House updates

[itsheresomewhere]

Same thing is happening near me.  Houses that are selling fast are ones I just don’t understand why compared to some the houses for sale.  Two almost the same price- one nicely updated a few years ago, good size property for the area and next to state owned land that will not be developed.  And one that had a carpeted cat room ( yes it smelled just like you think), kitchen updated in 1980, small lot and a falling  apart deck.  The cat room house sold within days and yet the cute house is still available. It makes no sense.  

Edited August 4, 2023 by itsheresomewhere

[Heartstrings]

I think buyers have no imagination.   The realtor made a comment about my house that we bought a couple of years ago, that most people wouldn’t like the layout.   It feels like a normal lay out to me other than the addition.  🤷‍♀️   

[teachermom2834]

This is just so stressful what with the house you are trying to buy and needing to know where to send your son to school. And you did so much to get ready to sell and had reasonable expectation that it would sell quickly. Just ugh. 

Our house was listed a week ago today and we have only had 2 showings. School started today here so we definitely missed the window of people buying before school and people have been very busy with all the back to school things. We got feedback from one showing that the price was right and they really liked the house. Things are just really slow here but that isn’t your situation. 
 

But we are under zero pressure. We are just ready to sell so we listed and whenever it sells we will find somewhere to go. My dd is in private school so that isn’t an issue and we had been getting the house ready gradually for a long time. So the exact opposite of the stakes in your situation- just to say it is still stressful! Even under no pressure the not knowing when something will happen is hard. And while only having two showings is discouraging - having lots of showings and no solid offer is a whole different level of frustration. So I can imagine your stress and I am sorry. It only takes that one buyer and hopefully they will find their way to you soon. Maybe they have just been on vacation and now they are back and ready to buy. Or they had an offer in on something else they didn’t get or who knows what. 

[kbutton]

5 hours ago, DawnM said:

Yes, the neighbor's house sold in 3 days.   Meanwhile, ours still sits.   It was not as updated as ours, smaller than ours, and much more per sq. ft. than ours but overall a little less (I mean really little) and sold fast.   We have no idea why.   Their kitchen was in worse shape, their bathrooms were not updated, etc....

I am telling you, there is no rhyme or reason why ours isn't selling.

Ours ultimately sold, but the story went a lot like yours is going (except ours wasn't fancy enough to stage). It was frustrating. I totally get it. Hang in there!

[scholastica]

18 hours ago, DawnM said:

Well, they need to come along soon or we will have to to take it off the market.   At some point, our lives need to be lived again.   

And I have heard that you get the best offers in your first offer, and it was a super lowball offer.   So, I am not exactly "glass is half full" right now.

This is not always true. The last house we sold we got a super lowball offer first and rejected it outright. A week or so later a much better offer came. Ironically, the first  agent came back asking which was more important closing or price, was told price, and still didn’t even come close to the second offer. I think the agent just didn’t understand what the house would sell for at that time. I think she told them to just wait and we would have to come down what they wanted to pay. She was wrong. 

[Laura Corin]

18 hours ago, Heartstrings said:

I think buyers have no imagination.   The realtor made a comment about my house that we bought a couple of years ago, that most people wouldn’t like the layout.   It feels like a normal lay out to me other than the addition.  🤷‍♀️   

I can envisage how a space might be used but Husband cannot. It's the same with garden layout - he listens politely to my plans, but it's not until everything has grown in for a couple of years that he says, 'Oh yes, that's great!'

[Halftime Hope]

Hoping (praying, really) that this will be a productive weekend for getting your house sold. ❤️

[DawnM]

20 hours ago, KSera said:

I’m sorry, I know how frustrating it is to need to sell and have a house not sell. Ours took many months. Is the overall price higher than surrounding houses even though the price per square foot is lower?

No.   It is mid range I would say.

[DawnM]

Showing at 8:30 so we left and went to Starbucks.

Open house from 11-3pm.   

We don't know where to go.   It is going to be 90 outside today and very muggy and we have two large dogs and are pulling an open bed trailer.   UGH.   We can't go indoors because of the dogs.   

We may be sitting in our car for most of the time.   We will start at an outdoor seating area restaurant, but may need to go inside the car.

We are so tired and really don't have the energy to go to the lake or go hiking in the heat, etc....

Any other ideas I am not considering that don't involve renting a hotel room?   Cuz I am about to consider it.  😝

[pinball]

13 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Any other ideas

Put the dogs in doggy daycare? Those are usually air conditioned and some also have pools and sprinklers.

