Bought and sold...

Share

That big giant For Sale sign got staked in to our front yard a couple of Fridays ago.  Though the timing was an afterthought, we left for Ohio that Friday as well to look for a house to move in to.   What seemed to be a plan to buy us a few days of a clean and empty house for showings turned out to be a blessing.  By Sunday night, we had had 20 showings on our home in Denver, and six offers proposed.  In the end, our home was under contract in less than three days and sold over list price.  Can't beat that!

But, if you've ever sold a home, you know that the stress only begins with the first mention of an offer.  There's lots of negotiating back and forth about price, closing dates, stuff that stays with or leaves the home.  And then there's inspection.  Y'all, our house was built in 1908.  It's an old house.  And there were some problems with it that have to be remedied.  But I believe we finally got things settled on Friday afternoon, and now we're in the home stretch.  We close on our house in Denver on April 30th, and the buyer has graciously agreed to rent our home back to us until June 7th, at which time we'll need to move in to temporary housing.  Because....

In the week that we went to Columbus, we found a home that we fell in love with and put an offer on.  There was more haggling going back and forth than I would have liked, and I spent days wondering if the deal wasn't going to fall through.  The seller?  I don't think they were prepared to have their home sell so quickly and had no backup plan.  So, we don't close on that house until July 5th, taking occupancy on July 10th.  In the end, this will work out well, as Mr. B has school in Denver until June 6th, has a big camp lined up mid-June, and I'm scheduled for my last performance in Denver the last week of June.  Thankfully, we're working with a relocation company who will be finding temporary housing for us, and we've requested something furnished with three bedrooms.

Jon and I have been swamped with a to-do list as long as Santa's request log, and have spent a ton of time signing contracts and forms, making endless photocopies of reports and statements, and faxing things along.  I think the bulk of all of this is behind us, and now we can focus on fun things like scouring furniture sites for ideas, and not so fun things like figuring out what things need to be cancelled, forwarded, etc.

This whole experience?  I think Jon's found it fun and exhilarating.  Being that he's in sales, I can see why.  But me?  I found myself wanting to give in to every demand on both ends, not wanting to rock the boat or have a deal walk away.  I'd be a horrible salesman!  Let's just hope that I never, ever, have to do this again.  At least for 15 years or so.