After one year, one month and 21 days, I have sold my house! The last 417 days of trying to sell my house have been an adventure to say the least, but I really am so grateful for the four years I spent on Albemarle and all of the people that have helped me through the purchase, the renovations, the move, all of it.
I started looking at buying a house in April of 2008. I was tired of paying rent and thought it could be a bit of an investment with three roommates. I figured I could always keep the house. I was in a college and military town, surely I could find people to rent it if I moved. The house always seemed to need work and during the summer of 2010 I did (well I hired some people to do) my big kitchen renovation. Two years later, I accepted a job in Maryland and needed to make some decisions about my house.
I know renting was an option, but I’m chicken. I was afraid of people messing up my house. I was afraid something big would break and I wouldn’t be able to afford to fix it. I was afraid I couldn’t charge enough to cover my mortgage. I was afraid if I found renters, they would leave and I’d be stuck with two mortgages or a mortgage and rent due. So I packed up my clothes and moved in with my parents, leaving my house behind.
Not many 30-year olds move in with their parents. I suppose it might happen more frequently these days, but it’s not usually ideal. I needed to reacclimate myself to living with my parents and adjust to a 120 mile round trip commute (compared to the three miles I was used to in Fayetteville). I told myself I could handle it until Christmas. Christmas came and went and there was not a lot of interest in my house. Really, the first seven months didn’t go so well and I eventually switched realtors in March. I think the combination of a lower price and the time of year helped me get some more looks. It’s not helpful when there are more than 20 houses for sale in your neighborhood, many of them foreclosures, but since pretty much eliminating renting as an option, I didn’t feel like I had another option, but to wait. If nothing else, I had a place to stay when I went back to visit and I could almost fool myself into thinking it was still home.
On Aug. 27 I received my first offer on the house. I accepted it the next day with plans to close Sept. 16. It sounded like as long as there weren’t any crazy issues that came up in the inspection on the 30th, we’d be good to go. The inspection came back pretty normal for a 50-year-old house, but after my realtor met with the buyer last Tuesday, my realtor said the buyer was 50-50. I was in limbo trying to figure out if the buyer was still on board and if she was, I needed to get down there and get my stuff out of the house. Finally, on Wednesday night at 8 p.m., my realtor said the buyer was on board and if I came down this weekend, we could close on Monday the 9th.
There’s always some risk that a contract could fall through up until closing, but my family took a risk and went down with me to get my stuff. We drove down and packed Friday, loaded the truck Saturday and then drove back and unloaded the truck Sunday. Between filling a four-bedroom house and having some pack rat tendencies, I have a lot of stuff. Somehow we survived and it was all worth it when my realtor called this morning to say it’s officially sold.
I’m already getting long-winded, but I need to at least attempt to thank my family and friends for their help. First of all, I’ve had boyfriends, friends and family who have helped me fix up my house. We have ripped off wallpaper, painted, caulked, hung decorations, installed ceiling fans, and did way too many hours of yard work. I didn’t make any money on the sale, but I know it wouldn’t have been close to breaking even without the changes we made.
During the last year I’ve had to rely on people in Fayetteville to keep an eye on my house. People cut my grass and dealt with my alarm issues… and you know you have real friends when they’re willing to clean up dead bugs for you!
I also had a ton of people help me move… both 14 months ago and this weekend. I know I couldn’t have done it without all of them. Whether it was moving a couch or packing a box or forcing me to throw away my papers from college, it was needed and I’m grateful. I know I have an awesome network of people when I can have a house full of people in Fayetteville helping me load a truck and drive back to see family waiting to help me unload the truck in Maryland.
My parents definitely deserve some sort of award. Not only have they dealt with a rent-free roommate for the last year, but they agreed to let me stick around for a few more months while I try to save some money… and then still made the trip to Fayetteville and bought a bunch of my family and friends meals over the weekend. To top it off, when I called my dad to let him know it’s official, he said my parents want to take me to dinner tonight to celebrate. Shouldn’t I be taking them to dinner?? I hope I can be as generous and supportive as they are.
I know people buy and sell houses all the time… but I don’t… so I want to remember it. I learned a ton about patience and trusting in God’s timing over the last few years. Thank you to everyone who has been praying and listening to me vent. I wouldn’t change a moment of my time on Albemarle, but I know this last year prepared me to say goodbye. I am no longer a homeowner!
