A) Know what you want.
B) If you want a new house with a huge yard, don’t waste time looking at older homes in the city. You’ll just be wasting your time, the broker’s time, and (most importantly) the home owner’s time.
C) If you put an offer on an older house and get an inspection, don’t expect the report to come back stating that the house is in mint condition. Older houses have flaws. It’s what makes them unique, quirky, and even charming.
D) Remember that the inspector’s job is to find every little fault, no matter how small. It is your job to decide if the flaw is a deal breaker or one you can live with.
We’ve lived in our near 100-year-old house for the past twelve years, and it does qualify as unique, quirky, and charming. It’s by no means a perfect house, but it has character that many of the houses in my neighborhood lack.
It’s been a great place to raise our four daughters. There are many fond memories in this house.
A part of me will be sad to leave the house. But then again, there’s another part that’s raring to move on to the next adventure. And I do like adventures.
This whole process of selling a house is a little odd to me since much of the human equation has been taken out of the picture. I’ve had to leave the house for every showing, which means I’ve never set eyes on any of the potential buyers. It also means that my dog and I have spent hours driving around while strangers walk through my house.
Some have even snooped through our dresser drawers. I guess they forgot that the house is being lived in by real people.
But still, I’m sure everything will be okay as long as no one forgets that there are real people behind the piles of paperwork.
Buying or selling a house is a huge undertaking. If both sides work together and respect each other all will go well. The goal is for everyone to be happy.