Moving on Up

Well we apparently are" approaching speed Captain ."

Remember two short weeks ago when my house went online? Well this Sunday report brings this news. My house is in escrow with a 45 day ride (or less ) if I can manage. And my offer on the sweet little log home was accepted. Yikes beam me up Scotty!

More to come. 

I Shaved My Legs For This?

Tada ! First showing under my belt. Now mind you I am not a novice to this house selling and showing rodeo. So when I got a call from my realtor during dinner and the latest episode of Barnwood Builders ( one of few shows on real TV I watch) I almost swallowed my plate whole. We had a showing scheduled within an hour or two of the whole thing going live as it is now called on the internet. https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/25550-Ash-Creek-Rd_Anderson_CA_96007_M29335-44960

Just in case you have been dying to know what my place looks like - NOT!

At any rate after having sold a house in the great reality disaster of 2006 I sorta kinda know my stuff and the drill. To be technical that house went on the market in 2008 as some of you may know of one needs to wait two years after the purchase to market it as to avoid the capital gains taxes. And then it sat and it sat and it sat. Not selling until 2011 with a huge hit to our pocket book. Because no we didn't get even close to what we paid for it. Sigh, let us not talk of that now.

Marketing a house is something close to living in purgatory even with a good realtor.  One's whole life revolves around showing and keeping it clean to show. So if we include my current journey I will have danced this dance 3 times in 12 years since we sold the Fresno farm to current. I WILL NOT HAVE TO DANCE THIS DANCE AGAIN EVER. Just wanted to make that clear as I was cleaning bathrooms prior to my shower at 9:30 PM . And setting my internal alarm to wake prior to even when the recycle truck rumba's down our street pre 5 AM. So I could do touch ups after regular chores and let myself breath.

So interested buyers arrived twenty minutes early thank God I planned for some down time so I was ready when my 16 paws alert went off.  They were here for thirty minutes. It will be interesting to see what comes of this.The real estate folks know all this stuff to a T. Short visit are likely to garner little to none, long visits may but may also just be looky lues or folks who aren't even in the market they were just bored that day. Or "Gee Fred I have never seen a totally off grid home let's go check it out!" If they only know what a responsible home owner drags themselves through to make sure their home is ready to really shine. If you don't believe me ask the goats whose barn cleaning (and I mean close to having the health department show up) has been delayed either from rain, getting the initial pre marketing stuff done or as in today losing a barn day to make sure all is at the ready.

Then there is all the home showing etiquette. Owners are basically expected to greet at door and then exit away from showing as not to intimidate potential buyers. Today is a good example of that when I mentioned I had a blind cat and would they please be mindful not to let the cat out the wife asked wide eyed "you have cats?" To with I replied with a smile "I am a vet tech I have just about one of everything. But I do have 3 house cats."  Eyes still wide " I am allergic to cats really bad." Ok I was good I didn't reply with something like " And it never once entered your mind you may encounter cats while visiting potential homes?" I smiled and simply said " Well they are all hiding out and I cleaned as if it was the second coming just for you." OK I didn't say quite that but you get the idea.

They did appear to be nice folks and if this home tickles their fancy I hope they know I plan to hire a team of professional cleaners on my dime to make their new home safe for them. 

Too Good To Be True?

When one lives in a home they love it is difficult to think of living elsewhere. I love my Real Log Home . I love it so much that if I had more time, more money and were a tad younger I would be tempted to take it with me on this last move of the journey. But I don't and believe me when I say  I have seen more houses in the last 6 weeks (online of course) and only one has made the cut. And only because she is easy to love. She is on almost 4 acres, has complete fencing including cross fencing, has a mare motel in place , a workshop , garden space , a spot that can be converted into a chicken coop and run. On a private well, has an outdoor kitchen and in the living room a Vermont stove. She is 38 years old was "born" in Montana and then shipped to California.

In the foothills of central California and as I told my family "the only thing wrong with her is she is too good to be true." So a posse was organized and a visit was made. The posse only came up with a few items to be added or subtracted or reorganized. So soon I will be going to see this potential home and all the possibilities it holds.

When time comes to share more I shall. For now I am finishing up the small details of getting this "42 Acres of Paradise" polished up for the debut online . I am feeling really good about both the potential home and finding someone to step in on this end in fairly short order. I would very much appreciate prayers and energy from you all. I am prepared for the worst but hope for the best. We will know soon.  Until then I will go back to gardening and sprucing up.

The divine Ms. Emily was up for a visit last week to help me out . We found time for some crafty fun!