Okay - so we won't be seeing Ty Pennington anytime soon. I was daydreaming just the same... Uh about a home makeover, that is.
We did manage to get our preferred contractor in here to look around so he could give us an estimate for all remaining repair work (or at least what we could remember to tell him about...) and hopefully will be hearing from him early next week.
In the meantime we finished a letter to SBA asking them to reconsider our loan application. Honestly, there haven't been any earth-shaking changes in our debt-to-income ratio... But we're still scratching our heads over the initial disapproval anyway. If we genuinely lack the ability to repay an SBA loan -- then just how many people DO have such ability according to the SBA? Er.. Then again - a quick look at the statistics seems to tell me that there aren't that many...
According to a statement before Congress made by Secretary Michael Chertoff on February 14, 2006: "Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing floods damaged or destroyed an estimated 300,000 homes."
This figure does not include damaged or destroyed places of business -- nor does it seem to include rental property. However -- the following figures do include both:
"In the six months since Katrina struck, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $5.2 billion in disaster loans to over 73,000 homeowners, renters and businesses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida. " (http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/katrina.htm)
It's not looking all that promising -- but we have no choice but to try.
What would really make my day... is to have the resources to have a crew come in and invade our home for a few weeks. Oh I know it would be miserable and cramped and uncomfortable... It would also be glorious to be able to sweep up sawdust and watch some substantial progress be made.
Frankly, I'm tired.
No comments:
Post a Comment