Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Mar 29, 2013 12:23:39 GMT -5
This is a big step for us and this topic has been talked to death the past year. Downsizing is not easy emotionally at all. But, if we get the right price for ours, we will be building a smaller home in an over 55 community about 25 mi. south of us. That will put us closer to the VA medifcal center and to my PC Dr. who just moved her office to Fayetteville as well.
Here comes the sensible spending: Less driving as most of the places we will need will be 10 miles or less for us, and that means less gas. 1000sf less to heat and cool. So far so good.
I am taking $50 to Hobby Lobby over the weekend to buy a few decorative things to replace the few items I don't want run the risk of getting broken.
The professional photographer/videographer will be here next Thursday. Then in true HGTV fashion, there will be a realtor luncheon (paid for by agent/title company/bank) for invited agents from other R/E companies.
All in all, this is the right thing to do, just know that it's not as easy as they say. Downsizing is carrying alot of emotional baggage with it.
++++++++++++++++
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Mar 29, 2013 12:41:36 GMT -5
Good luck, Blonde Granny! I hope the house sells quickly for you (or, at least, as quickly as you're comfortable with it selling). I can imagine it's not an easy thing to do. I'll be facing that same situation when my mother passes. I'm not going to rattle around this house all by myself.
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Iggy aka IG
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Post by Iggy aka IG on Mar 29, 2013 13:00:01 GMT -5
Luck to you, BG!
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busymom
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Post by busymom on Mar 29, 2013 13:06:32 GMT -5
Sounds like your new home will be in a perfect location! Best wishes!
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Mar 29, 2013 13:13:50 GMT -5
Good luck to you, blonde granny!
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Mar 29, 2013 14:28:22 GMT -5
I am excited for you!
Be sure and pick up some of those easy-to-bake cookies at the grocery store (or make some from scratch) and consider baking fresh cookies right before showings or open houses. Not only does it make your kitchen/house smell wonderful ... COOKIES!
A realtor friend of mine always keeps a spray bottle of some nice/citrusy/clean smelling bathroom cleaner in her purse and "spritzes" the bathrooms of the houses she's showing so that they always have that fresh, "just been cleaned" scent. (I thought that was a great idea!)
Did you spruce up the yard/front walk with some blooming flowers? I'm told that's an easy way to make a house for sale look even nicer/homier. Sometimes a new/fresh doormat is in order, too.
Fingers crossed for a full-price, hassle-free offer on your home!
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Mar 29, 2013 20:11:59 GMT -5
I just dropped $90 at Hobby Lobby for the stuff to replace my stuff on the desk area of our kitchen. I'm not going to have my GGandfathers moustache cup broken by a curious looker or some kid. So. will pack up my things on the upper cabinet tomorrow and replace with new.
As for plants etc. Molly, I have the original black thumb and 8 fingers. Our yard....if that's what you call it is all rocks, front,sides and back. Walking down the back on the rocks is treacherous and then it just takes you down into the "holler". Which btw is full of copperhead snakes. So, the few green plants along the sidewalk in front will just have to do. The WOW factor happens when you come in our front door....if we can get them IN the door, good things should happen.
The couple that looked at the house on Monday have turned into lookie-lus and haven't bought a thing. Nice to know they thought wasting everyones time was beneficial.
Time for jammies, TV remote and a couple of benedryl tabs to calm down the allergies.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Mar 29, 2013 21:30:21 GMT -5
Good luck to you. My parents got the lookie-lus that are known to go to every house in town when it goes on the MLS. There should be a way of just telling them no. They have no interest in any of the houses they look at and it is a waste of time for everybody concerned.
We are at the place with our parents where my DS and DN are going to drive down there to talk to dad. Mom needs to move now for her health and she can't get dad to understand that. DS has cleared it with mom and mom said it's okay if she and my niece both cry. Mom is too lonely there as her family has all died off. She needs to be here when we can visit them several times a week. She has agoraphobia and can't leave the house when people come to look at it. We don't think that is helping. They have had two offers. They should have accepted the first one. Mom got greedy (over $1,000) and is now sorry. The second one was a lowball and they were correct in not accepting it.
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mrsdutt
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Post by mrsdutt on Mar 30, 2013 6:37:03 GMT -5
Good luck to all of you in your moves.
A move for your parents, THEO, would be a good one. Seeing family often keeps the will going.
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pepperdoo
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Post by pepperdoo on Mar 30, 2013 11:29:28 GMT -5
You'll do well
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Mar 30, 2013 11:49:43 GMT -5
So far today: Called the window washing guy and since we were a previous customer, he agreed to come out Thursday @ 1PM to do the whole house inside and out. Merry Maids will arrive that morning as usual @ 9AM. House should sparkle after that. Photographer will arrive @ 5:30.
