Fort Collins Mama

After spending insane amounts of my time, we once again are closing in on a house. Only a variable just got thrown in the mix and we are about to sign a lease tomorrow for  5-bedroom that is totally beautiful and all remodeled inside.  It's not in the neighborhood we wanted that was close to O'Dea, but at least it's no-Pro. (North of Prospect).
About 10 days ago, we were sure that it was going to between 2 homes. One was on West Lake St. This one was a 3BR, on a cul-de-sac with a kick-butt  5-piece master bath with a ginormous jetted tub and great shady backyard. The other was on Eagle Dr. It was a 4BR, big family room, dining room with a buffet (which would be the arts & crafts cabinet) and a hot tub! Turns out we didn't get the W. Lake house because their were 15 applicants and let's face it, we have 4 kids and a dog and don't make too much. If I had to choose, between us and a family with 2 kids and no dog and who makes 90k a year, I'd vote against us. The Eagle Dr house was a TOTAL debacle. Would you believe that I actually applied, paid the 30$ application fee, dreamt about it, thought we got it, talked to the property manager lots of times and the whole time, it was a different house? Seriously, it was another house on the same block that was also 4BR, but I thought it was the hot tub one. It's too early to laugh about it. I am a spaz.
So I finally found a beautiful home in central West Fort Collins. It was previously trashed by the last tenants. I hate to say it because just don't like the stereotype that all college kids trash houses, but they were college kids. This led the owners to do a complete remodel and it is beautiful. It's even 5 bedrooms! The basement doesn't even feel like a basement and has all new floor. You all know how I feel about carpet -not a fan. It is refreshing after the musty, dark, paneling, cottage cheese stained ceilings, tiny windows.  I think this is a good house for us and will be an easy move for the kids.
The drawback is that it's not in the neighborhood we want and will still have to drive all the kids to school unless they want to transfer to Bauder. There is a twist...
A home on Columbia St in Mission Hills, which was the very first house we had heard of possibly available, is possibly available. This is the neighborhood near O'Dea Core Knowledge, AND on the "nicer" side of Stover St. The neighborhood that was our absolute #1 choice until we gave up on the area because we couldn't find anything. This area is amazng -I can walk to Whole Foods, my favorite thrift store, kids can walk to school, Ezrah (if he transfers to Lesher) can walk too. And it's very near Old Town and is really in the heart of our town.
It's a little run down and the tenants there are being evicted because they are disturbing the neighbors and partying. So God knows what condition the house is in. It is a 4 bedroom. Now this is the kind of neighborhood where I would rent a house sight-unseen and take it as it is. I can clean and paint and fix it up. As long as the carpets don't smel like beer and piss, I think it'll be alright.
But we are set to sign our lease tomorrow on Village Ln. In this Fort Collins rental market, I cannot stall this. So I will need to know asap #1, IF the guys are getting evicted, IF the house is livable for us, and IF Nate will rent it to us. Oh and the Columbia house is $200 cheaper than Village Ln.