Crinkling Numbers is Much Nicer

I have spent the last few days crunching numbers and looking at comps and all sorts of things that just make my head swim into five different directions. I don't like spreadsheets. I don't like crunching numbers. I am more of a crinkling numbers kind of girl.

Part of what I was tasked in doing was figuring out what each one of our gazillion properties are worth. I do this kind of thing for a living and I have a thumb in the wind of what the value in of the Alabama homes might be under the right circumstances. However, my best guess isn't scientific enough to satisfy even the kindest of critics.

So, I ran comps on a gazillion homes using a super-secret computer program that is only available to real estate professionals. I also ran comps on a gazillion homes with Zillow--the world's most inaccurate comparable home program. Kirby, bless him, looked at my numbers and ran comps through Birmingham's MLS. And by the way, may I just say, it looks like my numbers and Kirby's were pretty darn close most of the time, thankyouverymuch. Much to nobody's surprise, Zillow's numbers were all over the place.

Then, because I had lots of free time today, I took the three sets of numbers, averaged them and took off a few dollars here and there for deferred maintenance on any of the homes that have such things. For example, one property needs a roof and an AC unit. That's about a $10,000 subtraction. Also, if Zillow was unrealistic, I automatically just yanked it out of the analysis. The lawyer can figure this out later.

All of this is just an estimate of value--you know that comps always are, right? But it gives everyone a basic picture of what the values are going to be and who will end up with the best end of the deal when the Sunshines and the Partners part ways. So far, it looks like it will be the lawyers.

The sweetest part of the last two days was the call I got late this afternoon from Diamond Jim. He offered to let me come to his office and I could work on everything there while he provided me moral support. It wouldn't have made the process go faster and I do my darnedest not to swear in front of him. So, I passed.

The next two big projects on my list are to make sure the mortgagees are paid out of the right bank accounts this next month and get an accounting of what bills are left that need to be paid. But, that can wait until tomorrow.