House selling in Denmark

Denmark is Lartin-America of Scandinavia, in a sense that things are (too) relaxed and rather slow attitude, somewhat confusing administrational process, which I confirmed it in real estate business. I do like them in many ways, yet it is still worth marking the differences.

When we sold an apartment in Norway, it took only 3 days in total; day 1-open house, day 2-bidding among buyers, day 3-both party signed contract. Done.

In Denmark, it seems to take for ever. We offered to buy a house: days later, we were told that contract is being drawn, and in a week long time afterwards, both party signed. The deadline for payment and documents for owner-ship were Monday-1 week after, yet we did not get signed contract back from the agency (you need it to process all the bank and lawyer documents). Finaly, I asked the agency to fax me on Thursday, delivered it to the bank personaly,and nagged both the bank and the agency on if we can meet the deadline. No one seems to mind to be later than deadline, and we still do not have hard copy of the signed contract except the faxed.

To sell the house, it went really fast regarding the city we live in. It usually takes 3-6 months to sell here, but our house got an offer after the first day of viewing. We were told by the agency that they are checking the potencial buyer's finances. About a week later without any information, we finally called the agency what happened. We were told that the contract has been made and the buyer signed it that day, without we knowing it. Great, it would have been nice to be informed. We signed two days later, and it's all sealed. However, the whole process is very strange and distant one for us.

I had other strange and confusing administrational dealings in Denmark before, and now it is one more evidence that Danes are different from Norwegians for sure. Well, I prefer Danish attitute in general to Norwegian's, yet it is still bit shocking how they are different in mystrious ways...

Moving again

It has been really busy lately, but again, it always has been busy in life of mine, with travels, works, and changes. Somehow I am moving around allot: just count last 5 years, I have officially moved 2 times back-and-force (4 trips) between USA and Scandinavia, and if I include domestic moving, it will be + 5. Wow.

I swore never to repeat the trans-Atlantic moving again, but you never know. Having a baby does not make it any easier, and I long for a settled life. Like my husband's friend, A and M, who grow up as neighbors in a remote country side of Norway, and dated about 10 years, married, and lives in same home town for the rest of their life.

I hoped that moving to Denmark, to this lovely country side city, would be something for longer terms. Neigh, it won't happen yet. My husband found job in Copenhagen, while I have a job in a city that is far from Copenhagen.

After stressful search for a possible home near Copenhagen, we finally offered buying one property today, and it will be clear within a week if we can finalize it.

We have a beautiful, big house now, with a big garden. It feels like a middle of a forest, and I love it all. M runs happily in the garden, enjoys the swing hung in the tree, flowers bloom all year around. This is the first ‘house’ we ever bought, and we renovated beautifully. This is the place my beautiful M spent most of her life so far. I will miss the tranquility of the house, and the peaceful garden. I wonder if we will have a house as lovely as this one in the future.

However, changes are good, however painful and uncomfortable it feels at the moment. If something is alive and moving forward, it is in constant changes, and I remind myself it as positive force.