Staying Positive and Optimistic Amidst Housing Deception!

After defeating bronchitis and pneumonia and then being diagnosed with the flu (all in one month), I decided to eliminate all phone conversations with one of my close relatives who tends to be quite negative. Just as I felt myself becoming stronger and more powerful, another close relative, let's call him Fred, upon hearing about my unhealthy living situation, offered to buy me a condo. He told me to start searching for condos in or near my present neighborhood in LA. I was ecstatic, as was my friend/ roommate and his daughter (my stepdaughter). They would all be coming with me ofcourse!

My 7 year old (almost 8 year old) stepdaughter never had her own bedroom before and was beyond excited about having one. My friend and I were both looking at properties online and we were in touch with a real estate agent friend of his. I decided to casually mention to my other close relative, the negative one, that Fred offered to buy me a condo. She immediately texted me back saying that he can't afford to buy me a condo. Even though she could be quite negative, I felt intuitively that she could be right. Fred is living on a teacher's pension. When I mentioned all this to my friend he told me that Fred was a smart businessman and if he says he can afford the condo then he can. I felt better after hearing that but I was still unsure.

So right after the condo offer was made to me, Fred went on vacation with his wife. When he returned he left me a voice message asking me if I had been looking at condos. I called him back and told him that I found one condo near my step daughter's school for $899,000. I told him that we had driven past the condo but it was on a busy street and there was also construction going on. It was no good. Fred sounded relieved. I told him that the condos in LA are very expensive and that I'm sure he must've looked at the prices before offering to buy me a condo. He agreed that he did look at the prices and knew what he was getting himself into.

Knowing that we had a nice budget to work with, my friend and I turned our attention to moving out of our neighborhood completely and living at the beach. How wonderful and life-changing would that be? We all believed that it was possible. An energy of hope and excitement swept across our home as we all could clearly see a new wonderful happier life manifesting in the near future. My step daughter started telling everyone at her school that she was moving to the beach. I texted Fred to tell him about the beach idea and he never texted me back. I knew something was wrong. My friend could feel my nervous energy and told me to stop worrying.

So last Thursday, as I was driving to get acupuncture, I decided to call Fred to continue our conversation about the condo and that's when reality struck! Fred asked me if I received his message about a gorgeous 3 bedroom condo in Cleveland, Ohio? Cleveland, Ohio? I was awestruck. Apparently he was only looking to spend 200 to 300 k and the condos near me were priced in the 700's and above. In fact, it appeared that you could only find fixer uppers for 200 to 300 k in  California. I went back and told my friend/ roommate everything that transpired. My friend grew up in Ohio and has absolutely no desire to live there ever again. In fact, going back to live there would be like giving up on life. He told me that the only way he would maybe go back there is if the world was coming to an end and the sky was falling. Everyone in Ohio appears to be overweight, depressed, broke and addicted to drugs. When I visited his family years ago in Lorain, Ohio I became sick and depressed immediately. I never visited them or took a trip to Ohio ever again. I knew the energy wasn't for me! So I told all of this to Fred and he sounded disappointed.

Then the next day, on Friday, I received good news...or so it seemed? My friend's real estate agent said we could purchase condos by auction for 200 to 300 k in California. I became excited again and regained hope. So I texted Fred saying this: "I have a good news update! D****'s realtor friend/client says that our best bet is house foreclosure auctions which can be found at this website: www.xome.com

He immediately responded 'Absolutely NOT!'I didn't respond. I was devastated. At this point I made a decision not to speak with Fred on the phone for a long while. And if we did have to speak I would keep it brief and not discuss the condo. But my energy had already been adversely affected and so the law of attraction kicked in! I had a really bad weekend! At one point I texted Fred to tell him: "L**** and I were just taking a nice walk to feed the squirrels and check on the water bowls I placed around the building for them last night. One of my disgusting neighbors placed dog sh#t in one of the bowls and around it. This is what I am dealing with all the time. Demented neighbors and workers! Would you believe they came to inspect my apartment the other day when D****s was home and he said they didn't even look under the sink at the rotting wood! They don't care. Disgusting environment at this building... but I'm grateful to have a home."

Then I texted Fred saying, "I'm about to attempt to get the building to fix my apartment. I just don't trust them in my apartment. The energy is so bad. One time recently they said they had to do something with my kitchen sink and they purposely left a pipe loose to cause a flood and more damage. The following is what I'm writing them on their rental portal so there's evidence of my request... I've been waiting since the covid pandemic for someone to fix/renovate the cabinet under my kitchen sink, but every time the maintenance workers say they will come back to fix it they never do. The wet rotting moldy wood under the sink is a health hazard and probably a board of health violation. The cabinet also appears to be disintegrating on the outside and looks terrible as does the oven which needs to be replaced. In fact the entire kitchen is in need of renovation. Also, the floor is starting to tear up which is also a physical hazard. There's also some weird oily gunk that has been accumulating on the floor under the oven." (I also sent Fred photos of what I was texting him about.)

