The First Step

Well we did it, our house went on the market today, the first step has been taken toward change. After humming and hawing over whether to list it myself, through a site like comfree, or to list with a realtor, I decided to go with a realtor. There were pros and cons on both sides of the equation, but in the end, that inner energy source guided my hand to pick up the telephone, call the realtor, and setup a meeting. I signed on the dotted line this morning and now we are off and running.

The realtor I chose is accustomed to selling properties like ours, and is not solely focused on multi-million dollar cottages.

We may or may not sell the country house at this time. While it is listed with a real estate broker we will be on our guard, as business people are only in it to make money, and that would be at our expense. So we must keep our chops up, and carefully watch how we are being played during this process. The realtor gave a lot of clues as to where she was coming from and what she thought of our house and us, in what information she chose to share, and the questions she asked me. I am pretty sure what kind of client she has in mind for this house, and what kind of emotional appeal, for a low selling price, she is going to present to me when the time comes. I did not give her any concrete clues as to how I was going to respond, I really don’t know myself. What a game the whole thing is! We have to play it, one way or another, if we want make a change. It is sort of like swimming in shark infested waters.

Of course, we have been here before, when the house was listed years ago. Things may move forward, and then again, they may not. I am a tough negotiator, and although I lose sleep, I do not lose my nerve. My smiling and friendly demeanor often lulls enterprising entrepreneurs into thinking I am an easy mark. It isn’t true, and I never claimed it was.

The realtor left me with a short list of things that need doing tonight, just in case someone wants to view the house in the next few days. Luckily they are not too time consuming, so Attila and I will have no problem getting it all accomplished. Also, she is coming to photograph the house tomorrow, so it is time to find a box and start packing up personal items, for visual decluttering.

This is a very busy week! Tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment, then the photograph session, the next day my annual Mammogram at the hospital, and then a visit to sign the papers to close the deal for the camp property. Then on Friday I am working, and after work I am off to the township office for an access permit for the new driveway at the camp property. I suspect Friday night we will be at our new camp, felling trees and communiing with mother nature, and the black flies.

If we throw a house sale and a move into this mix, we are going to be very busy indeed!

Mist is tolerating visitors for the moment. She let the realtor know that the Queen of the Universe was present and due reverence. We have added a note on the listing that the cat is not to be let out, and that she is very old.

I am also trying to sell a few items that we do not want to move. I have them listed on kijiji, and have had some responses. Just another thing to think about!

Right now it is warm and sunny and beautiful. A few hours ago the sky opened up and dumped rain, buckets of it!

This afternoon I am cleaning the family room downstairs, and start on the downstairs windows. The house will be marvelously clean for the summer!

Worldly Distractions

Weather

21°C
Date: 2:24 PM EDT Tuesday 13 May 2014
Condition: Mostly Cloudy
Pressure: 101.6 kPa
Visibility: 16 km
Temperature: 20.8°C
Dewpoint: 15.0°C
Humidity: 69%
Wind: SE 22 gust 32 km/h
Humidex: 25

Quote

“Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts.”
Rita Mae Brown

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WendyNC

And you’re off to the races! I wish you strength and joy as you proceed into your new adventures.

Bex

Here I am trying to cope with one little dog with a small draining tube coming out of her side, and it’s all I can do to keep it “together” for one day… now Paul has gone off lobstering (the nerve of him!) and left me alone to deal with this mess. I can’t even, in my wildest imaginings, know what I would do with your list of things to do over the next days/weeks/months. More power to you – but I suspect you have the power already within you, Maggie, and you will use it wisely. xxxxxx

Maggie

Wendy, thanks for the good wishes! We are tired, and very, very happy.

Maggie

Thanks Bex, for your confidence in my ability to cope. Right now I am making lists, lots of them, and finding great satisfaction in crossing items off the lists… LOL, but the new items are popping up almost as fast as the old ones are getting crossed off!

Reenie Beanie

Selling and relocating is a huge undertaking, but if one is eager to sell or relocate, the process is far less painful. Divorce, death, job relocation, health… those can make putting a home on the market so very painful. From what I can discern, though you are tired, you are inundated with joy. So happy for you!

Maggie

You have it right Reenie, I am very eager to relocate! We both wanted to move to the little house in the city, but that plan had a few wrenches thrown in the works. I want to rent while we have to live near Attila’s workplace, so that if we aren’t happy with where we are living, we only have to wait till the one year lease runs out to get up and go, and try somewhere else. It isn’t an easy area to live in, where Attila works, but he has a great job, and he likes it, so here we are! Something may happen, and then again, nothing may happen. At least we can tell ourselves we gave it our best shot!