Then they are taken care of and humans can do whatever.

unhook trailer at a friend’s house or ask at your church or school if you can leave it there for a few hours

 

[Annie G]

Do you have any friends or neighbors w a fenced in yard who might be open to dog sitting for a few hours? You could then go to a movie- if there’s anything suitable for Andrew to see. A kid movie would probably be fine for adults- they could drink soda and rest in the cool, dark theater. 

[ktgrok]

Pets are allowed in Hobby Lobby, Joann Fabric, Tractor Supply and Lowes/Home Depot. Often several of those are near to each other so could wander for a bit. 

[DawnM]

Thanks all.  I asked the question too late. 

We are at our neighborhood park and pool.   The dogs aren't allowed in the pool area so we are at the playground and may take turns in the pool.

Or we may forgo to the pool and head to my son's restaurant for lunch to eat outside.   He is working today (Viva Chicken) so we get 50% off!

We are just hanging out, talking to neighbors, and watching Andrew play.

So far only one family has come to the open house.   Booo.....

[DawnM]

On 8/4/2023 at 1:30 PM, wintermom said:

That is very strange. Is there something about your property (not the house itself) that vastly different than other houses in your area? My parents' house had a little hut for regulating the natural gas in the neighbourhood, and along with this came a much larger lot size. It was still a turn-off for many potential buyers. I think it may have also had a fire hydrant, but I can't recall. Sometimes these kinds of things are a weird red flag to house seekers.

A friend of mine had a really hard time trying to sell her lovely home, which was kitty corner to a very small, but beautifully maintained cemetary. It was a hard "no" for a lot of potential buyers. 

Nope, nothing different like that.   Today's open house got several, "The kitchen is too small" or, "I don't like the layout" once again.   But other houses ARE selling in this neighborhood at this price point and higher.   In fact, ours has wooded privacy that most of the neighbors don't have.   

We don't get it.   

The realtor says things like, "Well, some people want a master down" Um, ok, then why are they looking at my house?   The listing specifically states master up.

Some people commented that they didn't like the backsplash.....ok, that is a $2k fix.   I will credit you that, OR take that off the offering price.

And then some said they thought the kitchen was too small.   I am not fixing that.   The kitchen is 11x13 with a 10x13 eat in area attached.   And it is open to the great room/family room.   But many say that isn't open enough.

We got nothing.   

[wintermom]

How frustrating for you and your family! 

[DawnM]

19 minutes ago, wintermom said:

How frustrating for you and your family! 

It is.  We are discussing options right now.    Options being stay here, sell for lower, etc....

My oldest son is so frustrated/upset (autism) that he went to stay with a friend for a while.   He was very upset the day he left and we were starting to wonder if this is worth it.   

Edited August 5, 2023 by DawnM

[Lecka]

I can’t believe it!  I think some people are not making good decisions right now!  I hope someone will come to their senses who is in the market!!!!!!

 

The wooded area is so desirable, plus everything else!

 

[wintermom]

41 minutes ago, DawnM said:

It is.  We are discussing options right now.    Options being stay here, sell for lower, etc....

My oldest son is so frustrated/upset (autism) that he went to stay with a friend for a while.   He was very upset the day he left and we were starting to wonder if this is worth it.   

Oh dear. That is a shame that this has ended up so stressful for everyone. All the best as you navigate through this. It is tough as a parent to know what is the best for our kids. We can only do what we can with the knowledge we have at the time. There was no way you could have predicted this. Big hugs. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by wintermom

[Starr]

We went through this. I’m so sorry!

[DawnM]

22 minutes ago, Starr said:

We went through this. I’m so sorry!

Did you sell?

[DawnM]

So now the realtor is ticking me off.  She is coming up with weird reasons why our house isn't selling.

Meanwhile, guess what I just found out?   That house that was much smaller (25% smaller) and more dated, and no staging, etc.....sold for OVER asking price in 3 days.   In fact it sold for our asking price.

My realtor doesn't know why.   She just makes stuff up.   I am too irritated with her to even comment back.   She said, "Oh, that house was near the amenities".   That house went for $300 per sq. ft.   Ours is at $250.   And it is nicer.   

We are about DONE and about to pull it off the market just to spite her.   She made a nasty comment about how "Well, you have never sold in this price range before have you?"   I wanted to say (and SHOULD have said), "You have never SOLD in this price range either!"
 

