We're going to be moving in a few short weeks and have several large boxes of sales and marketing training sets of cassette tapes that we bought over the years and don't want to take when we move ( we've listened to and learned from all of them.) They are from all the usual suspects (traveling trainers) selling the stuff over the last 15 years.... all the high powered trainers. There's lots of good stuff in them but they just take up too much space since we are downsizing substantially. I'm looking to find a good home for them with someone who can use them to further their career. If you're in the Houston area that would be fantastic!
About ten minutes after we wrote the piece about yesterday's showing on our personal home which is on the market, the phone rang. It was the showing agent from that showing wondering if she could reshow the people who had come by.
We were thrilled! Of course she could come by. Even after spending the morning fine tuning, we ran around putting last minute finishing touches throughout.
As soon as the bell rang we exited stage left to leave them alone to give it all the looks in all the nooks and crannies. It was a very cold day and to make our back yard camp out more entertaining, sleet pellets began to fall from the grumpy looking sky.
From the comfort of the covered patio, we shivered and waited. Twenty five minutes later they were still looking.
Their agent came out at that point and told us to come back in. The prospects felt it was too cold for us to be outside and they were fine with us being in the house while they continued to look and measure.
All the looking and measuring took from 3:45til 5pm so they know the house as well as we do now! They had a contractor with them so they are obviously planning to expand the redo we just did. That is IF they make an offer we can work with.
One step at a time. Yesterday at this time we knew there was some interest, and they thought our home was pretty. Today we know they like it well enough to measure it and consider making further modifications. Wonder what we will know this time tomorrow!
Selling a house is not for the faint of heart. I am now convinced that it is not possible to totally detach yourself from the space in which you live.
The doorbell rang at 3:45 yesterday afternoon. The agent was bringing her clients for the scheduled showing.
We opened the door and then respectfully went out the back door to stay out of the way.
After about fifteen minutes the agent brought her clients out to look at the yard and the garage.
They asked us a few questions and then asked if they could go through the house again
The entire process took about half an hour (which we think is a nice showing for a house that's 1845 square feet and most showings take about 10 minutes.) They obviously did not hate it since they went back for a second look.
The agent stuck her head out the back door and said "you have a very pretty home!"
Thanks a bunch! We are grateful for the showing... But since it has been almost 24 hours since the big event, and we have not received an offer, we are guessing that it did not make the cut. Oh well! There is always tomorrow. More waiting.
In the meantime, we deep cleaned every square inch again. Wonder if we will get as good at waiting as we have become keeping the house in show shape?
It is now much easier to understand why every seller wants feedback about every showing! "You have a very pretty home" just does not do much to communicate. Where is pretty on the scale of what the buyer wanted?
Waiting is difficult.
For us it is more difficult than usual in these last few weeks. Three weeks ago when we put our house on the market we had spent five months getting it ready and researched it thoroughly to be sure it was priced right.
All our years in the Real Estate business we have believed that when a property is priced right and in good condition, it will sell quickly.
Now with three weeks gone and only one showing we are having difficulty with the situation.
The fact that there are 10 other homes on the market in our subdivision has been taken into account. The fact that it has rained almost every day should also be factored in but we are not the ordinary sellers!
If a little knowledge makes average sellers a danger, consider our 58 years combined experience! We would be an agents nightmare!
After careful consideration of the over all market we have done the only thing we could think
Of to possibly make the phone ring. We lowered the price last night. This morning the phone rang with a scheduled showing for late today.
Of course the lower price does not assure us there will be an offer from these folks. It is a lottery possible though than if no one sees the house. If only we had an agent to blame for the inactivity!
Perhaps this experience will remind us down the road when we have sellers that get hostile... Waiting is difficult!
What would you do with an acre and a quarter of land close to town? Suppose it came with three homes, one of which was mobile, and a 1800 sq ft cinder lock building which was once a convenience store?
Suppose this place was located close to a major road and had lots of industrial and commercial buildings all around on similar pieces of acreage?
If the land had a natural low spot, would you dig a small pond and stock it? Would you utilize one of the houses and rent the other two?
Do you like to barbeque? You could make large quantities and sell it from the little store building that comes with the property. You could also make any number of delicious fast foods or stock the shelves and freezer with breads and beverages to return the store to its previous use.
You could change your lifestyle completely and live and work on the same property. The savings in gasoline would be one terrific extra!
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