by Hope
I realize the many posts on the house and the delay in things happening and posts going live has caused a bit of confusion. This is a synopsis post of what has happened to date and where things stand as of today.
Late January/Early February
I requested referrals for real estate agents on Facebook. I interviewed 5 by phone and had 2 of those 5 come to the house. Both of them showed up with printed comps based on our phone conversation. I was very transparent about my plan to list FSBO, but then pass off to an agent when I left town.
February 10th
House went on the market FSBO. I listed it on Facebook Marketplace and Zillow. (No cost for either.) And everyone (local to me) I knew was gracious enough to repost it on their Facebook pages. It was listed for $210,000. (The housing market where I live is pretty hot especially for homes that could be rentals. Investors are buying them up quickly.)
February 12-18
Local buyer who moved here last April from Turkey viewed the house and gave me a verbal offer (no agent) for $205,000. He had a pre-approval and planned to put $70,000 down. He backed out on 2/17 or 2/18 via a text message because his son wanted to live “close to markets.” (I found that funny seeing as this is a tiny town, there is definitely nothing I would consider a market.)
February 20-March 3
- Had an agent showing on 2/20 evening. They came again on 2/23 and sent a written offer that evening. There were required to provide proof of preapproval for this offer as well.
- On 2/24, I countered and they accepted. Written contract with buyer agent. Closing date was to be 3/24.
- On 2/28, I left town with house under contract. I had not signed with an agent.
- On 3/3, inspection happened and buyer pulled out. No reason given.
March 4-6
First thing I did was update my Zillow listing with some of the new images. And change the listing price to $207,000.
I contacted a different agent on March 4. Before you jump down my throat, the agent I had originally selected gave me an attitude when the house went under contract. (I was very open about my plan.) And it really took me back, some of things she said. Not only that, during this “rant” via phone, some of the things she stated had me second guessing using her. She’s a nice person, but I don’t believe I would get the best offer I can get using her.
So different agent. He went and looked at the property on Thursday (3/6) after I laid all the cards on the table about the challenges and what i was looking to get. He highlighted some red flags. But didn’t immediately dismiss my “bottom line” as unattainable.
I’m waiting for him to get back to me.
On March 5, two other agents reached out to me about showing the house on Saturday. I called them on March 6th, and we set it up after I gave her all the details…culvert and water issue, etc. Their buyers are pre-approved, getting a FHA loans, and will need help with closing costs. They both shared the challenges with the house with their buyers and they still wants to see it.
March 8
Today, Beauty will go and open up the house for the showing this afternoon. We shall see.
Sidenote: My entire property is covered by security cameras that notify me of movement and record 20-30 of movement with each notification. On March 7, two women showed up and walked the property. I am assuming it’s one of the potential buyer’s as they were pretty bold in looking in windows and never knocked on the door.
Conclusion
That is a synopsis of the house selling situation to date. I am still planning to stay in Texas for this next week and then return home and figure out next steps. It may be a short stay. But I will be in Georgia for at least a couple of weeks. I have doctors appointments, vet appointment, and Beauty’s wedding dress shopping scheduled for the end of the month.
These were all scheduled with the the March 24 closing date in mind. But now I will have some flexibility on whether I stay or go in April. Just learning to relax and trust the process.
The house isn’t sold until it’s sold. And it may not sale. And I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
Is earnest money a standard expectation in your area? Also, I’m expecting a volatile housing market due to our political climate and uncertainty. Have realtors talked to you about that?
Evidently, earnest money is expected. That’s from both realtors and the lawyer.
And yes, the housing market is certainly volatile. But remains “hot” in my tiny town just because of lack of inventory.
I imagine in a small town realtors talk, and it may be that your expectations have become an issue. That aside, you are still doing yourself a massive disservice with your photos. Here is free advice that I am normally paid for.
Front-plant flowers in the beds on either side of front stairs. They may only last a week with weather but get great pix to post before they die, if you can keep them alive or replace them as needed, do so. Much around them. Put a few small pots on the stairs, a nice doormat and a pretty spring wreath (live or dried flowers preferable over plastic)
Back-put a cute colorful table and chairs (spray paint something free from Buy Nothing) and put a cute plant on it on the deck. Add a few big pots, maybe citrus or flowers. A nice outdoor rug would add some color too. If you can get them cheap, add two Adirondack chairs and a fire pit on the cement pad at the bottom of the back stairs.
Kitchen-clear clutter off counter and in open shelves. The only thing anyone should see in the open shelves under the counter is neatly stacks pots and pans, all extraneous should be in matching or complimentary baskets/bins. No amazon boxes. Put a big vase of fresh flowers or a cookbook holder with a colorful cookbook in the back corner where the bend in the L shape is. Move everything off the sink side. The only thing there should be hand soap for the sink, maybe paper towel holder. The little cabinet by the door should have a cute tray on it for keys, etc. Nothing else. Maybe stack cookbooks in the shelves neatly. Dog stuff should be gone off the floor, cute colorful mat or rug should go there.
Laundry room. Close the washer and dryer, nothing should be stacked on either one. Shelving should be neat, organized, and preferably all small items in non see through bins or baskets that match. Anything not in a bin should be organized with other like items. Close over the door into that room so the interior is not in the kitchen pictures.
Bedrooms-No clutter anywhere. Closets should be closed, beds made with crisp new sheets and bedding. Curtains should be open.
Both Bathrooms-Remove all personal items and store them under the sink, or in a bin under a bed. There should not be soap, razors shampoo, hair bonnet, etc. Close the toilet and shower curtain. Fluffy clean towels on towel racks.
Bathroom with red pot, move the plant to the other corner of the sink and replace with a neutral pot. Or fresh vase of flowers.
Whole house-vacuum or sweep and dust surfaces (including window sills and blinds) before each showing. Look in all high corners for spider webs, included on front porch and back porch. Turn on all lights and open all shades fully. Use something citrus scented for a crispy fresh scent when you are cleaning. Run a half a lemon in the disposal. Windows and screens should be clean inside and out and dust and spot free.
If you are serious about trying to get the price you are after, you cannot show your home the way it is in the pictures.
I appreciate the very thoughtful response and great advice. I return from Texas in a week and will figure out next steps and what $$$ I’m willing to put into the house. After a week of consideration, I am determined to sell the house.
Is it possible ‘markets’ is just a bad Google translate of whatever Turkish word this family might use to describe stores, etc
Yes, most definitely. But again, really tiny town so not sure what “markets” you could buy a house near here…Walmart?
What did this realtor say in the “rant”? Not how you felt about what she said, what was the actual substance?
Two things that stood out…
“I can’t believe I did this for you for free.” Not sure what she did. She didn’t give me any advice, I bought her lunch when we met…like I truly don’t know what she did. It took me aback quite a bit.
“I’m going to have to learn more about marketing.” Umm, if you don’t know about marketing, how are you going to expand the reach of my listing?
That sums it up in a nutshell.
Can you tell me what kind of security cameras you have that send notifications and record? Is there a monthly fee? Were they hard to install?
I have a Eufy system. I’ve had it in place for going on 4 years now and have had no issues.
I have 6 outdoor cameras and 2 indoor cameras and a home base (not sure that’s the technical term.)
All the outdoor cameras record 20-30 seconds every time they detect movement. Lots of options.
No subscription or fees. Super easy to install. Just requires WiFi for me to access and monitor when I’m not at home.