Getting ready to sell..........I think I just need to vent.

deesierra

deesierra

Member
Location
No.NV
I want to put my house on the market. It was on the market for a few months back in '06 during the big housing boom, but didn't sell. I did most everything that is recommended to do to get the best chance of a sale, like getting rid of clutter and "de-personalizing", fresh interior paint, keeping the kitchen counter cleared of appliances etc. Basically making the house look as "unlived in as possible", as one article I read stated. At that time I was still working full time and had a good income, so the mortgage wasn't a burden. But I'd been widowed 3 years prior, and it was difficult living with all the memories the house held. I wanted to move on.

I'm ready to try again, this time mainly because I'm retired and not as financially able to manage the mortgage, and not enough in reserves to pay it off. (Also not as physically able to deal with the heavy winters.) With the proceeds of the sale I should be able to pay cash for a property in another less costly area, an area I've had my eye on for years.

But now it's 11 years later and I've foolishly allowed stuff to accumulate again, and it's coming up on 20 years in this house. My enthusiasm for selling is not what it was in '06! I dread going through that process again, boxing up stuff, yard sales, getting a storage unit, trying to function normally day to day without essentials handy, having strangers browse through my house, and gathering up my 4 dogs then driving around with them for a while so the house can be shown. UGH!!!

I know I need to start somewhere, then do a little each day, but it's just overwhelming so I do nothing.

If you have managed to make it through my blathering, thank you for listening! My heart feels a bit lighter for having shared this. :calm:
 

Good luck with selling your home, it does sound like a big hassle but probably well worth it in the long run for you. Once it's gone the nightmare will be just a distant memory. Stay positive, do what you have to even if in baby steps and look to the future! Keep us up to date on your accomplishments...sounds like the house is kind of a grey cloud over your head.
 
I hope this time it sells. The market is better now so maybe you will have good luck. Someday I will be in your shoes. I can't imagine getting rid of items that are meaningful to me. As I look around now, that just about means everything. Keep us posted as to your progress. As SeaBreeze said take baby steps. Best of luck to you.
 

We have been getting ready to sell for a couple of years now - it has taken that long! I agree with you about it all being overwhelming! One way I start is to begin at the front door and turn right - work my way through that stuff. Of course, I usually get distracted and end up re-arranging a bookcase or going through a dresser or cabinet. It is a slow process but it is finally starting to look more clear. The boys are grown but some of their stuff is still here. We are finally down to the last little bits and I am pretty sure we will be selling our house in the fall. NOW it becomes more urgent and I know our new place will be half the size of this so..... STUFF has to go - and most of it is just stuff. We have a lot of books and I have a lot of fabric & yarn and I want to bring it all but....I have tried to foresee projects that I will and will not be able to and let some go.

I had a friend come over and help talk me through some things. I collect and create pretty textiles. We went through a large pile of tablecloths, embroidered dishtowels and other linens. She helped me to decide what was important to me, what I could USE and what could go I already know what color scheme I want so that helped discard a few things that wouldn't match. We pared it down by a third - which was helpful. I did the same for her. She loves to collect things and in one cabinet she had a beautiful set of cocktail glasses and plates - she doesn't drink - I asked her how many cocktail parties did she think she would give and the whole set went into the "donate" pile.

Our lives are at a turning point - especially when we move. We have been asking ourselves about our future projects and future needs and are trying to arrange our stuff to accommodate that. A few family heirlooms go with us but most of our memorabilia means nothing to our sons - we'll keep the few things that bring us joy. I once lived happily on a boat with one suitcase full of stuff. I enjoyed every minute and didn't miss my stuff at all!

Good luck and we're hear to help you through it!
 
