How do I not be emotional about losing the house?

[drowning123]

May I suggest that the OP requests a mediation at www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/foreclosure, and see where it goes from there? I know that my mediator in New York really goes to bat for homeowners. He contacts the banks and works out plans. Give it a try. It can't hurt.

[drowning123]

Thanks, Lady.

[LadyInTheRed]

I was wondering if you tried a modification with your bank. Is it cheaper to rent than trying to modify your mortgage? I did with my house and knocked off about $800. My interest rate is now 3.25%, coming from 6.875%. I totally understand how you feel. I'm a single mom with a single income for my child and two elderly parents. I panicked when I saw that my house was going on the auction block in September. I rushed and got a modification and thankfully it worked out. I wish you all the best.

She was denied a modification. Here's her thread on that: http://www.bkforum.com/showthread.ph...closure-and-WF

[bcohen]

Thanks for the replies. I'm starting to feel a little better. Any more suggestions on how to handle the four dogs problem, besides paring down the herd?

Although I realize this is not what you want to hear, you may very well have to give up some or all of your dogs if you want to obtain affordable rental housing in a decent area. I understand you think of them as your "babies", however the most important thing is that you find decent quality housing in a neighborhood that's safe and has good schools--and that you be able to comfortably afford the rent without stressing each month. It may very well be that a single-family home is just not affordable, and you'll have to move into a 2-bedroom apartment, which means the dogs will have to go.

I know that around here, the rent on single-family homes (other than ones in "ghetto" neighborhoods) is much higher than the monthly cost to own a similar house. So if a person is considering renting because they could not afford their mortgage, they will quickly realize that the mortgage was far cheaper than the asking rents. Now there are affordable apartments here, such as the ones where I live, but most do not allow pets, and those who do limit it to ONE small dog or cat.

[drowning123]

I was wondering if you tried a modification with your bank. Is it cheaper to rent than trying to modify your mortgage? I did with my house and knocked off about $800. My interest rate is now 3.25%, coming from 6.875%. I totally understand how you feel. I'm a single mom with a single income for my child and two elderly parents. I panicked when I saw that my house was going on the auction block in September. I rushed and got a modification and thankfully it worked out. I wish you all the best.

[TheBajan]

We just moved last month with 4 pets. It was a little bit of work but well worth it to have my babies.

Pets can get pricey with private landlords as they are all scared of the damage that can be done by the critters.

We have 2 medium dogs and 2 cats so I had to be ready to sell the pets and us to the potential landlords!!

When we went to meet with landlords to tour and/or apply, I had all of the rabies and spay/neuter certificates, a picture of all the animals and the latest vet receipts for flea control. We asked our current neighbors to write a "Pet Reference" which was awesome. We offered a pet interview for the dogs.... LOL the cats would be hilarious to try to take anywhere to be met! We offered to pay reasonable monthly pet rent and offered to have the carpets professionally cleaned once per year with a copy of the receipt sent to them in order to reduce the deposits/fees.

Overboard? Maybe.

The landlord we chose (we had 2 offer housing to us with all 4 animals) dropped her pet deposit of $2000 ($500 per pet) and $250 in pet fees down to a $250 total pet deposit and $250 in fees!! We pay $5 per pet per month in pet rent ($20) and we are having the carpets cleaned yearly for the owners. We also signed a 3 year lease which I think reassured the owners.

Good luck to you!!!

Wow! ValleyYum... you rock! I would totally have rented to you. OP... take this advise. It will REALLY IMPRESS your prospective landlord. If it doesn't, he/she is not a reasonable person and you don't want to rent from them anyway.

[kawh]

... We have an 11-year-old daughter and four little dogs that are all our children...

Honesty is always the best policy, but my misguided (perhaps) advice was coming from my being familiar with that feeling of desperation in the pit of your stomach, and weighing the morality of lying against the pain of losing loved ones. Of course, if there is a friend or relative or a trusted acquaintance of one, who would agree to keep a couple of the dogs for awhile until you can work out the rental situation, that could help.

It IS very difficult to hide a couple of dogs. Reviewing your info here, I'd say your chances of affordable housing are better if you say you have five children, just as you see it. Still not honest, however.

It's heartbreaking to think about having to give up a child, and the deposits, pet references, and all suggested here are wonderful if you can possibly get them or arrange for them, in which case you have a pretty good situation, but probably you wouldn't be posting here. If you aren't able, you are looking at just throwing yourself on the mercy of a kind hearted landlord who also loves animals and arranging some sort of payment plan for the deposits.

Being financially stressed is bad enough and horrid when it causes you to lose family. Good luck, hope you can stay in your present home long enough to work it out.

