TanksHill...Roll on!!

[murphysranch]

I agree with Dace. Except I would put it on the market in March. It took us 6 months to sell our home in the bay area - and we reduced the price three times. The Realtor paid for staging for us, even tho our stuff was excellent. We also negotiated 5% commission, which is now the standard instead of the old 6%. Color brochures out front, kept full all the time. Should a miracle occur, and someone wants it immediately, you can always rent back until the kids get out of school.

 

[TanksHill]

Ok let me ask you both this. I don't think we would be in the house while selling it. I have a dog, 3 kids and can't keep the place clean as it is. Yet alone Tip top show the customer clean like know it will need to be.

I think we should pack, and get out. I am willing to sleep, cook and bathe in our trailer. Its a 40 ft toy hauler and has more than enough space.

I would like to empty the house completely, paint, put down some new builder grade carpets and call Coit to clean all the tile. Then without all the little house stuff going on I can concentrate on the landscape. I understand the average buyer is not going to have same ideas on landscaping. I stopped planting things I couldn't eat several years ago. But I think planting my garden boxes with veggies could be an asset. I will remove my little coop and dh is going to have to clean out the barn. It's full of stuff.

But do you think a perspective buyer will have issues with us in the garage and trailer out front? I am hoping that with a quick round of fixing and cleaning we can price, somewhat reasonable and do a FSBO. My neighbor listed his place on CL and it sold in a month. Sold low but still sold. It was a 1936, kinda chopped up older home. It does have 2 acres and a great ocean view though.

But how far do we go with the fixes?? I would say the place could use some new appliances. The woodwork needs a new coat of clear coat and the wood floors should be refinished soon. But I don't want to pay for all that.

How do you know where to draw the line?

help??????

 

[TanksHill]

I totally get the whole sell by June thing. That's just what we want. Listing in March sounds good. But that means we move out in Feb, Clean up and do fixes in March and hope it sells in April, May.... That means 4 -5 months in the trailer. That's not doable.

Maybe out in March, list and fix by the end of April and move in June? What is that 3 to 4 months?

Uggggg!!!

 

[TanksHill]

Is it 2011 yet???

Wow this week is just flying by.

Update........

Turkeys and chickens have all decided to bunk together. Which makes things easy for me. They all go to bed at dusk now and I just lock them in.

My knotted blankets went over great for Christmas. Everyone seemed to like them.

I have managed to almost burn or dispose of all the Christmas rubbish.

Dh and BIL fixed the fan bearing thing a ma jigger on the Freightliner. So it looks like we will be going to the desert for a couple days. Sounds good to me I need some time out of the house.

My cider is still bubbling away. Slowing down now. I have no idea what to do with it next. I need to read up a bit.

I had a list of seeds from Baker Creek I was making. I lost it. So now I shall start again.

I sent 6 beanies to Mo. for the kids and the adults are jealous and threatening to keep them. So I am making more for the big people. I will probably finish those this week.

Still not sure what we are doing with our house and lives. That's just to complicated of a decision right now. What frustrates me is I think dh and I should jump on a plane and fly to Mo. to look at that farm I found. Instead he wants to go to the desert. Priorities????

We had a bit of an intense discussion at the in laws. SIL was talking about her property and how hard things were. If you remember she bought 21 acres locally and lives in a very run down mobile home, by choice. She is a very successful business owner and is renting her Victorian on 2 acres out. Dh spoke up and started talking about Mo. They "discussed" things for a bit. Then MIL says "It just seems Ca is the best place to live". I calmly replied form the other side of the kitchen where I was carving the still raw, deep fried turkey and sticking it piece by piece into the microwave. "I think that depends on what your definition of the best is". I could feel the daggers in my back.

And that pretty much sums up our day.

Overall we had a great Christmas. I am looking forward to the new year and making great strides.

Cheers!!!!!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yes yes yes! i've decided that TODAY is the first day of the new year - so you can join me in Happy New Years! whooot!

onward and upward..

you'll get all of this sorted out, i know its stressful. hang in there, baby!

 

[framing fowl]

I feel your pain on the fixing and when to list it scenario. We're wanting to move in August but similar deal on how much fixing do you do?

Anyway, cheers to 2011! It's got to be better than this past year.

 

[Farmfresh]

How do you know where to draw the line?

help??????

I used to sell Real Estate for Century 21 - here are my humble suggestions.