SeaBreeze said:
Good luck with selling your home, it does sound like a big hassle but probably well worth it in the long run for you. Once it's gone the nightmare will be just a distant memory. Stay positive, do what you have to even if in baby steps and look to the future! Keep us up to date on your accomplishments...sounds like the house is kind of a grey cloud over your head.
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Thank you SB for your encouraging and wise words. I woke up this morning with a better attitude and ready to DO something! I stopped to think about what you said....about the house being kind of a grey cloud. It is cute and cozy with a big beautiful stone fireplace that I just love and use almost daily in the winter months. And I absolutely love this high country environment and my community. But I am really ready for a new beginning and obviously have been for years, and I think purging my "stuff" and selling the house will give me that.
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
I hope this time it sells. The market is better now so maybe you will have good luck. Someday I will be in your shoes. I can't imagine getting rid of items that are meaningful to me. As I look around now, that just about means everything. Keep us posted as to your progress. As SeaBreeze said take baby steps. Best of luck to you.
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Thank you Ruth. I am trying to think in terms of "letting go" of things instead of "getting rid of" which sounds so callous! But much of my stuff is just holding me in the past. One article I read said to take pictures of the items you are letting go of, then put the pictures away. You will always have the pictures to pull back out and remember those items fondly if you feel the need. Made sense to me.
 
Myquest55 said:
We have been getting ready to sell for a couple of years now - it has taken that long! I agree with you about it all being overwhelming! One way I start is to begin at the front door and turn right - work my way through that stuff. Of course, I usually get distracted and end up re-arranging a bookcase or going through a dresser or cabinet. It is a slow process but it is finally starting to look more clear. The boys are grown but some of their stuff is still here. We are finally down to the last little bits and I am pretty sure we will be selling our house in the fall. NOW it becomes more urgent and I know our new place will be half the size of this so..... STUFF has to go - and most of it is just stuff. We have a lot of books and I have a lot of fabric & yarn and I want to bring it all but....I have tried to foresee projects that I will and will not be able to and let some go.

I had a friend come over and help talk me through some things. I collect and create pretty textiles. We went through a large pile of tablecloths, embroidered dishtowels and other linens. She helped me to decide what was important to me, what I could USE and what could go I already know what color scheme I want so that helped discard a few things that wouldn't match. We pared it down by a third - which was helpful. I did the same for her. She loves to collect things and in one cabinet she had a beautiful set of cocktail glasses and plates - she doesn't drink - I asked her how many cocktail parties did she think she would give and the whole set went into the "donate" pile.

Our lives are at a turning point - especially when we move. We have been asking ourselves about our future projects and future needs and are trying to arrange our stuff to accommodate that. A few family heirlooms go with us but most of our memorabilia means nothing to our sons - we'll keep the few things that bring us joy. I once lived happily on a boat with one suitcase full of stuff. I enjoyed every minute and didn't miss my stuff at all!

Good luck and we're hear to help you through it!
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Thank you for the encouraging words Myquest! You are so right about life becoming a turning point when we move. And at my age, and single, it is scary to think about because I don't want to make a mistake and end up hating where I live. I don't think that will happen because I have done TONS of research on the area I plan on moving to, and have spent a fair amount of time visiting, to really get a feel for the community. Still.....moving is a total leap of faith!
 
Deesierra - you'll be fine! We have moved around all our lives, mostly for work, and never had much of a choice where we landed but we did our homework and it always worked out! This is the first time we actually get to make the decision for ourselves so we are excited about it. We knew we wanted to go back to New England but found that we really couldn't afford to go back where we had lived. Research proved that Maine offered the most for the $$ so it will be a new place for us. It is easiest if you go expecting it to be fantastic and wanting to live there.

I remember being overseas with the military and talking to an newly arrived officer who was also looking for housing. We were so excited about being in Europe and I asked him if he liked it there. He replied that he did but his wife got off the plane, looked around, and promptly declared, "I hate it!" I am sure it was a LONG 2 yrs for them. We crammed in as much as we could and we loved our, very short-2-1/2 year stay there - didn't want to leave and still correspond with friends there!

Good luck and remember that you can always go shopping for some new stuff when you get there!!
 
Well this morning I am feeling pretty darn good about myself. Yesterday I spent a good amount of time spiffying up my "vacation" home (aka my truck camper! ;)) and put it up for sale on Craigslist. I bought it brand new in 2003 and took many wonderful road trips with it....lots of great memories. (Buying a brand new Lance camper had been on my bucket list since I was very young). But I haven't used it in almost 6 years, and I knew that one of the first things a realtor would advise me to do before listing my house is to get it out of my front yard. Finally deciding to let go of the camper has had a magical effect on my general attitude about purging and moving on! Now I look around the house and garage and think geez, this stuff has gotta go!!! :eagerness:camper side.jpg
 
Have a neighbor in a similar situation. He bought in 05, took a few years with part time occupancy and repair then became frustrated when tried for a second mortgage and/or sale around 2010 post boom. Then he finally moved in full-time. He's talking of moving again. I think it's because of the equity he has in the house the lower price won't bother him as much.