[justbroke]

As a former landlord, I would love pet references! That is why I'd love to meet the animals for a "sit down"... so to speak. The lack of formal complaints would also be a good indicator. As ValleYum wrote, my concern (as a former landlord) would always be damage. If you can alleviate that problem, I can see reducing the deposit. Most management companies suggest $250 per pet as a non-refundable deposit, alongside a refundable damage deposit. If you're able to get the non-refundable deposit reduced, then that is awesome.

[stray]

Val gives great advice! Wow, I would totally rent to her pets. Also, if your dogs are obedience trained let the landlord know. My neighbor has a small dog he let yip yip while he was standing right there every morning M-F. One carefully timed outburst from DH on the day the neighbor's girlfriend (actual home owner) was home, and the guy and his dog disappeared for 2 weeks. He came back : ( but his dog was magically trained! I would now give them a pet reference. I rented with a Rottweiler and 2 cats back in the day. I found landlords were more put off by the cats than sweet Syd.

Changing school wasn't something I wanted as a kid, but it was actually a really good thing. It forced me to come out of my shell. And the new house was kind of exciting as a kid too. Good luck, look forward to your new home -- fresh paint, new furniture arrangements, new kitchen towels...

[LadyInTheRed]

That IS an excellent idea! How many neighbors in apartments or homes have been bothered all day or all night by yapping dogs?

Me me me! And my back yard and garage and another neighbor's garage are between us and the barking dogs. Poor things seem to always be alone in the back yard - night and day in cold and warm weather. I don't understand why people get dogs and then rarely interact with them. I guess they just seem them as watch dogs instead of companions.

[AngelinaCat]

'Pet Reference' - What a great idea!

That IS an excellent idea! How many neighbors in apartments or homes have been bothered all day or all night by yapping dogs?

[Pjmax]

'Pet Reference' - What a great idea!

[ValleYum]

We just moved last month with 4 pets. It was a little bit of work but well worth it to have my babies.

Pets can get pricey with private landlords as they are all scared of the damage that can be done by the critters.

We have 2 medium dogs and 2 cats so I had to be ready to sell the pets and us to the potential landlords!!

When we went to meet with landlords to tour and/or apply, I had all of the rabies and spay/neuter certificates, a picture of all the animals and the latest vet receipts for flea control. We asked our current neighbors to write a "Pet Reference" which was awesome. We offered a pet interview for the dogs.... LOL the cats would be hilarious to try to take anywhere to be met! We offered to pay reasonable monthly pet rent and offered to have the carpets professionally cleaned once per year with a copy of the receipt sent to them in order to reduce the deposits/fees.

Overboard? Maybe.

The landlord we chose (we had 2 offer housing to us with all 4 animals) dropped her pet deposit of $2000 ($500 per pet) and $250 in pet fees down to a $250 total pet deposit and $250 in fees!! We pay $5 per pet per month in pet rent ($20) and we are having the carpets cleaned yearly for the owners. We also signed a 3 year lease which I think reassured the owners.

Good luck to you!!!

[TheBajan]

Honesty when approaching a landlord. You need to not just say "I have four dogs". You need to broach that you have several Chihuahuas or whatevers. Once they hear "four dogs", then tend to not listen anymore.

It will take work, but you will probably need to prepare yourself for a larger deposit. If I were an owner, I may consider 4 dogs under 25lbs each if I got to meat the dogs and learned of their temperament. I would also demand at least a $250 non-refundable deposit per dog and maybe additional security. The problem with even small bread dogs is damage to the rental property. That's not just them chewing on doors and door frames, but the landlord will probably need to replace all the carpeting. It's just a fact of having animals living inside the home. I may, also as a landlord, review and make sure you have no complaints from Animal Control or the ASPCA. That would be a good indicator of what type of owner you are.

Ditto this. Coming from the perspective of a landlord, it's going to be hard for you to "hide" four dogs and honestly is the best policy. I would consider it if you were upfront and willing to pay a hefty deposit. Repairing trim, doors and always carpet is the cost of allowing tenants to have pets.

[justbroke]

Thanks for the replies. I'm starting to feel a little better. Any more suggestions on how to handle the four dogs problem, besides paring down the herd?

Honesty when approaching a landlord. You need to not just say "I have four dogs". You need to broach that you have several Chihuahuas or whatevers. Once they hear "four dogs", then tend to not listen anymore.

It will take work, but you will probably need to prepare yourself for a larger deposit. If I were an owner, I may consider 4 dogs under 25lbs each if I got to meet the dogs and learn of their temperament. I would also demand at least a $250 non-refundable deposit per dog and maybe additional security. The problem with even small bread dogs is damage to the rental property. That's not just them chewing on doors and door frames, but the landlord will probably need to replace all the carpeting. It's just a fact of having animals living inside the home. I may, also as a landlord, review and make sure you have no complaints from Animal Control or the ASPCA. That would be a good indicator of what type of owner you are.