A couple weeks back I had a showing scheduled for my condo. I was so excited! My first showing! I got the call the day after I had my realtor drop the price to what she thought would work, because obviously what I needed and she and I had agreed on for the second time just wasn't right, so it was time to defer to her judgment alone. The very short version of the story is that they didn't show up, likely due to the snow (which I had to shovel every 30 minutes just to keep the walk clear, to tell you how much was coming down). It was sad to not have the showing, but the part that bugged me was that they didn't call to cancel. Nor have they called to reschedule... *sigh*

I worked a TON that day to get ready, the biggest part of which was taking down Christmas. But I also went through the entire house to put personal knickknacks and mementos out of sight. Having the Roomba was great because I was able to set it up to vacuum the guest room and hallway while I worked in the living room! I had even stayed up too late the night before to make a run to the store to get some extra things to make the condo more presentable, specifically including 1) a bed skirt for my guest room to hide the stuff I'm storing under the bed and 2) numbers to put on the front door, as my condo has not had it's address on it since before I bought it. Just a couple extra touches to make the place look better. I also put up little notes on the doors to the utility room and the unassuming walk-in closet saying "Please Open" so they'd know to look in. And of course I had out the seller discloser statement and my realtor's card. I got done everything I felt needed to be done (except for the cookies I had wanted to bake) just in time for them to arrive, then went out and started shoveling.

After I was done with what was to be the first round of shoveling, I dared to go back inside and put some cookies in the oven to warm so there'd be a nice smell and then put the cookies out to be eaten! And I did a couple quick extra declutterings and nice touches. I didn't want to be in the house when they arrived, but I didn't want the snow to deter them if they were coming, so I stayed outside without leaving for about 1.25 hours shoveling, clearing off my car, shoveling out parking spaces so they'd be sure to have one when they arrived. But finally I got too cold and too tired, and was giving up hope on them coming, so I went grocery shopping, and stayed away an extra hour after the window of when they were supposed to be there just in case they arrived late. Nothing. Again *sigh* :(

I did all that because I REALLY want to sell my condo so I can buy a house in Ann Arbor, and I had read articles online about how to help sell your place. My favorite two, the ones I took pointers from, are:

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

and

Top 10 Home Showing Tips

Because of those articles, I even opened the drapes in my bedroom for like the first time in 5 years! (And much to my chagrin found a ton of dust behind them and a horrible amount of black marks on the opposite wall! Thank goodness I had a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser already in the house!)

After the non-showing, I also made up a Welcome letter to leave out with the condo and realtor information, and now have a pad of paper ready for suggestions. But for any of this great work and stuff can be seen, I have to have a showing...

I know I could sell the place if I could Just get Someone in to See it! Even without my extra touches, the place is wonderful! Every time I clean and declutter I look around and remember why I bought it and love it.

*sigh* But I need a third bedroom, and I really want to be in Ann Arbor. And come on, I REALLY want to live in MY place again. You know, be able to put up all the pictures and put out all the albums and the rest of my things making it my home. Part of the reason I refuse to put everything away all the time, and why I want at least an hour or two of notice on showing the place, is so I'm not living in a sterile unpersonalized place. I CAN'T live like that. I'll do it short term, but not constantly, it'd be just too depressing. Even more than not being able to sell and missing being able to afford moving to Ann Arbor.

Not that it looks like I'm going to be able to anymore anyway. With home mortgages going the way they are, I'll likely need 20% down to buy new. I only have 10% now and I can't get the other 10% in even one year. That's assuming that I'd NOT have to use what would be my 10% down now just to cover the difference in what I owe on my current mortgage and what I'd need to pay the realtors. Otherwise I have 0% down. Ideally, I could convince my mortgage company (current or next) to give me a loan for the difference in what my mortgage is and what I can sell for, so I can keep the money I have for a down payment.

Oye...

Of course, after 9 months of no showings, only four calls to show, one starts to wonder if the right agent was hired. Sure price was likely an issue at first, and two of the showings I had to turn down because I wouldn't be able to get home to clean up in time for them. (The third one I missed because the call came while I was having a meeting and then forgot to check the message after the meeting was over.) But a frustrated seller starts wondering what's really wrong? Why can't get even get someone IN to see the place? Home Selling Mistakes and How to Market Your Home haven't been much help at all, except to convince me I needed to let my realtor set the price. But what am I supposed to do now? I know condos around me are being bought. Why can't I get a perspective buyer in?

One more: *sigh*

Labels: Home Buying