If it doesn't sell maybe you could rent if you can find a place to stay and use a storage unit for some of that stuff.

Good Luck
 
All the best! My partner and I have put a week aside at the end of June to 'gut' our house and put it on the market. The house runs over three floors with a very narrow staircase up to the attic, which was converted into a little flat by the previous owners. I'm dreading just getting stuff out of there - it has become a dumping ground since my daughter, who lived with us for a while a few years ago, moved out.

Then there's the selling and the uncertainty involved, not to mention the mad rush of finding somewhere else if/when it sells. Not looking forward to it at all!

Good luck with it all!
 
After moving around a lot for work, THIS time, we're selling on our terms! We have some $$ set aside for a down payment and we plan to purchase a new place BEFORE we sell this one. We can get a mortgage more easily while DH is still working and the credit union suggested an ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage) which would give us 3-5 years of a very low rate, to settle up here and move (which we intend to do quickly). Then we know where we're going and what we can bring with us. On top of that, I have hauled around furniture for years that was given to us - and it is time for some new stuff! When you have 3 sons and college tuition looms, who doesn't like free stuff? But, it is time for that to go!

I have been selling small stuff on eBay for several years now. It is surprising what has sold (an old phone book) and what hasn't (a terrific silver flute). It hasn't made me a lot of money but, it has funded other small purchases online since I can use the Paypal balance to buy other things. It is a slow process but I have gotten better pricing than a yard sale and probably a lot less work. I have used Craigslist for some larger items and donated a bunch. Our neighborhood has hooked up with a website called "Next Door" and I have sold a few things there as well. Will try that first for furniture and the piano. Unless you're taking things for auction - give yourself some time! It can take a few years to get through everything but if you make it a priority, can be less. Try not to panic - I will probably take my "eBay pile" with me and continue those sales when we land.

There are some things that I have saved over the years and I have tried to look at them from my sons' eyes - Does it mean anything to them? Does it give ME joy? If they have to clear out the house - will they know what to do with it? I have a binder with some instructions and I have left notes with some family heirlooms that tells their story. I have pictures/art on the walls from the 1970s - Guess what? I don't NEED all of them any more and can hang new stuff! We can get caught in a rut. Time to change it up and start over. (That said, HGTV gives us WAaaY too many ideas - not all of them practical - but fun to watch) Lets try to enjoy this.
 
Wintermint said:
All the best! My partner and I have put a week aside at the end of June to 'gut' our house and put it on the market. The house runs over three floors with a very narrow staircase up to the attic, which was converted into a little flat by the previous owners. I'm dreading just getting stuff out of there - it has become a dumping ground since my daughter, who lived with us for a while a few years ago, moved out.

Then there's the selling and the uncertainty involved, not to mention the mad rush of finding somewhere else if/when it sells. Not looking forward to it at all!



Good luck with it all!
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Thank you Wintermint! I wish you luck as well!
 
Well folks, I took the first step in this process. A few days ago I had a realtor/friend come to the house and look it over inside and out, and make suggestions about things I should do to improve the chances of selling. She offered pretty simple and inexpensive resolutions for the deferred maintenance issues that I was most worried about, and I was really encouraged! And she said she felt that it would sell very quickly and that I'd better be ready to move....fast! She may be right. The majority of houses on the market in this area are selling just days after being listed. So now the fun begins. I have given myself a goal of one month to be ready to put the house on the market. That may be a bit optimistic, but I work best under pressure LOL :gettowork:
 
Hello forum friends! Here it is a year later and I finally have my home on the market. I got really discouraged last spring because all the handymen and contractors were far too busy after a very heavy winter to even consider the jobs that I needed done on my home. Since then I have downsized as much as I can with the rental of a storage unit. I have found contractors to paint the inside and outside of my home. My patio was degrading badly because of a drainage issue, and I found a concrete contractor to remove the concrete that had been poured incorrectly by a previous owner, and restore my patio to a pleasant sitting area. My home needs little else, and of course from my very personal perspective in loving my home for the last 20+ years, it should sell quickly. But as anyone who has ever bought or sold a home knows all too well, it is an emotional roller coaster. I am praying that my home strikes a chord with a potential buyer who can envision themselves here for many years to come and will love it as much as I have. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me, pray for me, or send your most positive energy my way!!
 
