I am finishing up my week of being the "on-call" administrator for work.  We go from Friday afternoon, until the following Friday morning, when it's the next person's turn.  For the most part, everything's been quiet and I haven't been awakened in the middle of the night once this week!  ::knocking on wood since I have two more nights to go:: 

It seems that when I have the duty, I am never quite able to sleep soundly because I am at a heightened level of anticipation, thinking that the phone is going to ring just any second, with someone reporting the latest crisis. And...in this type of work.....things  much like a child's illness, are always worse in the middle of the night.  I will be glad to have it over with for a few months, until it's my turn again.

Other news.....My rental house was relisted with the same agent, and it sold within hours after putting it on the Multiple Listing Service!  They didn't even get a sign put up.  I accepted a full price offer, which was $5000 more than the previous listing price and it's already in escrow. 

I finally had to follow my gut instincts when debating about whether to sell or keep it for awhile longer since the homes in this area are appreciating so fast right now. 

I have owned the home for about 20 years, and it's been a rental for about the last 15 years.  Since my oldest kids and I lived in the house for about 5 years when I first moved to this area, I had some emotional ties to it.  It was all I could afford after my divorce, and frankly, it was better than the home I had left in Southern California.  However, in this town, it was on the "other side of the tracks" and in an area where most of the homes were owned by investors and were rentals.  Somany of them were in pretty bad shape, while I kept trying to make mine better with various improvements.   But, when I turned it into a rental, I had nothing but low-life, trashy renters and I spent thousands on repairs and refurbishing, over and over and over again.  It was heart-breaking to me.

Now that the house has been completely remodeled, and it looks better than it ever has, I've now decided it's an albatross that I must let go.  I don't ever want to go through such a project again, at least not with that piece of property.  I have to look at it as the wonderful tax write-off, and investment that it's been.  Hopefully, at the close of escrow, I will have reinvested the money into a more "attractive" rental property.  I made an offer on a small 3 bedroom condo, near the golf course in our gated community.  Currently it's being used as a weekend, or holiday rental so it's furnished.  But I would rent it monthly and I understand there are serious golfers who will rent a condo there just so they don't have to pay big "green fees" according to my realtor.  It should easily rent for the payment, and I would expect better renters for that area.  Someday when I downsize, I may even consider living there for awhile.  I read that if I live there for two years, I can sell it and not have capital gains tax on the profit!  That would work!

Well, better get some much needed beauty sleep.  Here's hoping it doesn't get interrupted because I don't wanna be ugly in the morning!  :)