ON THE MARKET

   If selling your home is new to you and you have lived in that home for more than four decades this blog might be interesting to you.  

   We started this journey back in July when we two old "Boomer and Pre Boomer" love children decided to "pull the trigger" and sell the house that we had raised our three children in.  They have already moved as far away from us as their budgets could manage and being all boys, they never come back or call.  We had waited for the market to regain its former levels after 2008 and now we were convinced that we could recoup the "nest egg" investment that we had planned when we bought the house.  Unfortunately, we missed the buyers that usually come to Claremont in the summer to find good schools and great activities in a wonderful and quaint little town in a rural area near Los Angeles.  

    What ensues after that is a chapter out of a Steven King novel.  We had not anticipated the agony of moving!  The actual moving of furniture, so easy with three big boys to help, became a thing of nightly tossing and turning and then came the pain.  Sciatic nerves, Carpal Tunnel, Groin Pull, and the bruises.....Oy Vey!  Our plan was to move some of our possessions into storage and then just roam this great country in our motor home.  We packed and sorted and had yard sales.  We agonized over what to keep and what to give/throw away.  At one point we could not find ANYONE to take an antique executive desk (that I loved) and so we just took it to the dump and I watched them break it into pieces.  We found homes for chairs, and lamps, we sold our upright grand piano. (it had hand carving and was concert quality. The buyer took if for her kids and painted it white!)  I have learned way to much about online "yard sales" and people who promise to come and pick up things and then never show up or call or anything...... (One guy wanted to buy a Torque wrench and called to say he was on his way, only to call back later and say that he had been confused with the Clermont in San Diego and the Claremont in Los Angeles.)  

    Living in a home that has been gutted and emptied of all your possession’s means that things that had become part of your life, almost friends, are gone, and you are alone.  We live in about 700 square feet of a 2300 square foot house.  We have our bed, a TV, kitchen (that we use seldom) a couch and a desk.  THAT’S IT!  On a positive note it is the first time I have had a clean garage.

    If it wasn’t for the support and constant love of my sweetie and loyalty and acceptance of our puppy, we would not be able to do this.  We constantly have to clean and straighten up the house for potential buyers, and Realtor Open Houses.  There is the multitude of house repairs after the “Inspectors” come through and then there are the buyers that think that they are entitled to anything they want and are just evil about it. We have had (at this point) two buyers that “fell out” of escrow for one reason or another.  One of them after getting a price reduction asked for a huge allowance to do remodeling and then would not believe the evidence of the repairs we had done. 

    It is now December, after Christmas.  We have to give a big THANK YOU to our church for the festivities and fellowship, and to our son and his girlfriend for including us into their holiday family get together.  It wasn’t the big tree in the living room with the lights and the gifts, it wasn’t the warm fire and kids playing, it wasn’t Vera’s grand feast of wonderful food, but it was Christmas and we each other and God and we  are happy.