I continued texting for a whole hour... "Just have to focus on the positives I guess. The building also just put up weird signs about the security cameras not providing security and be prepared to defend yourself against violence and theft. The building is not responsible! I can't help but wonder what they're planning on doing next to try to get us out of here.  Slumlords! (I sent photos of the signs) "I've just been so sick and the energy here has been so bad I haven't been able to deal with this. Cabinets don't even close. I have to use rubberbands! And tape! I stopped asking them to fix cabinets because they constantly break. Microwave and cabinet still wrapped up from termite episode! (The building maintenance staff somehow managed to sneak a bag of live termites into our kitchen cabinet.) Only one burner on stove works otherwise the place will catch on fire. Oven needs to be replaced. The kitchen is a horror! I had to tape down the carpet and cover it with a little rug so no one gets hurt on sharp nails poking through wood. I had to tape the walls to keep ants out. This is a luxury building! Bathroom sink counter falling apart. Faucet rusting. Perpetual mold growing in shower! But in the end... Once again... I'm grateful to have a home and family to share it with! I watched the sun rise two days in a row now. I'm making progress. Everything is going to be ok. Just thought you should see why I was so excited to move out. But I won't mention my unhealthy living conditions or horrible neighbors/ landlords and maintenance staff anymore. It's too negative. Just have to focus on the good. I'm alive. You're alive. We have food. A place to live and we're in good health and were doing our best to do better and help others. That's all that really matters in the end! I still have a cough and chest pains but I'm sure it will be gone soon! I'm grateful and appreciate all your help! D****s sleeps on the floor on a dirty yoga mat and bean bag chair but he's grateful. L***c sleeps in a tent with her stuff piled around it. She wishes to have her own room but she has a home and she's grateful too. We all have one thing in common. We all strive to be better and do better. And we all have faith and believe that it's possible!"

So Fred finally responds, "You should be motivated to find a condominium to move into!!" So I wrote back saying, "Yes, but your budget of 200-300k in LA is not a reality!" "Unless purchased by auction. So I stopped looking." So Fred wrote back to me saying, "If you are unable to find a condo within that price range, why don't you check out rentals for the time being?" I responded: "I was thinking that but the rent will be higher. 14 years higher. Even higher with more rooms!" Fred responded "How much are you paying now ?" I responded: "Around 1825/mo including trash, water, etc. But not electric." "That is not the going rate anymore." Fred: "Find an area in which you would like to live and check out the rentals and let me know!" Me: "Ok! I will do that! Thanks!" Soon after I wrote to Fred saying, "I looked online and found that whether we move to the beach or move close by to s***** l**e prices for a 2 to 3 bedroom are in the $5000/ month range!" "I sent you some emails. Prices for 2 to 3 bedrooms with amenities like swimming pool and workout room appear to be around 5k/month and up, whether nearby or at the beach. However, I did see a 3 bedroom with no amenities near L****'s school for 3400/mo but it said no more than 2 pets. I have to drive past and look. But I'd rather not give up having a swimming pool. That's L****'s favorite thing to do!" "And if people around were nicer I might swim too!"

Soon after I wrote, "Well, we drove past the 3 bedroom near her school and L***c says it looks creepy. Shes right. It's no good! Didn't even appear to have parking!" Fred responds: "Going to sleep now, Have a good night 😜" Strange smiley face he sent me huh? So I wrote back "Nite!" Then I wrote, " Drove past 2 more apartment buildings nearby. Terrible locations on busy streets. And the rents are around 5k a month which appears to be the going rate for something decent!" "I'm planning to look on craigslist today to try to find cheaper apartment listings. I think craigslist would have them." So finally Fred responds, "I think that looking for a condominium would be much better!!" So I respond and say this: "Ok, you originally sent me two condos in Glendale. Are those still an option?" Mind you, these condos were in the $500/ 600k range. I had also told Fred specifically that I did not want to live in Glendale. So Fred pauses for a long time and finally responds with a message that doesn't answer the question at all nor makes any sense: "Check it out and let me know what's available!" So I respond and say, "The reason I'm asking you this question is because you originally emailed me two condos in Glendale to look at with the intention of purchasing. These condos were in the 500-600k range. So what I'm trying to figure out is why you would send me condos to look at in this price range and then tell me that the budget is 200-300k which is not possible to find in LA (unless through auction which you don't want to do.)" So Fred finally tells me the truth... "I looked into my finances and realized what I could afford to do!" So I respond and say, "Okay, so I don't know what to do at this point. It appears that everything out here is too expensive and were just wasting time talking in circles. I won't mention this subject again." And with this statement the conversation ended. Fred never texted me back.

So there you have it folks! I just endured a full week of false hopes and deception...and I'm just trying my very best to stay positive and optimistic! That's all I can do! But I hope I didn't make Fred sound too much like a bad guy. He is actually a very good person. He always helps me out financially. He just happened to make a mistake this time and offered something that he couldn't produce. I'm not angry and I forgive him. We are only human after all. We all make mistakes. Now I'm working on recalibrating my energy and just getting back to feeling good! Life! Expect the unexpected... and have no expectations!

Jennie H is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!