So my big huge giant lead I had a few days has kind of petered out - I have no leads on anything, no offers, no phone calls. I need to go to a dr's appointment today and I may have to bring my children with me due to various childcare conflicts. I decided I'm going to go to Oregon over the weekend, hide out in a hotel and read Harry Potter.
See you next week!!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Twists and Turns - (long, long entry today)
Perhaps this blogging adventures is another way to soothe my tired soul...
The newest twist in our real estate venture occured this weekend. Quick history of the selling of our house - We live in one of those stamp, stamp, stamp kind of suburban neighborhoods where all the houses look the same at first glance. The developer who created our neighborhood had seven models of houses ranging from 1600 sq. feet to 3700 sq. feet. When you decided which house model you wanted - and could afford - then you were assigned the street you would be living on. My neighborhood is huge, one of the largest in Maple Valley, but each street has the same 2-3 model of homes. Now, when we bought our house 4 years ago, naturally, we were in the smallest house category - being our first house and all. So, we were assigned the "small" street - where my street is comprised of the home floor plans that are either 1600 sq. feet or 1830 sq. feet (my house is the 1830), that's all on my street and several cul-de-sacs shooting off from my street. The bus stop where Jackson goes is at the end of my street, only four houses away from me - but it provides a sort of sociological experiment in that it combines the people from my street - the small house street - and the people across the way on the "big house" street, the houses that range from 2500 sq. feet to 3700 sq feet. And I say sociological experiment because for two years now that I've been at the bus stop, the mothers from the "big houses" WILL NOT talk, converse, or consort with those of us from the "small street". I kid you not. They are exactly the same as us, they look the same, our children look the same. It's not like our kids are dirty, stinky and have filthy mouths while their angels are pressed in Lacosse shirts and polo shoes. We all look the same, but I guess us paupers on the small street just have more social dignity. Okay, that was a side story, I digress back to my original story.
So.....because we're so close to each other and because there are like 50 other houses of the exact same model on the same street, it is really easy to see what your home comparables are. My house was bought in 2003 for $250,000. It is now being sold for $370,000. I say this out loud because all you have to do is look up the listing and you can see the numbers for yourself, it's all public information. My model of house usually comes up for sale about 1-2 times a month so it is really great to see what your house can sell for. We have almost all the upgrades you can add to our house so we are near the top of our street in terms of comparable price range. Right now, there is only one other house with my same floor plan that is up for sale and although it is priced $5000 less than mine, it has only a third of the amenities my house has - namely it does not have coveted central air conditioning that my home has which is usually not a standard feature of homes in the NW although it is becoming a highly desirable feature.
So now getting to my home sale and thank you for continuing on this journey with me. In March, April and May, the houses with the same floor plan as me sold very quickly and at full price they were asking. Many had the same amenities as we do. All of them sold within 7 days to 25 days and ranged from $362,000 to $372,000. As I prepared to sell our house, it made me super excited as I thought, well, we're going into the hottest season (summer) and we will have no problems selling. I priced our house at $375K and waited. I waited and I waited. Only two people walked through the first week. Then the third week came and three more people walked through. No offers, no feedback, nothing. I dropped the price by $5000 and researched additional methods of marketing. Nothing. We had one couple stop by for a second visit on the third weekend on the market, but nothing panned out.
Then...this past week - the fourth week on the market - we have had four people walk through, a first. Then, this weekend we had 3 out of the 4 people come back for a second visit. So now that we have been on the market for 34 days, we have made it on 3 people's short lists at all the same time. I highly anticipate today as it is the first business day of the week. Wouldn't it be crazy to have mulitple offers after all this time on the market?
So, family and friends, that is my story. That is why I have been so anxious about selling this house in this crazy real estate market. I will hope to keep you posted on what happens this week. I sincerely hope it is good news.
Have a great week as well!