I started looking at buying a house in April of 2008. I was tired of paying rent and thought it could be a bit of an investment with three roommates. I figured I could always keep the house. I was in a college and military town, surely I could find people to rent it if I moved. The house always seemed to need work and during the summer of 2010 I did (well I hired some people to do) my big kitchen renovation. Two years later, I accepted a job in Maryland and needed to make some decisions about my house. I know renting was an option, but I’m chicken. I was afraid of people messing up my house. I was afraid something big would break and I wouldn’t be able to afford to fix it. I was afraid I couldn’t charge enough to cover my mortgage. I was afraid if I found renters, they would leave and I’d be stuck with two mortgages or a mortgage and rent due. So I packed up my clothes and moved in with my parents, leaving my house behind.
Not many 30-year olds move in with their parents. I suppose it might happen more frequently these days, but it’s not usually ideal. I needed to reacclimate myself to living with my parents and adjust to a 120 mile round trip commute (compared to the three miles I was used to in Fayetteville). I told myself I could handle it until Christmas. Christmas came and went and there was not a lot of interest in my house. Really, the first seven months didn’t go so well and I eventually switched realtors in March. I think the combination of a lower price and the time of year helped me get some more looks. It’s not helpful when there are more than 20 houses for sale in your neighborhood, many of them foreclosures, but since pretty much eliminating renting as an option, I didn’t feel like I had another option, but to wait. If nothing else, I had a place to stay when I went back to visit and I could almost fool myself into thinking it was still home.
On Aug. 27 I received my first offer on the house. I accepted it the next day with plans to close Sept. 16. It sounded like as long as there weren’t any crazy issues that came up in the inspection on the 30th, we’d be good to go. The inspection came back pretty normal for a 50-year-old house, but after my realtor met with the buyer last Tuesday, my realtor said the buyer was 50-50. I was in limbo trying to figure out if the buyer was still on board and if she was, I needed to get down there and get my stuff out of the house. Finally, on Wednesday night at 8 p.m., my realtor said the buyer was on board and if I came down this weekend, we could close on Monday the 9th.
There’s always some risk that a contract could fall through up until closing, but my family took a risk and went down with me to get my stuff. We drove down and packed Friday, loaded the truck Saturday and then drove back and unloaded the truck Sunday. Between filling a four-bedroom house and having some pack rat tendencies, I have a lot of stuff. Somehow we survived and it was all worth it when my realtor called this morning to say it’s officially sold.
I’m already getting long-winded, but I need to at least attempt to thank my family and friends for their help. First of all, I’ve had boyfriends, friends and family who have helped me fix up my house. We have ripped off wallpaper, painted, caulked, hung decorations, installed ceiling fans, and did way too many hours of yard work. I didn’t make any money on the sale, but I know it wouldn’t have been close to breaking even without the changes we made.
During the last year I’ve had to rely on people in Fayetteville to keep an eye on my house. People cut my grass and dealt with my alarm issues… and you know you have real friends when they’re willing to clean up dead bugs for you!
I also had a ton of people help me move… both 14 months ago and this weekend. I know I couldn’t have done it without all of them. Whether it was moving a couch or packing a box or forcing me to throw away my papers from college, it was needed and I’m grateful. I know I have an awesome network of people when I can have a house full of people in Fayetteville helping me load a truck and drive back to see family waiting to help me unload the truck in Maryland.
My parents definitely deserve some sort of award. Not only have they dealt with a rent-free roommate for the last year, but they agreed to let me stick around for a few more months while I try to save some money… and then still made the trip to Fayetteville and bought a bunch of my family and friends meals over the weekend. To top it off, when I called my dad to let him know it’s official, he said my parents want to take me to dinner tonight to celebrate. Shouldn’t I be taking them to dinner?? I hope I can be as generous and supportive as they are.
I know people buy and sell houses all the time… but I don’t… so I want to remember it. I learned a ton about patience and trusting in God’s timing over the last few years. Thank you to everyone who has been praying and listening to me vent. I wouldn’t change a moment of my time on Albemarle, but I know this last year prepared me to say goodbye. I am no longer a homeowner!
Before and Afters...
My house in a truck...
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