I watch way too much HGTV! I've seen all the house selling shows and was really working to incorporate all the tips I've seen as we get ready to put our house on the market in less than 2 weeks. It's been about 2 months of hard labor. Ack.

That's all out the window now. I interviewed my first agent on Friday. What a hoot. He told me to quit worrying about stuff, stop taking down family photos, and not to worry so much about the dogs. I have 4 more to interview next week (I don't imagine they'll all be so laid back!)

Well, the agent I interviewed popped into the back yard today (he lives right up the street) and laughed at me when he saw me with the shop vac - asked if I was vacumming the back yard....very funny! (just the shed...)

So he asked if he could bring a buyer by tomorrow. House is a wreck after my efforts to declutter - everything is in a pile in the corner waiting for us to take it to the storage unit tomorrow.

DH is gone so it's up to me to get this wreck back into some semblance of a house by tomorrow. Oh and did I mention that I'm petsitting for a friend, so I have 3 greyhounds and a pug?!

I think I'm going to have to choose this agent - he's keeping me sane and not letting me get spun up. I'll do what I can, and the buyer will have to use her imagination

The fact that my house is not on the market yet, I don't have an agent, and my house is a wreck makes no difference - I have my first person coming to view tomorrow! Wish me luck!

I am glad you posted this! We are thinking about selling our house at some point. We watch way too much HGTV and TLC house flipping shows.

My husband is convinced we MUST update and upgrade and he is driving me nuts. We fight about it!

He is sure we need to replace our kitchen flooring. The floor is fine. There are a couple of tiles that need to be replaced, but other than that it is ok. The shine is gone but it is clean and very presentable.

He is also sure we need to remodel our kitchen. We have nice oak cubboards. We do need to replace the counter top because there are a couple of areas that are chipped, but it is NOT going to be granite.


What he wants to do will price us out of our neighborhood. I told him we need to repair what is broken, paint, and clean the carpets. I can not see doing much more.

Very timely post!!

LA

Leave Yodda and take the Greyhounds for a walk!

Put a pot of warm water in the oven with some cinnamon in it and you will be fine!

Good luck tomorrow!!! You have a great house, Gretata!!! Love the kitchen!

Good luck Greta! We are flipping our house as we speak. We plan to sell in three years. It's never ending but sounds like you have a great agent. Chery's idea is great, I have smelled it done before. lol

Placing cookies out helps too! ;-)

Italy or bust! It'll be great, Gret!! I remember the pics, the kitchen is awesome, don't worry, it's a home, not a showcase.

The people who bought my parents' 40 yr. old house were most impressed by the "family tracks" as they called them, the wall with our ages and heights, the handprints in the sidewalk, the carvings we did in the fenceposts, etc. Relax!

LA -
If I've learned anything - just make repairs and make sure it's clean. We did gut our kitchen and replace our floors throughout - but it was because we really wanted to (and the floors were shot completely).

My (potential future) agent's motto is price it right, and market the hell out of it and it will sell. He sold the house across the street on the same day that it went on the market for 55K more than we thought we'd get. And it's about the same as ours. I'm amazed that even in this stinky market, houses can still move quickly.

C-
He actually mentioned featuring Yoda in the online home show. He thinks cute pets work to make people view the shows. Whooda thunk? He cracks me up because he's so irreverant, offbeat, and kooky. I thought he was a joke until I started seeing him sell houses fast. The kitchen looks even better now that Jim finished the trim work. It's really, finally done!

Sandy - We've been here just since 2004. I think we'll do great for a first house. I'm really optimistic. I would call this a flip too. Every room had to be painted and/or redone. Outside was done too. Unfortunately, I didn't know Cheryl when we did the outside....

Good luck Greta, and Cindy's right....your house needs to be lived in to look attractive. Who wants to buy a showcase anyway?


Sounds just like me. When we sold our last house, DH and I had decided to talk to an agent about selling it, which we did ..... but we did it about 3 months before we had any intention of selling.

The very next morning at 9am, that Real Estate agent brought a lady to our house because he thought she might be interested. By 9:30 she had signed on the dotted line and the house was sold. We could not believe it. The faster than lightening sale sent us into a spin seeing we hadn't even planned on moving for at least another 3 months.


I certainly do wish you luck! If it's a quick sale you want, then I wish you one as fast as our own. If not, then whatever you want, I wish it for you.

Good luck Greta!!! Say hello to Italy soon! A coworker of hubbys had his house on the market and sold in York County in 3 days the girl across the street from us house has been on the market almost 3 months with no offers ( but it needs work and the outside is not appealing) I'm jelous ya'll going to Italy...2 friends to Hawaii...one to Alaska....we get South carolina! LOL

Good luck! Fingers, eyes, and all other possible body parts crossed!

good luck on the viewing, and in some regards the agents right dont fret, most of the folks will come in with plans to change things the way they want it, cause they also saw it on hgtv

subliminal suggestions boils some garlic in water the night b4 not over do it just enough to throw a good taste aroma to the air, lavender is good too, and a very good vanilla candle can leave them desiring cakes and baked goods by time they leave lol( my wife burns too many of the vanillas) i end up baking cakes

Good Luck