The newest twist in our real estate venture occured this weekend. Quick history of the selling of our house - We live in one of those stamp, stamp, stamp kind of suburban neighborhoods where all the houses look the same at first glance. The developer who created our neighborhood had seven models of houses ranging from 1600 sq. feet to 3700 sq. feet. When you decided which house model you wanted - and could afford - then you were assigned the street you would be living on. My neighborhood is huge, one of the largest in Maple Valley, but each street has the same 2-3 model of homes. Now, when we bought our house 4 years ago, naturally, we were in the smallest house category - being our first house and all. So, we were assigned the "small" street - where my street is comprised of the home floor plans that are either 1600 sq. feet or 1830 sq. feet (my house is the 1830), that's all on my street and several cul-de-sacs shooting off from my street. The bus stop where Jackson goes is at the end of my street, only four houses away from me - but it provides a sort of sociological experiment in that it combines the people from my street - the small house street - and the people across the way on the "big house" street, the houses that range from 2500 sq. feet to 3700 sq feet. And I say sociological experiment because for two years now that I've been at the bus stop, the mothers from the "big houses" WILL NOT talk, converse, or consort with those of us from the "small street". I kid you not. They are exactly the same as us, they look the same, our children look the same. It's not like our kids are dirty, stinky and have filthy mouths while their angels are pressed in Lacosse shirts and polo shoes. We all look the same, but I guess us paupers on the small street just have more social dignity. Okay, that was a side story, I digress back to my original story.
So.....because we're so close to each other and because there are like 50 other houses of the exact same model on the same street, it is really easy to see what your home comparables are. My house was bought in 2003 for $250,000. It is now being sold for $370,000. I say this out loud because all you have to do is look up the listing and you can see the numbers for yourself, it's all public information. My model of house usually comes up for sale about 1-2 times a month so it is really great to see what your house can sell for. We have almost all the upgrades you can add to our house so we are near the top of our street in terms of comparable price range. Right now, there is only one other house with my same floor plan that is up for sale and although it is priced $5000 less than mine, it has only a third of the amenities my house has - namely it does not have coveted central air conditioning that my home has which is usually not a standard feature of homes in the NW although it is becoming a highly desirable feature.
So now getting to my home sale and thank you for continuing on this journey with me. In March, April and May, the houses with the same floor plan as me sold very quickly and at full price they were asking. Many had the same amenities as we do. All of them sold within 7 days to 25 days and ranged from $362,000 to $372,000. As I prepared to sell our house, it made me super excited as I thought, well, we're going into the hottest season (summer) and we will have no problems selling. I priced our house at $375K and waited. I waited and I waited. Only two people walked through the first week. Then the third week came and three more people walked through. No offers, no feedback, nothing. I dropped the price by $5000 and researched additional methods of marketing. Nothing. We had one couple stop by for a second visit on the third weekend on the market, but nothing panned out.
Then...this past week - the fourth week on the market - we have had four people walk through, a first. Then, this weekend we had 3 out of the 4 people come back for a second visit. So now that we have been on the market for 34 days, we have made it on 3 people's short lists at all the same time. I highly anticipate today as it is the first business day of the week. Wouldn't it be crazy to have mulitple offers after all this time on the market?
So, family and friends, that is my story. That is why I have been so anxious about selling this house in this crazy real estate market. I will hope to keep you posted on what happens this week. I sincerely hope it is good news.
Have a great week as well!
Friday, July 13, 2007
I'm going to be Resiliant
Enough of the wah-wah whining - that is only getting old around here. Yesterday I made the resolve that I will not whine, I will not feel sorry that we haven't sold our house, I won't complain that Jer and I are split apart for the time being. No sir, I will stand up strong, be like any strong woman and just make the best of every day. HOw's that for attitude adjustment?
Last night Jer and I were talking on the phone and using all the traditional coping mechanisms that one employs when under stress.
"Just think," he told me, "twenty years from now we won't even remember how we couldn't sell our house and how we were apart two states for two months and how maintaing two separate financial situations is killing us. Just think, we'll laugh about this years from now."
"Oh yeah," I added, "when our kids come whining to us years from now that they are 25 and want us to pay the down payment on their houses and pay off their student loans and buy them new cars and take them on vacation, we can say that 'kids, we struggled, so can you too. "
Jer: "Well, that wasn't was i was thinking exactly, but okay, if that makes you feel better."
Last night Jer and I were talking on the phone and using all the traditional coping mechanisms that one employs when under stress.
"Just think," he told me, "twenty years from now we won't even remember how we couldn't sell our house and how we were apart two states for two months and how maintaing two separate financial situations is killing us. Just think, we'll laugh about this years from now."
"Oh yeah," I added, "when our kids come whining to us years from now that they are 25 and want us to pay the down payment on their houses and pay off their student loans and buy them new cars and take them on vacation, we can say that 'kids, we struggled, so can you too. "
Jer: "Well, that wasn't was i was thinking exactly, but okay, if that makes you feel better."
Thursday, July 12, 2007
No Kids, you can't take a bath today
The weather and selling the house are making me a little insane in the membrane.
