Another Hurdle Cleared

Other than Saturday morning when I had to work (we implemented an upgrade of the software I use), I spent the entire weekend decluttering, cleaning and staging my house. I took every trick I've learned from all the hours I've spent watching HGTV and applied them all. I de-personalized and de-junked every last inch of this place. My SUV was packed floor to ceiling with another load of things that I took to Goodwill. By the time Sunday night rolled around, I was exhausted but pretty happy with the way things looked. I would buy this place but then, I already did.

The realtor came to see it tonight and seemed quite pleased. Her only suggestion was to buy some inexpensive dark towels for the bathrooms that would contrast more with the neutral walls. She thought the color would make them pop.

She also mentioned, after I pointed it out, that it might be worth it to change the light fixture over the dining room table. She told me about a lighting discount warehouse that I didn't know about and thought I could probably get something for around $50-$75. So for less than $100, I should be ready to list my place. 

What a relief. 

I explained that I was more concerned about finding the home I wanted to buy than selling my house. I'm not going to sell my place just to sell it; I want to sell it only if I find that dream home. She understood and took all my criteria and preferred neighborhoods and is setting me up to receive automatic emails whenever a new listing comes on the market. We're going to look at everything interesting in the next couple of weeks until I get the warm fuzzies about being able to find a new place and then we'll list mine. 

This is the part I'm dreading. The whole process of looking for houses and finding time to go see them and getting caught up in the negotiations while at the same time having to have my place in show condition every day and negotiating on this end... it's going to be stressful and exhausting.

I just have to keep my eye on the prize.

It Knows

There are times when I think inanimate objects know exactly what's going on and like to mess with our heads. Like when your car stops making the funny noise the minute the mechanic gets under the hood. Or when the DVR stops recording right before the last five minutes of the final episode of your favorite show. Or when you make a haircut appointment and then every day after that your hair looks better than it ever has, as if to say, See, I look good, please don't cut me.

You know what I'm talking about, right? 

Well, I think my house is on to me wanting to move and is taking revenge. I knew she was upset about the burglary but I had no idea she would stoop this low.

* * * 

Two hours after my contractor arrived the first time to walk through the house and discuss all the things I wanted done, my microwave/range hood blew up. I had put a plate of leftovers in it, hit the button and BAM!, a huge popping noise sounded and a bright light flashed and that was the end of the microwave/range hood. I went to Sears the next day and ordered a new one. 

I went three days without a microwave.

The day after my contractor and I met to select my new kitchen counter tops, sink and faucet, the kitchen pipes started leaking. I heard a strange dripping sound and found all of my cleaning supplies and detergents sitting in a little puddle of water. I called a plumber but the only repair he could offer was to replace my faucet. I wasn't about to pay for him to install a new faucet when I had just ordered the one to go with my new sink the night before. 

I went two weeks without a kitchen sink. 

On Friday, my contractor finished up everything that we had designated as Phase 1 of the renovations. He replaced the counter tops, sink and faucet, replaced three window blinds, painted my exterior entry way, patched three dings in the walls and repaired a non-functioning toilet. I told him that Phase 2 would come after the realtor walked through and told me if anything else needed to be done prior to putting the house on the market. On Sunday, my dishwasher broke. 

Your guess is as good as mine on how long it'll be before I get a new one of those... and what will break then as retaliation. 

Looking for a Hug

When I moved into this home eleven years ago, it felt like me. It probably sounds ridiculous but the moment I stepped over the threshold the first time, it felt like the house hugged me. I knew I was going to buy it at that moment, before even seeing the rest of it. Thankfully, I loved everything about it, from it's angled walls and vaulted ceilings to its dark cherry cabinetry and curved staircase. Everyone who came over said the same thing, "It looks like you, Debra." 

I'm not going to say that the decision to buy this house was completely emotional because it wasn't. I also knew it was going to be a good investment. It has a two car attached garage, three bedrooms and two and a half baths so it is a perfect size for a range of buyers. It's also in a good location in a town known for the quality of its schools and affluent community. When I refinanced this year, the appraisal showed I had been right so yay, let's hear it for increased equity.

However, while I still love my place, it hasn't felt so much like me in recent years. I've been wrestling with moving for quite a while. Part of me wants to sell everything, quit my job and move to... and that's where I get stuck. Move to the mountains? The ocean? The city? They all sound equally appealing depending on my mood that day. And what about a job? I could quit my job and hope to find something in a place I would love to live which would most likely mean significantly less pay in a higher cost of living area. So, yeah. I had better love that new job because it would be the only thing I could afford to do.  I've looked for jobs within the company in many different locations but I'm either too far up the salary grade ladder or, you know, not an engineer, so the jobs options are slim the farther you get from headquarters. 

Or, my other option, and the one I'm favoring now, is to continue to live and work here so I can afford to do all the things I love to do... like weekends in Chicago and trips to Maine and the UK and whatever else I care to do. It just seems to make the most sense, financially and personally.

However, there's still the matter of this house and feeling the need to move. So, I think I've found a great compromise. There is a place here locally that I would love to move to. I've always gotten a great vibe from the neighborhood and last weekend I was able to spend several hours in one of the local businesses and actually witness the interactions of community members. It reminded me exactly of one of the Chicago neighborhoods that I love to visit. It has some beautiful little bungalows with wooden floors, dormer windows and enough character to keep me entranced for a long time and it has everything within walking distance that you could possibly need... restaurants, shopping, library, bookstore, grocery, drugstore... just like a city neighborhood. 

Now I just need to find a realtor and start seriously looking at homes. I don't have a pressing need to move so I should be able to take my time and find that perfect little cottage that will feel like the me I've become. And as crazy as it sounds, I'll know it's the one if I walk across the threshold and it hugs me. I can't wait to find it.