Got screwed...beyond annoyed

So, lets go back to mid June....house has been on the market for three weeks and no offers yet.  Realtor calls.  "I have great news for you.  We have an offer, very close to your asking price, no issues with him qualified for the mortgage and willing to rent back to you until your new house is done.  Oh, there's another offer coming tomorrow, but just not on paper yet today."  I'm thinking, this is too good to be true.  Of course we take the offer!
Lets fast forward a couple weeks.  Buyer wants all windows replaced, stovetop range replaced, furnace replaced, electrical service upgraded, shower tub surround replaced, attic fan replaced or a $5,000 credit at closing.  Nope, not happening.  Windows are fine, yeah they're not brand new but fine.  Stovetop is fine, not brand new, but fine.  Besides, you're getting every other appliance practically new for free from us, so stop complaining.  Electrical service isn't a code requirement, but may be for his insurance and mortgage.  Fine, we'll do it.  Attic fan, I can do that myself for $75.  Same with tub surround.  Furnace, yeah I'll give you that it's old and about to die.  I finished the attic fan replacement myself.  New furnace is in.  Electrical service upgraded to 100 amps.  All for $2,000.
Now, fast forward a bit more.  We're 4 weeks from closing.  Hmm, haven't heard a whisper about the renting back, for how long, for how much?  I call my realtor for those questions.  She comes back to me the next day "well, his lease is up September 1 and needs a place to live, not renting back." 
1. When was I going to be notified of this change?  Were they really waiting for me to ask?  Was he going to show up on closing day and be like "dude, why are you still in my house?"
2. Did he change this?  Or was it my moron realtor that screwed it all up?
So here I am 4 weeks from closing, haven't started packing because I thought I had another month and a half after that, no plans on where to live.  So, now I'm scrambling to pack up, rent a storage unit, make plans to move in with the in-laws, make sure the kids dont have to change schools for a few weeks, cancel all utilities, etc.  Oh the stress!  My realtor sucked from day one and this is the final straw.  I have a strong feeling the buyer back in June said he could probably negotiate with his landlord and we can stay here until October, and she probably never said a flipping word back to him and his realtor.  Who gets screwed in the end?  Oh yeah, that's me!
On the bright side, our lumber arrived yesterday and framing starts Tuesday!

We have basement walls!

Basement walls are formed and poured.  Who would have thought concrete walls could be so beautiful?  There are four houses on the street about two days ahead of us, so its a race to the finish.  We should all be moving in around the same time.

Feeling high...no not that kind of high

I know, nothing to do with Ryan Homes.  Back from vacation....just had to share this amazing photo.  I set up the tripod and timer on the camera.  This is 5,114 feet up, yes clouds below me with mountains poking through.  Started at 5am, 13 mile round trip hike, almost a mile up, 9 hours, 9000 calories, up in an alpine zone above the tree line.  All worth it for a summit all to myself in the morning with a view like this.

Did I hear interest rates dropped again?

Lowest ever, yet again.  Down to 3.52% for 30-year conventional.  Keep on dropping until our 60 day lock in!  Even lower than the 3.8% when we estimated our monthly payments.  All good news!

Thats one big hole!

Our PM texted me today saying excavation was almost done, so tonight we rushed out to see our new hole in the ground.  We were surprised to see not only excavation was done, but footers were poured today too!  So early next week forms go up and basement walls will be poured.  Let the fun begin....................

Stakes and steaks

We have stakes!  So to celebrate, steaks for dinner.  Well, sort of.  Philly cheese steaks.  Wife and kids went while I was at work, so didn't get a picture to show.  They'll be digging and pouring the footers next!  So it begins......