reality sets in!

[laryb]

Reality has hit us right between the eyes. We built a home in Buttonwood this June with the intention of putting the Mass. house up for sale this spring when the wife can retire, and moving down full time when it sold. Told the realtor that we weren't going to start showing it until next weekend. While picking up the mail yesterday, stopped and talked to a neighbor and he asked when I was moving. I told him that the house wasn't on the market yet, but the minute we closed I would have the engine running and would start driving south. Well, why we talked, a truck pulls up and asks where an address was, and hey, that's my house! He said that he was there to put up a for sale sign. That's when it really struck me, we're selling my house!:22yikes: I didn't tell my wife, so when she got home from work she saw the sign and was shocked too. Then when our kids found out, they were upset more than shocked. After the shock wore off, we were starting to get excited because after all, this is what we've been dreaming of for 4 years now. Now, will it be days, months, or years before it sells, who knows? I do know that the minute it sells, we'll call the kids first, and then it gets posted on TOTV! We can't wait to get there, but I guess we'll have to. :ohdear:

[graciegirl]

Good luck. I hope it sells quickly!:coolsmiley:

[Shimpy]

Looking forward to reading your "SOLD" post.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Price it right and it should sell! Go laryb!!

Bill

[obxgal]

Wonderful news and I hope it sells real quick so you can get down here before anymore snow falls.

[skip0358]

Price it right, declutter, tell your buyers the good points, newer appliances,roof etc. and any ext. warrantees that can be transferred. Worked very quick for us ,hope your as lucky.

[pooh]

Congratulations on taking your next step towards becoming a FROG!
Yup, it's a shocker to see that sign in your yard. You'll be exhausted....keeping the house in showcase condition doesn't make living in it all that easy... ;) so you won't even think much of the sign as soon as the showings begin!

Here's to a quick sale and a safe trip HOME! :BigApplause::BigApplause:

[nkrifats]

Price it right, and it will move. We was on the market here in RI for 3 months. Closing is on Feb. 28th. We rent it back until July 1 and then full time in the villages. Just have to have right price for the right party to come through and you are a winner! Best of Luck.

[jebartle]

Carnak says "it will be sold within a month"....grab your speedo and head for the most wonderful people and place on earth!

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Carnak says "it will be sold within a month"....grab your speedo and head for the most wonderful people and place on earth!
Glad to hear you are further on the path to becoming a villager! Please post a picture of the sold sign. Looking forward to having you here.

[chuckinca]

Sold our house in SF Bay Area 18 months ago in four days - we were not looking forward to months and months of open houses, showings and all that goes with trying to squeeze out the last dime in a housing sale.


.

[raynan]

We know what you're going through and it will be even tougher with all the snow but if you price it right (listen to your realtor) it will sell. We sold our house in Attleboro MA in 2 hours.....1st open house, no advertising, just 8 prequalified buyers invited to see it, 2 offers, one full price and one over. Good luck to you. We have been here 5 mos. now and it still feels like we're on vacation. We're in Pennecamp with great neighbors who have become dear friends and having great fun. You'll be here before you know it.

[2newyorkers]

Just think... no more shoveling snow!

[K9-Lovers]

:wave:

For Sale sign in the yard.
Shouldn’t be very hard.
Your house is just the best,
Far above all the rest.

The Open House will go well.
A hot prospect will come: sell, sell sell!
To The Villages you'll move,
We'll get you in the groove.

When that prospect comes back,
Quickly begin to pack.
You’ll soon be moving out
Without a single doubt!!

:024: K9

[mulligan]

hEY LARRY Interesting timing!! I,m talking to agents this week, in hopes of listing my home by next weekend. Sound's like we,ll get to paradise about the same time.

[laryb]

Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement. We're going to follow the lead of our realtor who happens to be a close friend. He's confident but I'm tending to be a bit of a pessimist because of all the dreary housing forcasts. going to try and stay positive, so Mulligan, the drinks are on me at Urban Flats!

[Pturner]

Laryb,
I'm wishing you a quick and happy sale!

[laryb]

Thanks Phylis, I knew you would!

[laryb]

Carnak says "it will be sold within a month"....grab your speedo and head for the most wonderful people and place on earth!Hey Carnak, you're good, real good!:thumbup:
As I posted earlier, the “for sale” sign went up on Feb 5th, but we told the realtor not to advertise or show the house until the 12th, in order to finish up a few projects. On the 15th we had the agents from the real estate office tour the house. On the 19th, we had our first showing. On the 26th we had our 2nd showing. From the time the sign went up until the second showing, there must have been at least 10-15 people stop and look, some getting out and taking pictures, and we live on a country road.
Got a call on the evening of the 26th from our agent letting us know that the couple that saw it that day loved it, and were going to make on offer if I could answer a few questions first. The next day I got an e-mail with 20 questions that I promptly answered. We decided that we were not going to give it away, but had to be reasonable too, so we didn’t lowball it. They made an offer first thing Monday morning. Their offer was a little below what we wanted, so we countered, and their second offer was what we were looking for. Had the home inspection this weekend and it passed, now just waiting for results from the radon test, but the inspector says not to worry, that recently built homes are more likely to have radon than older homes.
The buyers are pre-qualified, so it shouldn’t be a problem, but who knows with banks today. If everything goes well, the closing is scheduled for April 15th. We have birthdays and a confirmation in early May, so we won’t be leaving until the 15th, but our goal is to make it for the May Crispers meeting!


hEY LARRY Interesting timing!! I,m talking to agents this week, in hopes of listing my home by next weekend. Sound's like we,ll get to paradise about the same time.I hope we do Mulligan! In any event, let's promise to leave the light on for each other:pepper2:
And thanks to everyone for all the encouraging posts. All the positive energy made it work!:BigApplause:

[teachnmo]

You were smart in setting the price right! You will LOVE the villages. I am one of the ones who had to have radon improvements in my house. My son, a house inspector, stated I should have aired it out as it had been shut up for the winter. Anyway it cost me $600 to fix and we were on our way to The Villages in July. Have not had one second of regrets! Welcome to Florida!!

