuum and put all the plug plates back on. Someone said they cleaned like the queen was coming for a visit.....I don't think that I could possibly come close to passing a white glove inspection......So I am just settling for a "home-y, lived-in" look. I may have freaked out about dust on my piano before, but now it just seems silly to worry about dust when my yard looks the way it does.....I'll keep ya posted.....mainly I am just tripping on the fact that the whole "someday I'll have kids" just took one gigantic leap forward into the present.
I also have the distinct feeling that I will be one of the ones that gets a quick match...Simply because I am counting on it taking a long while, so that we can get our home finished..!

Murphy's Law LOVES ME....."Ok, homestudy's coming up....lets make their yard look like a 8 ft mole with an attitude moved in and just to add a finishing touch....put some random pipes jutting out .....really make it look like a bad sci-fi flick!"

We have already been to one class/forum...how many are required?

[heavyhearts]

Hello,

GOOD LUCK!! Its past 1:30 here but I am not sure where you are located.. The classes also depend on what your county or state requires... I am excited to hear what she says....
Remember there are no perfect parents and no perfect child...
I think you'll be fine.
Let us know what happens!!
Jen

[aspenhall]

I'm on mountain time....

She came, but didn't really say much...just explained all the paperwork and then walked around.....She said we needed to have all cleaners and medication under lock and key....I can get a box with a lock for the medication...but I have TONS of cleaners!!
She didn't say if she would need to come back or if we passed..?... She was there for about 1 1/2 hrs....She is our CW so we knew her....but I wish she would have indicated whether or not we passed! She kept saying how much work we had done, or how big it was compared to how big it looks on the outside.....She said what she was looking for, but didn't say if she'll need to re-inspect....?
I'll ask her when we start to turn in the paperwork.....

[heavyhearts]

I guess no news is good news....Hmmm I dunno I havent been through that yet. I am dreading it however.... I am worried more about my dogs...2 Blk Labs..They are our babies but they can get alittle excited. I mean ALOT!!! so I am not sure how to handle that just yet. Everyone I ask I get the same thing : oh they are nice dogs....HYPER but nice....so I hope you did well!! I am sure you did..
Let us know
Jen

[Howdy]

It's nice to hear how your homestudy visit went.
I didn't know that cleansers had to be locked up, I thought just up high would be enough. Maybe I'll put a lock on the utility room and put a bookcase in there to keep cleansers on. But I am trying for an older child, so maybe they are less likely to eat cleansers.

[aspenhall]

My CW said that the certification is the same for any age child, even though an infant can't get into cleaners up high, a older child can....It may also be state specific too....

[aspenhall]

My dogs can be CRAZY. I have a Lab and a Timberwolf, they stayed outside. The CW looked out the windows into the backyard and patio and that was good enough. I didn't even think about that being a problem. If you seem nervous about it, then the CW would probably pick up on there being a possible problem. Are your dogs used to kids? You should probably get them socialized with kids if they are not already.

[javagirl]

I had to laugh about your yard!! We are getting ready for our homestudy and the linoleum in kitchen was coming up..so I decided to replace it before SW comes..you know how that goes..now the kitchen is in the living room and the kitchen floor is ripped up to the dirt (all new floor and while your down there update the plumbing etc etc)! So I am in this mad rush to get the kitchen done, house spotless etc etc before the appraiser comes (we had to refinance house to pay for adoption)..so what happens? I slip and twist my ankle and have to stay off of it 2 days so when the appraiser shows up the place is a DISASTER!! It was obvious what we were doing but it looked like I had never cleaned before! Geez I hope she doesn't devalue my house! I think Murphy's law sometimes works with Mother nature. When you are running around crazy with worry etc and forget to breath they both throw something at you to REMIND you of what is of real important!! Let us know what you hear on your HS inspection!!

[aspenhall]

I used to work for a mortgage company and I dealt specifically with appraisals and titles. I have seen and heard of worse.... TRUST ME!
The unfinished parts will be listed in the appsl and the mtg co will probably require that part of the money from the refi will be used to finish any work. The work needing to be done is called "Deferred Maintenance".
I had an appsl once where the home was more or less a shack and there was no indoor plumbing. Another one looked like the garbage had never been taken out....literally 2 ft DEEP!
And at another closing, the notary went to the home, and a 10 yr old girl crawled under a very dirty table and proceeded to clip and clean (with her fingernails) the parents toenails while they signed all the papers. EWWWW!
I really don't think it will de-value your home. It should just be classified as, for example :
"Worth $125,000 after Kitchen floor is refinished and plumbing completed. Deferred Maintenance: $1500.00"
It is a value with a condition. No worries. My Mtg co had a limit on Deferred Maintanance though....It was $3000 Tops....If more work was needed that would cost more than 3k, we declined until completion. Let me know if you have any other questions about the process, I may be able to shed some light on this particular issue...!
LOL--Good Luck!

BTW, I just talked to a Cw at my agency, and he said that Other than the standard 3 visits after placement, that they just take my word that it will get fixed and obviously if there is a problem at the post placement visits, then that will be addressed then.
So we just need to worry about the paperwork, background checks and portfolio page!!!!
WAHOOOO!

[javagirl]

Thanks! Actually everything has gone REALLY FAST and REALLY well! I used quickenloans.com after waiting MONTHS for wells fargo to streamline refinance! I only started the process less than 2 weeks ago and they said 2 more weeks MAX (maybe even next week). The only need title work from county and appraisel..also, I am doing a rental property as well as main residence and they have got BOTH of them moving along without mixing up the two loans! I was truly impressed. The agent who took the application knows I need the "cash out" to pay for an adoption and is "checking up" on progress with others even though she is "officially" done with me! She's a sweetie and it has been pretty stress free except for the fact it is happening sooo fast! I am hoping to send of my paperwork for homestudy in a couple of weeks and then schedule visit. I can expediate the hs and get it complete in 30 days by paying an extra $200..I am seriously considering that. I will have to see what additional paperwork SWAF needs (assuming they accept us!) for hs then decide if it's worth paying the money!

Have you got all of your paperwork for dossier? And where are you adopting from again?

[aspenhall]

I am adopting domestically thru LDS Family Services. The home visit was the first step in my homestudy I told the CW they should call it the "Lifestudy" Since I lived in 2 states in 5 yrs, they will have to do background checks in both states. I also have to change my drivers license to my current state....so I gotta go retake the test and everything now.....I just started putting everything together for my "profile packet". She brought the info/papers with her to the home visit. I secretly hope we get twins...boy and a girl...either way really ....anything will make me happy! I have to say, its a really good thing that I over analyse everything, because you really have to know yourself well to answer some of these questions!

[jackiepci]

I have had 3 homestudies, (2 adoptions, 1 readoption). I must say the homestudy was a pleasant experience. No one really cares about how fancy (or clean) your house is. They ask questions about your family life, your ideas about children and how a child will be part of your family. It was a good experience and it is the beginning of a very exciting journey.

Jackie