She posted on Facebook, "I have reached the big leagues now!" and posted a photo of our house listing and the listing we are buying.   Everyone was like, "Oh, Samantha, I am so proud of you!   Way to go!"

Well, I am sure she won't post, "I failed" if we end up backing out.

That is unprofessional right?   Or am I just really angry right now and over-reacting?

[KSera]

 

21 minutes ago, DawnM said:

"You have never SOLD in this price range either!"
 

She posted on Facebook, "I have reached the big leagues now!" and posted a photo of our house listing and the listing we are buying.   Everyone was like, "Oh, Samantha, I am so proud of you!   Way to go!"

Well, I am sure she won't post, "I failed" if we end up backing out.

That is unprofessional right?   Or am I just really angry right now and over-reacting?

Oh, if your house is the most expensive one she’s ever listed I would consider changing agents. She may not really know what she’s talking about when it comes to the specific market your house is in.

Eta: have you signed an agreement that would bar you from changing agents without her releasing you to do so?

Edited August 5, 2023 by KSera

[DawnM]

8 minutes ago, KSera said:

 

Oh, if your house is the most expensive one she’s ever listed I would consider changing agents. She may not really know what she’s talking about when it comes to the specific market your house is in.

Eta: have you signed an agreement that would bar you from changing agents without her releasing you to do so?

Yup, we signed and are obligated until October.

I also don't know how that works when we have already put down due diligence for another house with her as the agent.

And she has put in a ton of effort.   I just didn't like that comment from her AT ALL!   That was uncalled for.

Edited August 6, 2023 by DawnM

[Annie G]

Since you’re stuck with her until October, and she’s the agent you’re using for the other house, I’d absolutely email or text her about the comment. I’m sure she’s feeling pressured to sell, and responded inappropriately. But if you don’t tell her, she won’t know. And you probably don’t want to sour a relationship w her in case a buyer is around the corner. 
So sorry the house sale isn’t going smoothly. What a hassle. 

[teachermom2834]

Here’s what annoys me about realtors…I get that they are the experts but I consider myself an expert in the type of buyer that will buy MY house…since I have already bought MY house!! 
 

My last couple houses the realtors clearly didn’t understand the buyer (more kids than money…lol) but I did and those houses sold quickly to my realtors’ surprise. So yeah they may be the expert but I have actually pulled the trigger to purchase this exact house…so I have some expertise here…ya know?
 

Sorry you are going through this! The FB post is tacky, Dawn. She should be congratulating her clients not patting herself on the back especially before the job is done. That would get all over me. And you are giving her a chance at the big time so there should be some gratitude there. But I think you are probably also in the stage where everything is going to bug you and that is totally justified!

[Scarlett]

Dawn most respectable realtors will let you out of the contract.  But even though she is making stupid comments it is probably not her fault…..house buying and selling is just weird.  One never knows what will happen. Regardless of this trend of promising a house will sell in x number of days.
 

Averages don’t solve your real life situation. 

[Lecka]

Someone my husband used to work with is a realtor now and I am Facebook friends with her.

 

She made posts like this!  
 

 

Now she’s winning sales awards all the time.  
 

I think it’s normal realtor stuff and I think it’s also conveniently a way to share the listing around with other realtors.  If the fawning comments are from other realtors I would like it a lot more.  
 

On this person’s Facebook I think a lot of her “realtor” posts have comments from other realtors, but then her family posts don’t.  
 

I do think on her “realtor” posts she does often highlight a current listing.

 

I do think she’s savvy, to be honest.  
 

So maybe this realtor is actually savvy, or she is making a good-faith effort to be savvy.  
 

I would not totally take it at face value (and not a kind of realtor marketing) because of seeing it with this person.  
 

I guess I think she should have asked first!  But I also wouldn’t take it at face value and wouldn’t take the fawning at face value either, I think this can be actual realtor stuff and actual realtor networking.  I’m not sure but I think it’s possible.  
 

I hope your house will sell soon!!!!!!!!!

[BusyMom5]

I'm sorry it's taking so long.  I do wonder if the current state of things is cooling the market.  I wouldn't pull it off quite yet- give it another week or so.  FWIW I have a few realtors on my FB page and I consider any post with a house on it as free advertising- your house is getting more views. 