Dh has open the propane 3 sided fireplace, I've cleaned the glass, replaced the batter in the remote start, and now waiting for the propane to get from the tank to the fireplace. Then Dh will turn his attention to the fireplace downstairs and get it running again. Oh how he hates this job!!!
I've gotten all the "stuff" arranged on the desk and bookcase/shelves about it, then started on packing some more. Extra towels/sheets and a big blanket. Then onto the silverware drawer. Left 8 of everything and packed the rest, scrubbed out the permanent silverware tray. All the family pics are also now packed.
Just finished lunch, and we're both exhausted. It's no wonder old folks age in place as they say, this is damned hard work.
On edit: 2 hours, 2 new 9 Volt batteries and one burned thumb, the upstairs fireplace is now working. Off to Target to get more staging stuff.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Mar 30, 2013 20:17:47 GMT -5
Good luck to all of you in your moves. A move for your parents, THEO, would be a good one. Seeing family often keeps the will going. Most definitely a move for my parents will be a good one, especially for my mom. We are doing all the work. I will babysit the great grandkids to keep them out of the way on the day of the move. DS and her hubby, niece and her hubby and grandsons will do the loading and unloading. We've promised they will have the bed set up that night. I get to help put things away once they get here.
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Mar 31, 2013 21:35:59 GMT -5
Good Luck to all the home sellers.
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motherto2
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Post by motherto2 on Apr 2, 2013 19:28:56 GMT -5
Blonde Granny - how exciting for you! And I totally get the moving and packing is hard. I used to say all the time that if I ever sold this house, whoever bought it would have to take everything in it also because I refuse to move it again. Well, now I'll be doing it after I retire, but my plan is to start packing things after retirement, a little bit at a time. I'm giving myself from 1 August to April the following year to get the house cleared out, packed up, stuff that belongs to my kids off to them or pitched if they don't want it, and then the painting, deep cleaning, etc. done. I think I'll rent one of the those pods (more likely more than one) and have everything stored and then moved. Good luck! Hopefully you get what you are asking for and quickly.
Just curious - are you in the Fayetteville, NC area? I ask this because I'm currently researching small town areas of NC as possible retirement location. Any places you would recommend? I want to stay nearer to the Virginia border. Kind of like a Mayberry kind of place (I know that Mayberry is in NC!).
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 2, 2013 21:29:44 GMT -5
No, we're in the Fayetteville, ,Arkansas,
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 13, 2013 10:29:56 GMT -5
As they say, best laid plans etc. Our realtor has told us that her DH accepted a new position and they will be moving back to Phoenix. We wished her well....
She recommened another person NOT with her company and he is due today at 1 PM. He is more familiar with the town we live in, actually even lives here, so we may get a better idea of what to price the house at, as the other one was recommending a price we didn't think was realistic.
So, this is actually number 3 coming here today, maybe 3 is a charm. At least we got more stuff packed up and into a storage unit, and have time to get some nuisance items taken care of. Regardless, the last signed listing was torn up and never was actually listed for sale yet.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2013 18:38:43 GMT -5
As they say, best laid plans etc. Our realtor has told us that her DH accepted a new position and they will be moving back to Phoenix. We wished her well.... She recommened another person NOT with her company and he is due today at 1 PM. He is more familiar with the town we live in, actually even lives here, so we may get a better idea of what to price the house at, as the other one was recommending a price we didn't think was realistic. So, this is actually number 3 coming here today, maybe 3 is a charm. At least we got more stuff packed up and into a storage unit, and have time to get some nuisance items taken care of. Regardless, the last signed listing was torn up and never was actually listed for sale yet. That seems kind of odd to me. I mean how long does it take them to list a house? I would think that 24 hours would do it. Around here I know that sometimes the listing agents will sit on a listing for 3 or 4 days so that they have a chance to sell it first (& collect from both the seller & the buyer). Even if they delay it only for 3 days I kind of view that practice as a little underhanded. Anyway, you said that you felt the price wasn't realistic, in what way. Was it to high or to low?
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Apr 13, 2013 22:48:59 GMT -5
I liked your post to show solidarity and support for you in this process .... and that's what it is ... a process. Sometimes, it can take a few false starts to get things going (and going well) .... think of things as a dress rehearsal for the award-winning performance yet to come!
Hang in there and please keep us posted!
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 14, 2013 7:18:27 GMT -5
Oldtex.......first: the realtor has to have the listing turned into MLS within 3 days of signing the papers. Second: An appt. with the professional photographer needs to be made and that could take a few days. After all the pics are taken, it's necessary to choose the best ones (25) to go along with the listing. The realtor said he doesn't like to just post the listing without the pics as you lose some potential buyers immediately. The video pics will be on realtor.com, trulia, and another I don't remember, and will also be posted on youtube.com
Add to that, we are leaving in May for a 14 day cruise.....with what we've paid for that, we are not going to cancel it due to a buyer wanting quick posession. There also will be the local RE office tour, followed by a a much larger tour for agents that will include lunch.