I think we should pack, and get out. I am willing to sleep, cook and bathe in our trailer. Its a 40 ft toy hauler and has more than enough space.
I agree an empty house sells faster!
I would like to empty the house completely, paint, put down some new builder grade carpets and call Coit to clean all the tile. Then without all the little house stuff going on I can concentrate on the landscape. I understand the average buyer is not going to have same ideas on landscaping. I stopped planting things I couldn't eat several years ago. But I think planting my garden boxes with veggies could be an asset. I will remove my little coop and dh is going to have to clean out the barn. It's full of stuff.
So far so good!
But do you think a perspective buyer will have issues with us in the garage and trailer out front?
The main thing about an empty house is they will look LONGER. In an occupied house they tend to hurry through and not take the time to picture themselves living there. I think the trailer could work.
I am hoping that with a quick round of fixing and cleaning we can price, somewhat reasonable and do a FSBO.
A title company will do all of the work and at far less cost than a Realtor. You might consider paying for an appraisal AND a home inspection. A house already appraised and with a home warranty is ATTRACTIVE. It will get it sold much faster, BUT you do have to put money out to get that stuff done.

But how far do we go with the fixes?? I would say the place could use some new appliances.
NOPE - People want to pick out their own. Just take them in consideration when pricing.
The woodwork needs a new coat of clear coat and the wood floors should be refinished soon. But I don't want to pay for all that.
Better to buy a new faucet for the sink (even a cheapie looks better than a worn one and makes the place pop) and get the windows professionally cleaned. Clean all of the lights and light bulbs. Scrub that woodwork and the baseboards.

As for living in the trailer for that long ... it can be whittled WAY down. We lived in a townhouse while we remodeled it to sell. The secret is to empty it as much as possible and then slowly move out - a room at a time.

We would empty one room and clean and repaint it then NEVER go in again. What do you need in an empty room anyway? Start in the least used room and then work your way through the house.

Hope I have given you some ideas!

 

[lorihadams]

good tips.....we painted our kids bedrooms with two coats of primer and left it. It was clean and white, boy was it white but it was primed and ready to go with whatever color they wanted. The biggest thing we did was clean. With kids in the house things get dirty in places you never dream. Took my husband a week to completely clean the house from top to bottom but it was easier to let him do it by himself than for me to come help him with the kids that messed it up in the first place.

Keep the yard mowed and looking neat. If the house looks awful from the outside then people won't even go in.

Ours sold in 6 months but we had to cut the asking price $25000 to do it but we don't have a second mortgage anymore.

New fixtures in the bathrooms and kitchens are not that expensive and can make a big impact. If you are going to sell it as a fixer upper then leave it as a fixer upper. Don't start any projects, just clean everything and make it look neat.

 

[TanksHill]

Oh, you guys are so awesome. You give me hope.

Lori, you feel my pain with the kids and dog. I just cant imagine it being possible to keep them out of certain rooms. We have an open floor plan. Short of putting up barriers I am not sure if it's possible.

Ok I guess things are not really as bad as I am portraying them.. We finished building this house in 2002. It's huge, all custom and my kitchen is a dream. I have built in appliances, double oven and a 36 inch gas range with a downdraft vent. All work but from what I am told the average life span of an appliance is what 8-10 years??? So ours are due. The problem is a 36" built in fridge on the low end is 5 grand. See my problem?

We do need to rebuild our front stairs. There are 11 steps, all like 8 x 14's. maybe 8 ft long. That's curb appeal and has to be done.

Farm, what do you think about window treatments? I have mostly spring rods and a couple roll up shades in the kids room. I would like to showcase the windows. Is it ok just to strip them and leave them bare?

We just had an appraisal when we refinanced. It sucked and I will not offer it. I will however pay for an inspection. I don't think anything serious will be found.

Everything else is cosmetic. Kitchen faucets are new, just did them last year. Light fixtures are good. Pretty neutral and fit the style of the house. Paint is a must. Not everyone is going to like my dark blue dining room. Even if it makes the wood work look amazing.

I found a house about 25 minutes from my destination in Mo. Its an owner finance, 3/1 with a new fix up.. The owner bought it as a repo and is looking to sell. Its only 65,000. I was thinking of going there temporarily then using it as a rental income after we find some property. It's a thought. That would give us time to sell this place.

I think maybe going from one room to the next is a great plan. I am sorting, giving to good will and storing the rest. I have on piece of furniture in my dining room that I will take with. The other two are over-sized and I will need to sell. That I can get started on.

I caved and we are headed to the desert this week. Nothing will be done until after the new year. But that will be a great resolution/ goal for me. Maybe 1 room top to bottom per week when we get back.

got to get, errands to run.

Have a great day!!!!

g

 

[dacjohns]

Be very careful on an owner finance or contract for deed. A friend of mine was buying a house on a contract for deed and it was foreclosed on. Evidently the person he was buying it from didn't own it outright. It looks like the friend will be out everything.