When Jackson said he needed to take a bath this morning, my first reaction was (and I'm ashamed to admit this), "No! You can't take a bath, My water bill will be too high!"
Apparenting my priorities fall into watering my plants before bathing my children. Waz up with that?
When Jackson said he needed to take a bath this morning, my first reaction was (and I'm ashamed to admit this), "No! You can't take a bath, My water bill will be too high!"
Apparenting my priorities fall into watering my plants before bathing my children. Waz up with that?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Guys, I'm tryin' to be patient here
So we're now 30 days on the market and seriously, the market has DIED!! I kind of priced my house towards the top of the comparables - that has been corrected since - but I think I've had about six people through my house in the last few weeks.
Talking to several agents and other people who are selling, I guess that is the trend, for some weird reason, people are not buying houses in Maple Valley right now. Jer has been down in Salem for one month, I'm up here with the two crazies and the dog, and today is 105 degrees, and I'm just about to be done with all of this!!! Just a few months ago, my model of house was flying off the shelf in 2-3 weeks.
Oh please, please - let my house sell soon!!!! (that was a silent prayer I accidently typed out). Hope you all are faring better than me.
Talking to several agents and other people who are selling, I guess that is the trend, for some weird reason, people are not buying houses in Maple Valley right now. Jer has been down in Salem for one month, I'm up here with the two crazies and the dog, and today is 105 degrees, and I'm just about to be done with all of this!!! Just a few months ago, my model of house was flying off the shelf in 2-3 weeks.
Oh please, please - let my house sell soon!!!! (that was a silent prayer I accidently typed out). Hope you all are faring better than me.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Where did you go, Mom?
For those of you who know my second child, you know he is one who really doesn't give a hoot about political correctness. He doesn't fear saying what is on his mind. If he can get a reaction - either a laugh or a frown - he'll say what he wants. Although this is not a trait that is desired among obediant and docile children and I often find myself explaining him out of situations, I secretly hope Blake never loses this trait. It is a gift in adulthood to say what you mean and mean what you say.
So yesterday, he employed his gift at 6am. Because jeremy is gone now in Oregon, I often wake up at 5am and go out with the dog for a 30 minute run. I run around the neighborhood and check back into the house everytime I pass by in laps. Well Blake woke up quite early. When i came in the back door to check in - I heard a little voice with expressed anger.
"WHERE DID YOU GO MOM?"
"What? You're awake???"
"Where did you go? You're not supposed to leave. You are supposed to be upstairs watching TV or downstairs getting food ready. I woke up and I checked the garage, and I checked the TV room and I checked your bed - and you weren't there. So I sat on the couch and I waited and then you came in"
"I'm so sorry Blake, I didn't think you would wake up this early. I just took chili for a walk"
" Well you're not supposed to leave Mom. You are supposed to stay with your boys."
And he walked around in self-righteousness for the rest of the day and he promptly woke up at 5:45am this morning to help protect against the fact that his mother may leave - although temporarily - to go for a walk around the block.
Gotta love Blake.
So yesterday, he employed his gift at 6am. Because jeremy is gone now in Oregon, I often wake up at 5am and go out with the dog for a 30 minute run. I run around the neighborhood and check back into the house everytime I pass by in laps. Well Blake woke up quite early. When i came in the back door to check in - I heard a little voice with expressed anger.
"WHERE DID YOU GO MOM?"
"What? You're awake???"
"Where did you go? You're not supposed to leave. You are supposed to be upstairs watching TV or downstairs getting food ready. I woke up and I checked the garage, and I checked the TV room and I checked your bed - and you weren't there. So I sat on the couch and I waited and then you came in"
"I'm so sorry Blake, I didn't think you would wake up this early. I just took chili for a walk"
" Well you're not supposed to leave Mom. You are supposed to stay with your boys."
And he walked around in self-righteousness for the rest of the day and he promptly woke up at 5:45am this morning to help protect against the fact that his mother may leave - although temporarily - to go for a walk around the block.
Gotta love Blake.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Curses to Nana's cookies
I made Nana's chocolate chip cookies to make the house smell like lovely baking things. I made sure to make the cookies extra small so as to trick oneself that you get to eat 3 cookies, when in fact, you are really eating what is equal to one cookie. My plan completely backfired - this ENTIRE COOLING RACK was full of cookies at 5pm this evening. It's now 9pm and well, you can see for yourself what we ALL did.
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