[Tree Frog]

She shouldn't be bragging. Getting listings is the easy part of being a realtor. Actually finding a buyer is the hard part. She's premature and hasn't been successful yet. I also think it's poor form to post homes she's selling on her personal social media. Hopefully she didn't connect the two houses with you as both a buyer and seller. She should be posting your house all over her professional social media. 

Does your listing highlight the positives? A MIL suite with high ceilings, wooded areas around the house, a hidden garage, and anything else that's positive? We have frequently left a 3 ring binder for potential buyers to look at, including copies of utilities and nearby schools and amenities with a page that we've written highlighting the good features. Sometimes the personal touch makes a difference. You can add something about a fond memory you have of the house and that you hope they will make fond memories of their own. Include nice pictures of other seasons of you have them. Is the house particularly well situated? What specifically fid you like about the house? You want them to be able to imagine themselves living in your house. 

We've also had to tell realtors what we wanted them to do or specific info we wanted in the description in the listing when we had a realtor that wasn't working well with us. If your realtor isn't experienced in your market, you might ask her what she's doing differently for a different market. She may expect to do the same things in all markets instead of tailoring what she does and what her focus is for the different markets. 

I'm sorry this has become stressful and frustrating. From your description, you have a beautiful house in a beautiful area. 

[DawnM]

10 hours ago, Scarlett said:

Dawn most respectable realtors will let you out of the contract.  But even though she is making stupid comments it is probably not her fault…..house buying and selling is just weird.  One never knows what will happen. Regardless of this trend of promising a house will sell in x number of days.
 

Averages don’t solve your real life situation. 

All True.   

9 hours ago, BusyMom5 said:

I'm sorry it's taking so long.  I do wonder if the current state of things is cooling the market.  I wouldn't pull it off quite yet- give it another week or so.  FWIW I have a few realtors on my FB page and I consider any post with a house on it as free advertising- your house is getting more views. 

I wonder that too, although the other house sold in 3 days AFTER we put ours on the market.   Just so very odd.

As to the comment about not taking it off just yet.   We aren't.   We are talking Labor Day, but may even extend that.   Just not with staging furniture.   And hopefully it will sell by then.   That is 5 weeks from now.

The biggest issue is school.   School starts on Aug. 28th.   However, A is in kindergarten and they have a staggered start, so he starts really on September 5th.   If we have not sold our house by then, I am hesitant to put him in the new school.   THAT is my biggest dilemma.

[Scarlett]

9 minutes ago, DawnM said:

All True.   

I wonder that too, although the other house sold in 3 days AFTER we put ours on the market.   Just so very odd.

As to the comment about not taking it off just yet.   We aren't.   We are talking Labor Day, but may even extend that.   Just not with staging furniture.   And hopefully it will sell by then.   That is 5 weeks from now.

The biggest issue is school.   School starts on Aug. 28th.   However, A is in kindergarten and they have a staggered start, so he starts really on September 5th.   If we have not sold our house by then, I am hesitant to put him in the new school.   THAT is my biggest dilemma.

I would not put him in the new school until you have sold your house.  If he has to change mid year it is really not the end of the world.  

[Starr]

14 hours ago, DawnM said:

Did you sell?

We did but after a significant drop in price. Our market was changing and we had realtor issues. I think the realtor can make the difference in communities where the market is no longer moving so fast .

[DawnM]

34 minutes ago, Starr said:

We did but after a significant drop in price. Our market was changing and we had realtor issues. I think the realtor can make the difference in communities where the market is no longer moving so fast .

I think so too, although I am trying to figure out what more or what different she could have done.

In her defense, she: 

• Spent 8 hours at our house rearranging and staging and cleaning up, etc....
• Looked on her realtor data base and pulled the 500 realtors who had saved our listing and invited them to the open house
• She made hours worth of calls and such to the owners of the house we are purchasing, to realtors who have shown the house, etc....
• She held an open house 

There are just things she could do differently, mostly because she is young and inexperienced.   But some of the comments she has made need to be toned down from fake positive cheerleader to a realistic, mature response.

[DawnM]

Folks coming back for a 2nd showing today.   Fingers crossed but hopes not raised.   🫠

[AmandaVT]

15 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Folks coming back for a 2nd showing today.   Fingers crossed but hopes not raised.   🫠

Fingers crossed! Do you have time to make a batch of brownies or something yummy to leave on the counter for them? (a little food bribery never hurts!)

[Tree Frog]

35 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Folks coming back for a 2nd showing today.   Fingers crossed but hopes not raised.   🫠

Fingers crossed here, too!

