Mixed Emotions

We had to stop at Ryan Homes last night to sign off on our new purchase price, now that they have the finalized price for the customization in the basement as well as the flooring selections.  While we were there, our sales rep told us that she needed us to sign another addendum ... something everyone else in contract right now has to sign.  Just the way that she approached in made me uneasy, and I could see Kevin was feeling the same way.  Let me first summarize what we already know about the area and that we're okay with.  Northeast Ohio basically sits in a geographical area that is a water basin - being so close to the Lake, this is just a fact and it is something we knew - whether we live in Mentor or Painesville Twp. 

Now - let me summarize how she shared the news of the addendum with us.  Apparently someone in the community rose a big stink to the city because his sump pump ran a lot.  He never had any water issues, but didn't like that this sump ran as frequently as it did.  His stink was so big that he caused the city to mandate that the developer do yet another land study to make sure that the land is fit to have homes with basements built on it.  The city engineer has been involved and the results will be revealed at this Monday's City Council meeting.  In the meantime, the corporate powers-that-be at Ryan Homes are asking that everyone under contract sign this addendum.  One of the bullet points on it states that while we've elected to have a basement built in our home, if the city deems that the land conditions aren't fit for a basement, then we have to move forward with the purchase of the home, but without the basement.

Our take?  We refuse.  We don't want the house without a basement.  To us it should be black and white:
1.  There is a problem with the land, basements shouldn't be built, and we want out of our contract because it wouldn't stand as it did when agreed upon by both parties (ourselves and Ryan Homes)
OR
2.  There is no problem with the land, so nothing has changed, and therefore nothing additional should be signed by us.

This is the position we took with our sales rep (who has been awesome this whole time, by the way).  She said to trust her, that it wouldn't stand for us - if we're told that basements can't be built, then we can walk away free and clear ... although that piece of paper that we would have signed would say just the opposite.  We love our sales rep, but we can't trust a verbal agreement from anyone - not when you're talking this much money.  No way, no how. 

She sent us with the papers.  She said they need to be signed by Tuesday morning and we'll know the results of the city meeting by then.  We just don't want to sign them at all - see the two points above.  She mentioned that basically this paper is more or less for them to state clearly that a sump pump will be in the home.  Well, if that is the case, they need to draw up papers that say a sump pump will be in the home, plain and simple.  We'll sign that in a heartbeat.

Kevin actually called the City Engineer directly this morning.  He gave Kevin peace of mind - said he did the studies, has reviewed all results, and everything looks perfectly fine for basements to be built.  But again - we still won't sign.  Kevin is going to contact the sales office with our concerns.  Praying all goes the way God feels it should.