Before Max and I left for Egypt, we decided to test the local housing market by posting our place on Craigslist. A single post yielded seven showings and what I thought were a few solid leads. But, ultimately, nothing panned out. Friday, I decided to make a wholehearted effort to sell, listing my home on MLS. The weatherman forecasted a beautiful weekend, and I predicted that I would have a showing or two by Sunday. In preparation for visitors, I polished every nook and corner of the house (including Charlie) and stayed by the phone and waited for the onslaught of potential buyers to call.
I waited and waited.In the end, not a single soul inquired about my property. Plenty of folks drove by to pick up flyers, but this was all the traffic I received. Now, I’m starting to panic. What if my house doesn’t sell before Max and I leave for Germany?
Even though three days without rain does not a drought make, I’m worried that I am about to endure a long dry spell. This is my third home, but I’ve never experienced anything like this when it came to selling real estate. My last two houses sold within 12 hours-- both to the first person who looked and one without an agent or MLS. So, I ask you: Why not this time?
Besides the worry, I’ve concluded there are lots of reasons to hate having a home on the market. I now present my top ten.
Top Ten Reasons To Hate Having Your House On The Market
10. The need to become obsessive compulsive about keeping the house spotless
9. Having your dog hate you because he is penned in so much of the time.
8. Feeling you can’t walk around in the house without a bra or makeup because at any moment someone could knock at your door
7. Dealing with nosey neighbors
6. Having to worry that your nosey neighbors aren’t keeping their outside areas clean and presentable (I was out picking up cigarette buts off my neighbor’s stoop today.)
5. Answering buyers’ stupid questions. (i.e. “Which way is south?” Uh..what the @#$!?)
4. Seemingly endless deliveries of junk mail from every real estate agent in town
3. The lock box
2. Not being able to screen calls
1. Getting to work and realizing you left (insert personal item) out on your nightstand for all to see.
Feel free to add a few of your own. And don’t forget-- if you have any words of encouragement or advice, you know where to leave ‘em. I’d like to hear about your real-estate stories, but especially those that end with a successful closing!
4 comments:
When we sold "our place" in Orange County, California, it never even hit the multiple listings. The first real estate agent ran to one of their buyers and told them about the place. The buyers came to look at it and made us an offer at "the full price" we were looking for.
We were relocating to the Midwest because of my job and I had to accept the offer, (even though) the place is now worth three times what we sold it for. I KNEW I was asking TOO little, but I didn't want to stick my wife with selling it while I was half the country away. SO I TOOK the offer, just because I wanted it OVER WITH!
Your place looks very nice and I wouldn't think you would have any problem selling it because of its looks alone. But it is all about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! But it is also about supply and demand too.
Good luck... but your place looks BEAUTIFUL! So, it won't be for that reason that you've not had too many bites so far! ~ jb///
Your place is fabulous! It may take some time, but it will sell, I have no doubt. Hang in there!!
Lke everyone said before me, the place looks great, so its not that, but the market is slow right now.. so don't despair.. the right one will come along...
I love the paint job you've done on the walls, Diane. Very pretty. Such nice furnishings too.
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