As much as J would like a condo, we probably wouldn't be selling the house right now if it weren't for his new job. A job that is a particularly good fit for him. So, all this work to clean out the house and then ready it for the market has been tough for me. Because it is all leading up to something I don't really want. I'm excited about the prospect of a new city and new opportunities, but I wish I could just move the house and the yard with me. I'll be fine once it is over, but watching my life-bubble dismantled piece by piece is unsettling.
I knew that selling a house this time around was going to much more difficult than the last time. Seven years ago we had eight offers, sold the house for well over asking price, and almost doubled the price I paid only four years earlier. This time, we spent about $4,000 just to get it on the market (painting, repairs, storage, staging shit like pillows and matching towels, etc.). The Realtor paid for a stager, professional pictures, 360-degree panorama shots, website registration, and more. We priced the house to sell and will not be recouping almost any of the money we put into it over the years. And I have to completely obsess about crumbs, hairs, spots, and the cats.
One of the most hilarious (in retrospect) examples of complete irritation with having a perfectly clean house came on Saturday night. J and I were racing around getting ready to leave because people were coming for a second viewing (these are the folks who made the offer). We had just placed the cats in their kitty cage (about four foot, by three foot, by three foot) when I noticed wet (clean) litter in the basement slop sinks. J had washed out the boxes but failed to completely clean out the sinks. Just as I picked up this wet mess of sludge, I noticed that there was dry litter on the floor that needed sweeping. I yelled for J to come to the basement and clean it up. I couldn't grab the broom because of what I was holding. As J made his way downstairs I heard one of the cats peeing. It sounded too loud to me. Sure enough, Ratty pushed her butt up against the cage wall while standing in the litter box. Instead of the pee going in the box, it went all over the floor. It was at that moment I realized I just wanted an offer, any offer. Keeping the house up is hell.
Technology is also different now. Sellers' disclosures and truth-in-housing reports are attached to the MLS as PDFs. Lots of pictures are available to potential buyers via the MLS and via the web (1492raymond.com). Also, agents have the ability to provide electronic feedback after a showing. Some things we've heard about our house:
Interested, can't act quickly enough
Really interested, but too tall and big for the shower
Wish all three bedrooms were on one floor
Concerned there is rot on one of the wooden fasica boards (the house is
over 80 years old and this is disclosed; why'd you bother coming to see
it?)
Great hardwood floors
One of the weirdest experiences happened yesterday after the open house. We returned home just as it was ending. A woman was still in the house waiting for her boyfriend to arrive to look at the place. Eventually he got there, they looked around and left. Then, last night around 8:30 p.m., my Realtor called me to say that the couple was sitting outside the house in their car and wanted to make and offer on the house. They hadn't talked to a banker or a Realtor and money was no object. My realtor told them we were in the midst of signing an offer from another party, but that he would call them if it didn't work out with the first party. A half hour later, at 9 p.m. they were still outside. J and I went outside to talk to them to repeat what our Realtor had told them and they were gracious. But, I still wonder how long it took for them to drive away. I'm calling them "creepy one" and "creepy two" and even if our current deal falls through, I'm not sure I want to get into a negotiation with them. Plus, the lady said she doesn't garden and wondered if she could hire it out. I suppose she could, but watering alone takes time. They're clearly not ready for this home buying thing. Maybe a condo is more their speed.
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