Welcome to House Selling

Five days in and I'm already ready to have this over.

Because it has been so long since we've sold a home, I had no recollection what it is like. Of course, in those days there were lots of others to share my misery, as in the "boys." For most of this I'm in it alone as Bruce is back in Dallas after spending less than 24 hours here. He arrived with sandwiches he'd purchased at WaWa on his way home from the airport. Can't mess up the kitchen before an open house you know.

Here's a funny story about house selling that has surfaced lately. We once lived on a street called Gustin Place, in the home we purchased when the only little Peck in our family was Matthew. By the time we decided we needed to find bigger digs, we had not only Matthew, but Billy, David, and Jon boy. I remember getting a call for someone to show the house, and while getting the twins (6 years old) and Jonathan (2) ready to get out of the house, it must have been Jonathan who knocked an entire box of Cheerios onto the carpet!!! Can you picture me scrambling to pick up all of those tiny Cheerios in time for the potential buyer's arrival? Funny now, but not so much then.

Anyway, Baxter, Bruce and I took off for the duration of the two hour open house. Mostly we drove around, grateful that the rain was holding off. Not saying it was a pretty day or anything, but it wasn't raining, so that was a plus. Back at the house by 4, Lynn told us she'd had eight people come through which I thought was great given the short notice and all.

Then the restaurant called with the news that a brand new $5,000 piece of equipment burned out; they needed help. Dedicated as he is to doing an exemplary job, Bruce flew back to Dallas in the morning with plans to scour the city for a char broiler that would work until such time as the other one could be fixed. How he managed to do that on a Sunday is beyond me, but he did, and they were ever so grateful as there was a development-wide open house scheduled.

Meanwhile, I went to church and as the service concludes I look at my phone, probably around 11:15, and I see a text from Lynn, someone from the open house wants to come back at noon. Hightailing it back to my spic and span house, I grab Baxter from the bathroom where he has been gated in, heading down to Regina's house. Can we come in? Certainly.

Here is Regina regaling me with stories accumulated over her 82 years. That is Argyle on the couch.

The folks stayed for more than an hour and the feedback was that they wanted more garage space. I thought, I can understand that. A few hours later, I learned they were making an offer, which came through on Monday morning. Reading through said offer, I quickly became agitated as they said negative things about the house, but were still willing to buy it if we agreed to their $30K reduction.

It took Bruce, Lynn, and finally Pam to settle me down, reminding me that it is a business deal, and I HAVE to remove my emotions. Far easier said than done when I know how much of our heart and soul has gone into this house!

That morning, prior to receiving the offer, I finally took a bike ride; the weather has been dismal for that activity, not to mention I've been cleaning this place to within an inch of its life! Sunday evening I'd gone to Hills Happy Hour, and I wanted to return to get a photograph of Bunker's profusion of blooming Black Eyed Susans.

My how they brighten these gray days! Now that it has begun raining again, it does not seem to want to stop. The pool runneth over...

Monday afternoon another person from the open house returned for a second viewing, also an hour long, and Lynn received word they were putting in an offer. Except they didn't. Now they are merely considering doing so. We countered on the first offer, finally hearing back last evening with a response to our counter.

There was a showing at noon yesterday, and this time I took Baxter over to Cypress Grove Park, the scene of many a good time for him. He used to scamper all around that place; often I'd have to restrain him from jumping out of the Pilot, which as you can well imagine, that is way too high a jump for a little dog like him. Bruce thinks I am a bit of a slow walker; Baxter is much slower!

With more rain in the last week than the previous five months of the year, everything is growing and growing and growing. I'd mowed the lawn again Saturday morning before the open house, so when Tony returned on Monday morning to resume his duties, I had him do some trimming.

I know I can't be all that easy to work with, at least as far as some things go. Yup, I'll turn on all the lights before people come, have the house perfect, that sort of thing, but when it came to the photos of our home, I was not so happy with the front elevation photograph. Not really the photographers fault, except for the scheduling change, but we've had virtually no sunshine to give an outdoor photograph much life. Especially a gray house! Maybe it was Sunday morning, now the days are running into one another, but anyway, there were a few moments when the sun shone and I raced out front to get a photograph with a little life to it. Of course the pavers are wet, but at least it feels more alive.

I pleaded with Lynn to use one. Isn't that ridiculous? Nonetheless, she agreed. That said, Tony trimmed a bunch of those Lady Palms and now it doesn't look like this anymore. I told you I'm a bit of a pain!

There is some great news to report...we are closing on the condo this morning! Plus, another showing at 1PM today! Someone is bound to love this house as much as we have.

Remember how I mentioned my photographs are in a crazy order in my library? It seems that yet another, taken in 2013, is appropriate for this time in our lives.

Do the same for us if you are the praying kind. :)

yours truly,

Gail