A house down the road has been bank owned for a few years, and yesterday it was up for auction on the premises. So we walked down to see what a foreclosure auction was like.
The house looks better than the picture, but it does look like a mobile home, was built about 15 years ago by a scrappy couple who are long gone. The house has two front doors into the same room. ("Don't you be coming through my door bitch.") It sits on five acres with nice views on a steep hill.
When we got to the house only a security guy was there with his small dog. He offered us a free pen with the name of his cleaning company on it. After a while a real estate agent pulled up in his Range Rover with a golf theme license plate and a salmon golf theme shirt too. He had been the listing agent till the bank got drastic.
Then the auction group rolled in, in one SUV. They had gotten lost on the way. Three guys in white shirts and ties and a hefty blonde gal with a pile of papers. The auctioneer looked like Kenny Rogers with white hair parted in the center, show biz. Then there was a guy with an earpiece who seemed to be wearing a Bill Gates wig. , and a gnarly looking little guy: maybe he'd been a jockey, or in rodeo, or maybe a ventriloquist dummy? He stayed behind the car.
They asked us if we were there to bid? I said no we were there for free cookies. When the auctioneer plugged in his amp Jon said, "Is this going to be a square dance?" He said, "That could be arranged."
Since there was no one there to bid, it was time to get the auction started. They were allowing on line bidding, with a teaser minimum of $50,000, and warned the folks on line not to push that orange button unless you really mean it. There was no video of the auction, so the auctioneer got started as if he had a big crowd there, "I want to welcome you all, ladies and gentlemen," and rolled into that amazing monologue that auctioneers do.
They had one bid for $50,000, on line. Nothing else came in. The house across the street is for sale for a million and a half, also on five acres. Wow. The bank has the right to reject the offer, but it was pretty stark and surprising. They packed up and headed off to their next auction.
I haven't posted on this blog in more than a year. I like writing but I didn't like experiencing my life as possible blog material, and there's something uncomfortable (for me) about posting my dear diary life on line. But I thought I'd pop in with this one.
8 comments:
Thanks for popping back in.
I'm glad I made it in time for your birthday! I hope you're just basking in 'this is good'-ness. I also hope that this blog post is a nice treat for yourself. Just to tell a story, I mean.
I was institutionally private until about 10 years or so ago when, for me, I decided I had to learn to divulge at least a littttttle something. Frankly, if there's anxiety or stress or scraping of the head over mining one's life/living in order to blog, seems to moi that stopping is a very good idea.
I can say that, though, because I expect to sit down and drink a cocktail one day with you. :)
Happy Birthday to you.
I'm so glad you're back from sabbatical, even if it's just a pop-up visit. I had to think for a while about what you said regarding not liking experiencing your life as possible blog material. I'm still thinking about it, but wanted to say hi anyway. (I could never post my dear diary life on line, so I understand that.)
What a scene at that house-- Amazing, funny! I wonder if the bank accepted the offer? With a few more big skylights, that house looks fine to me.
Thanks for stopping back in, Namo, Booda and Linda. Hope to get together face to face with each of you before another year goes by.
I think we all were cc'd on the note about your picture on your Wiki page (really, how cool is that, to have a Wiki page? I don't even have wiki punctuation!) ANYWAY, because I love to vote, I vote for that beauteous picture you took before some event in Hlywd. Remember? Oh my gosh. It looks just like you and glamorous at the same time.
Seven cents, signing off. :)
Hello there! Do you think the house and lot is worth $50,000? If I got that money I'll invest it to some business. Maybe the buyer got some business in mind and the place is just across the street. Thanks for the post! Made me curious. - china travel
I understand your reluctance to post your life everyday. I just wanted to tell you that I enjoy your insights and am happy to read them whenever you feel like blogging.
Thanks for the interesting story about the home auction in Colorado. Hope to see more in your blog from time to time.
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