[katezbox]

Lary and Mulligan - good luck... hope to meet you both here soon.

[ladydoc]

As we were talking with our real estate agent to sign the listing papers, our neighbor down the road (about 1/4 mile away...we are very rural) called and asked what we were listing at. Hubs told her and she said her son would be VERY interested in the house. He used to help us around the place when he was a teen. I said to our agent.."If this call results in a sale, you are not getting 6%!!! :$: LOL If her son buys it, the family will have a 10 acre compound.

[ajbrown]

laryb,

Will keep fingers crossed for you, great news and very exciting!!

Alan

[whartonjelly]

We are waiting for the call from TV Relocation service. Then we decide. I will post the minute ours goes up for sale !

[Bill-n-Brillo]

laryb - Hope it all works out!

Our experience with radon/testing/mitigation: When we were selling our prior 30-year old home in OH, the buyer wanted to do the radon test thing. I instinctively figured the house wouldn't pass muster - the county we live in is known for above-standard levels of radon. Sure enough - the radon level tested as over-spec. Rather than run the risk of getting into a whizzing contest over having a company install a mitigation system with the potential that the radon level might STILL not meet specifications, we offered the buyer a credit that would cover the bulk of a mitigation system if he should so choose to install one. Or he could do whatever he wanted with the credit. Frankly, between the radon thing and several other items he wanted a credit for rather than resolution to them, we figure he was just out to garner more money towards his closing costs. Regardless, he agreed to the radon system credit..........and I had the realtor insert in the addendum to the sales contract that we as sellers would not be liable in the future if the buyer installed a system and the radon test was still over the limit. The seller was agreeable. Worked out fine for everyone, it seems!

Again, best wishes for success in getting your house through closing!

Bill

[nkrifats]

laryb - Hope it all works out!

Our experience with radon/testing/mitigation: When we were selling our prior 30-year old home in OH, the buyer wanted to do the radon test thing. I instinctively figured the house wouldn't pass muster - the county we live in is known for above-standard levels of radon. Sure enough - the radon level tested as over-spec. Rather than run the risk of getting into a whizzing contest over having a company install a mitigation system with the potential that the radon level might STILL not meet specifications, we offered the buyer a credit that would cover the bulk of a mitigation system if he should so choose to install one. Or he could do whatever he wanted with the credit. Frankly, between the radon thing and several other items he wanted a credit for rather than resolution to them, we figure he was just out to garner more money towards his closing costs. Regardless, he agreed to the radon system credit..........and I had the realtor insert in the addendum to the sales contract that we as sellers would not be liable in the future if the buyer installed a system and the radon test was still over the limit. The seller was agreeable. Worked out fine for everyone, it seems!

Again, best wishes for success in getting your house through closing!

Bill

Radon test was high for us. Company here in RI I used gave good price and guarantee to get it within limits for that price. Was do it or lose the sale. We want to be in the villages full time come July. So we did the trick. Buyers Market sure makes a difference.

[2BNTV]

laryb and mulligan;

Hope your home sells very quickly and with no hassles. I hope you won't have to face another brutal winter.

I will put my house on the market next month so I'll have my fingers croosed it will sell this time and be able to move to paradise. :)

I may even try another St Joe's in the yard.

[natickdan]

Reality has hit us right between the eyes. We built a home in Buttonwood this June with the intention of putting the Mass. house up for sale this spring when the wife can retire, and moving down full time when it sold. Told the realtor that we weren't going to start showing it until next weekend. While picking up the mail yesterday, stopped and talked to a neighbor and he asked when I was moving. I told him that the house wasn't on the market yet, but the minute we closed I would have the engine running and would start driving south. Well, why we talked, a truck pulls up and asks where an address was, and hey, that's my house! He said that he was there to put up a for sale sign. That's when it really struck me, we're selling my house!:22yikes: I didn't tell my wife, so when she got home from work she saw the sign and was shocked too. Then when our kids found out, they were upset more than shocked. After the shock wore off, we were starting to get excited because after all, this is what we've been dreaming of for 4 years now. Now, will it be days, months, or years before it sells, who knows? I do know that the minute it sells, we'll call the kids first, and then it gets posted on TOTV! We can't wait to get there, but I guess we'll have to. :ohdear:

We are putting our house here in Natick, MA on the market in early May. We've been here almost 25 years and it's going to difficult for us to leave. With kids grown & gone, it no longer makes sense for us to have a 5 BR home.

We had our house appraised last November and I believe we will price it competitively. The reality is there still remains uncertainty in the real estate market.