I put my home on the market and we had an offer within 5 hours. The market in DFW is totally a sellers market right now but that's not why we are moving. We don't HAVE to move. We want to move to be closer to family, his and mine.
The first contract fell through and while this may seem like a bad thing, it actually was a relief for me. I had many misgivings about the buyer and it just didn't feel right. In fact, I kept telling everyone she was going to back out and when she did, it came as no surprise. She seemed flakey from the start and if you are selling a house, planning a wedding, and trying to find a home for your new family, the last thing you need is a flaky potential buyer bringing 20 people in to get their opinion on your house before they even get an inspection. Games aren't something you play with someone's home.
So here is what I learned from trying to sell:
-The contract means nothing for at least 7 days so don't even bother getting excited about looking for a new home. Now, if your market is on the buyers side and things aren't flying off, you're probably safe but good homes are lasting here hours not days.
-Put absolutely everything away, even things you think mean nothing. You have no idea how many people are going to be going through your home and what they are going to touch. There were things out of place or opened that frankly, I was shocked anyone touched. A lunch cooler was left open that we had sitting on the washing machine. Why anyone would look in that is beyond me.
-Do not expect anyone to respect you, your privacy, or your stuff. Aside from the lunch cooler, we had candy wrappers left all over the bedroom floor and front lawn from candy out of our candy bowl, doors left wide open that were shut, and pushy real estate agents who didn't want to take no for an answer when we said that it was too late to see the house or today was not going to work out to show the house to a buyer for the 4th time in 4 days.
-Do not stay close enough that you can see your house when others are looking at it. It drove me crazy seeing 6 little kids running in and out of my front door, playing on my retaining wall, and pulling the branch of my ornamental lawn tree down. Just because you look at other people's property with respect, do not expect other people to have that same consideration.
This entire experience has been eye opening for me and it is something I never want to go through again. I literally cried watching people be disrespectful to my property. Not just my house but my stuff, most of which I already boxed and moved out. I know I am being silly. I know I asked for this opening my house up to strangers. I know the goal here is to sell my house and find our house. I know I am really hormonal right now and under an intense amount of stress with a wedding to boot but I also know that I was raised to be respectful of other people, not touch things that don't belong to me, and put things back the way I found them and I am sad to say, they seems to be dying traits.
I am totally prepared now and I believe that God has a reason for the way things work out. I am not worrying about the "why" or "when". I love my little house. I love my neighbors. I know that whoever is meant to love it next, it will work out.
We have looked at some really nightmare homes. Homes you could not imagine. Homes with 7 kitchens, homes with chicken poop inside, homes with multiple floors in the same bathroom like they ran out of one floor and just finished off with what they had, homes that smelled like pot. Mine is not that way. It's funny because I found the inspection from when I bought it and it is the same basic house it was 14 years ago. Nothing has changed except I have updated it. Mine house is cute and well loved and it is time for someone else to love it so we can love something for our family. I am ready, the house is ready. Our family is ready. No more stress. God has all of this and we will let go and let Him find a new owner and a new home.
So, what about you? What are your experiences with buying and selling?
Simply,
Laura
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