[Vintage81]

1 hour ago, DawnM said:

Folks coming back for a 2nd showing today.   Fingers crossed but hopes not raised.   🫠

🤞

[stephanier.1765]

Me too! 🤞

[DawnM]

2 hours ago, AmandaVT said:

Fingers crossed! Do you have time to make a batch of brownies or something yummy to leave on the counter for them? (a little food bribery never hurts!)

No, we didn't.

[DawnM]

Nothing.   Not even a realtor feedback.   

No showings coming up either.   This is not looking good.

[rebcoola]

Boo, I know you have a timeline but I would also encourage patience.  From what you've said your house is a little atypical so it probably going to need an atypical buyer.

[DawnM]

11 minutes ago, rebcoola said:

Boo, I know you have a timeline but I would also encourage patience.  From what you've said your house is a little atypical so it probably going to need an atypical buyer.

Yes, I agree.   Although we don't think it is that different than many of the homes in our neighborhood, that is what we aren't understanding.

But we have agreed to give it an additional month.   I just don't know what to do about school.  I have already enrolled him at the new school and feel it is a better fit for him than the school he will go to if he stays here.   

ugh.   what a nightmare.

[Green Bean]

Still praying here. I'm sorry it is so hard for all of you.

[DawnM]

5 hours ago, Green Bean said:

Still praying here. I'm sorry it is so hard for all of you.

Thank you.  We are praying too.   We can't figure this out and neither can our realtor.   My anxiety levels are high right now and I hate that feeling.   I am sure there are added factors to that anxiety, like DH's brother's newly diagnosed stage 4 cancer, our oldest son not handling things well with his ASD, and I start back to work on Wed. full time.

But for this weekend, I have my 2 college boys home and we are going to enjoy our time together.

 

[Starr]

53 minutes ago, DawnM said:

But for this weekend, I have my 2 college boys home and we are going to enjoy our time together.

Enjoy!

[DawnM]

Ok, I don't know if you will find this as funny as I did in the moment, but here goes.

DH:   When you get home tonight, we should walk around the house seven times.

ME:   What?   We don't want the house to FALL DOWN!

DH:  INSURANCE!

[Hannah]

On 8/7/2023 at 12:56 AM, DawnM said:

   I just don't know what to do about school.  I have already enrolled him at the new school and feel it is a better fit for him than the school he will go to if he stays here.   

Is there any way to still go to the new school even if you don't sell?

[ktgrok]

4 hours ago, Hannah said:

Is there any way to still go to the new school even if you don't sell?

Sometimes you can pay an out of area fee, might be worth talking to them. Or, if they already have him registered with the conditional sale documents, maybe just keep quiet....

[ktgrok]

Does your realtor work for a company, or have a partner? Could you ask her to reach out to a more experienced agent in her company or just one of the ones that have shown the property or a mentor to ask them to see the property and give any suggestions? I know you said she is new, and since your property is quirky in a few ways perhaps a more experienced realtor would have some suggestions on easy/quick ways to improve the listing or something? 

Like, making it a 2 car garage with storage instead of listed as a 3 car garage, so that people that need storage come look, instead of people that NEED space for 3 cars? Or wording the lay out differently? It seems like it is an amazing property, but for whatever reason the listing is not reaching the right buyers. 

I know it can be touchy to deal with realtors, but I would hope that if you approached it as "I know our house turned out to be tricky, and we have full faith in you, but we were wondering if you could reach out to someone with more years of experience, someone that might have seen quirky properties like ours, and ask if they have some suggestions?"  maybe it woudl be okay? I don't know if there is a way to pay for a second opinion even, or what, but it seems like you need more experienced advice at this point. 

Also, are you posting on your social media with your own description, and a link to the listing? And asking EVERYONE you know to do the same? That can help - I see it done all the time - people sharing that their friend/relative has a house for sale, and then adding their own "it's such a great property" seal of approval.  

[DawnM]

5 hours ago, Hannah said:

Is there any way to still go to the new school even if you don't sell?

They have said no in the past, but even if he could stay, I am not sure we can provide the transportation long term.   It is 6 miles away and not in the direction we go to work, so that would create some issues with our jobs.

Bus transportation is only if you go to your home assigned school.

51 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Sometimes you can pay an out of area fee, might be worth talking to them. Or, if they already have him registered with the conditional sale documents, maybe just keep quiet....

They do that for putting your child in a different district, but not the same district at another school.