We're going all in and making a big splash in an attempt to get this house sold in an area that houses just sit...and sit....and sit.
We felt comfortable with this guy yesterday, he's very low key, in his 60s, has a good plan, and we lowered our listing price a little.
Besides, I have 2 quilts I absolutely positively HAVE to get finished this week. The small quilt group I belong to makes quilts of all sizes for our local fire dept. Last year they ran out!!! If the house sells, my sewing machine will be boxed up for the duration of living in an apartment until the new house gets built.
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 14, 2013 7:23:39 GMT -5
Thanks Molly, we're not telling anyone about all this for now. We did tell our neighbors next door (who aren't very happy about this) and we've told our son. Others will find out soon enough, but hey...I'm a chick and sometimes I just have to vent to someone other than my DH. Unfortunately...for now, this forum is it.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2013 21:00:18 GMT -5
Oldtex.......first: the realtor has to have the listing turned into MLS within 3 days of signing the papers. Second: An appt. with the professional photographer needs to be made and that could take a few days. After all the pics are taken, it's necessary to choose the best ones (25) to go along with the listing. The realtor said he doesn't like to just post the listing without the pics as you lose some potential buyers immediately. The video pics will be on realtor.com, trulia, and another I don't remember, and will also be posted on youtube.com
Blonde Granny I just think that the process should be a lot faster than that. For instance pictures could have been taken within an hour of you signing up. (the pictures for our houses -both the 1 I bought & the one I sold - were taken with a digital cameria by the real estate company in less than a couple of hours). No need to wait on that. The listing should have been done within that 3 days (with pictures). You don't have to be there when they show the house (usually they call you & ask you to leave) so why does your trip matter? As for the quilts, well I guess that cash buyers do happen every now & then but getting a loan approved takes a while. For me, anything over those 3 days is excessive & that would worry me about my real estate agent.
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 15, 2013 7:43:53 GMT -5
Oldtex, we just disagree. We're in an area where houses simply are not selling. I saw one listing on realtor.com and the agent took the photo with his cell phone or small digital camera....the pic was of a toilet, yep the old porcelain throne. WOW, I just so impressed. We're turning this over to a professional who knows exactly what and how to photograph.
There is a time to be frugal/cheap, but this isn't one of those times. Over the years we've sold 9 homes. Those were in the days of little if any internet, pics taken by the agent, and the only advertising done was a sign in the front yard and a listing in MLS. Those days are over. Thanks to TV programs like House Hunters the buyers today are far more sophisticated than years past.
We've got one chance to make a great impression and we're not cutting any corners to save a few bucks. This extra time is also allowing us to make a few nitpicky fix ups in the house, get some flowers by the front door and get the packed boxes into a storage unit.
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 15, 2013 9:49:31 GMT -5
Amen, Pat!!!
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Apr 15, 2013 23:18:01 GMT -5
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murphath
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Post by murphath on Apr 17, 2013 15:50:25 GMT -5
Copperheads? In your backyard area? Is that normal in your neck of the woods? If so, I'd never buy there. I hate snakes.
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 21, 2013 16:13:56 GMT -5
As of 4 PM this afternoon, we've done all we can do to get this house ready.
We've decluttered and packed, moved the packed boxes into a storage unit so the garage doesn't look like we're desperate (we're not). We staged the necessary rooms, total cost of about $300, the last was yesterday @ WMT. I bought a brightly colored floral print pillow for the adirondak chair by the front entrance and a boston fern to sit on the side table. Also added a nice but inexpensive pump shower gel holder for the master bath. Total cost at WMT: $22.00.
Friday we went through the house room by room making a list of anything, no matter how small that needed a bit of fixup. That job is now done. What's left is to put a few things back where they belong, dust the wood floors and a few tables before the photographer arrives Tuesday.
From then on, it's up to the photographer to get some great pics, and the RE agents to show the house and find us a buyer. Either way, if we end up not selling it, we know the house has had it's tiny nitpicking items taken care of.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Apr 21, 2013 17:19:22 GMT -5
fingers crossed!
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Apr 21, 2013 18:05:38 GMT -5
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Apr 21, 2013 18:36:43 GMT -5
PM sent Pat.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Apr 21, 2013 20:39:53 GMT -5
Hope both of you get your homes sold.
Parents did no staging and pictures were not professional. Small, dying town, so I don't think it would have helped.
They lowered price last Tuesday and got an offer yesterday. They are countering but will accept whatever seller comes back with. They know the time has come for two 89 year olds to be close to family, not at least 3 hours away. Mom being sick this week has reminded them of that once again. A big reinforcement. I would have preferred if she didn't get sick, but she did and did reinforce how dad waits on her hand and foot and it's too much for him.
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