We had to go thru the same kind of things, when we had our house in Colorado up for sale. We used the same realtor for selling that we used for buying the house. He told us that we needed to keep the house in "ship-shape" condition, meaning floors vacuumed, furniture dusted, dishes done/put away, etc., etc.. We had to make our bed each morning, nicely, not just pulling up the sheets/blanket and tossing on the pillows. He said "the house has to be ready to be shown at a moments notice". Outside had to be kept nice as well. Once, we were taking a tour of the Bud Brewery up in Ft. Collins and, after the tour, got a call from our realtor saying the house was going to be shown and he would let us know when we could come home. Sort of a pain-in-the-butt, but that what happens when selling a home where people are still living in it. Had no pets at that time, so that wasn't a problem.

There was quite a bit of stuff my wife had that we gave to the Goodwill and sold in a couple of garage sales, but still had plenty, actually to much, to ship by moving company to North Carolina and a storage unit there we had found on the internet. We lived in an apartment there for a year, until my wife got laid-off of her job and we decided to move here (Jacksonville, FL.). While in North Carolina, we got rid of some more things, but still had more to go. My wife had quite a bit of things when I met her. In fact, it was an entire 10' x 10' storage w/a pull-down door. It was pretty packed with stuff. She'd had this for some 10 years and just kept making monthly rental payments on it...…...until we got together and went thru everything. She was living with her mom in an apartment and had to have the storage unit from a house her and her ex-husband had.

Now, here it is 2018 and we are planning another move for next year. She will be 71 and I will be almost 70. We do live in a nice apartment in a nice complex, but not nice enough to make us stay. Anyway, going thru stuff that she had still saved and really TRYING to get rid of a lot. Don't want to pay the cost of moving it to Colorado or Wyoming and get rid of it there. And, we really, really hope this is our last move. All we know is that we made the wrong decision in moving her to Jacksonville, let alone Florida...……..no matter how nice the winter weather can be (most of the time). We simply don't like living here anymore and been here since Jan 2009.

And, on top of that, we also have a 20' power boat we want to have taken wherever we move to.

Good Luck to you.
 
Is it the heat that you don't like about Florida? Having moved many times I am great at downsizing. I use a combo of garage sales, CL and giving it away. 6 years ago we went to a 1400 sq ft home so sold half of our furniture.
 
teacherterry said:
Is it the heat that you don't like about Florida? Having moved many times I am great at downsizing. I use a combo of garage sales, CL and giving it away. 6 years ago we went to a 1400 sq ft home so sold half of our furniture.
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More like humidity, no rodeo action and nothing here is "Western" like in parts of Colorado and all of Wyoming, boating not good in saltwater, way to many people and too much crime in Jacksonville and on and on. We made a mistake moving here, like some folks do. Yes, Colorado and Wyoming have a winter, but Florida has it's hurricane and tropical storm season...….would take a snowstorm and/or blizzard over either of them.
 
I was also going to add, neither wife nor I would continue living in a place where we had a spouse pass away. My SIL, wife's sister, lost her husband a couple of years ago and wants to sell her condo, in part, due the memories of him being there.
 
I like the mild 4 seasons of NV. I would probably stay in my small house even if DH was gone. We bought this 6 years ago as our retirement home.
 
Hope you're able to sell quickly. :)
My only advice is forget renting it. It doesn't seem to matter how carefully you check someone, most renters are very much alike. :mad:
When we had to move to Florida to take care of my mother after her stroke, we rented our piece of paradise in the Ozarks. Lovely couple... newly married, new baby, passed all the background checks etc. Took longer to care for mom than we thought, but, rent payments came through on time, well, most of the time. On a whim, I made a trip back to check on the place and was shocked. The couple had split up and both moved out and husbands brother and his merry band of meth heads had moved in. House was destroyed inside, outside was a jungle... and needed the law to remove the loser brigade. Final straw when I returned after the eviction, they had stolen all the appliances and gutted most of the house (like the laundry room pic) and left me a mountain of trash. (literally) see pic.
It took us over a year of work and around 20,000 dollars to get our home back in shape. :mad::mad::mad:
 

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