[Hyacinth Bucket]

Bright I wonder if you recall one of my favorite magazines - MOTHER EARTH?

HB

[Donna]

HB...what are you geting rid of??? Any thing I would like??? :bigthumbsup:

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Donna yes. I am still looking for the turn of the century curling irons. The ones they heated over hot coal.

Do you need anything else?

HB

[renielarson]

We subscribed for years to Mother Earth! I wonder if it's still being published? (I just checked and it is...only $10 for a yearly bi-monthly subscription.)

Being self sustaining is only a fantasy of how I could have lived a simpler less complicated life. Yet I know it would have been a lot of work - probably more than I would have liked.

With the rising energy costs and product/food recalls I think about what if...

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Bright we once looked at a house built using MOTHER EARTH. They left there copies of the magazine. I think they held the magazine with one hand and hammered things together with their other hand.

Needless to say the house was quite unique and interesting.

HB

[Barefoot]

I've had four house showings in the past four days. You'd think my house could stay pristine between showings, but not with two dogs and a shedding cat! The dogs roll in leaves, come inside and shake, and the white carpet isn't white any more. The dogs drink water and slobber over the kitchen floor .. more work to wash the floor again.
Fireboy comes home from work and sheds his fireboy duds and size 18 shoes in surprise locations. And so it goes. Anyone want three geriatic animals? I put them on freecycle, but no takers.

Suggestions for showing your house (from a former realtor):

- Your home should look like a model home, like no-one lives there.
- Put away your figurines, your lace doilies, your stuffed parrot, your
baseball hat collection, your family pictures. No-one but you wants
to see them.
- "Curb appeal" is important, make sure your entry way is inviting.
- Don't stuff junk in your closets, purchasers look there. Get rid of
it or store it in the garage.
- Open the drapes and turn on all the lights.
- Buy some fresh flowers for the inside of the house and hanging
baskets for your back deck.
- I can't emphasize fresh and clean enough.
- Go away during showings and take your animals and kids with you.
- If you must remain in the house, do not talk to the prospective
purchasers. You are paying an agent to do that job.
- Appeal to all senses ... have soft music playing, the air lightly
fragranced by cinnamon/clove spices simmering on the stove.
- Make sure your realtor has provided colour feature sheets for
purchasers to take with them with flattering pictures of the house
and details of all improvements and renovations. Attach a copy of
the survey if you have one.
- Make sure your realtor provides this listing information on an
internet site.
- The biggest mistake that owners make is overpricing their home.
- Don't overprice with the idea that "people can make offers". If your
house is overpriced, people won't look at it, so how can they
make offers? Then your home will become "stale" and people will
avoid it, thinking something is wrong with it.

Good luck all! It is somehow comforting to know that others are going through this same thing. But you have a light at the end of the tunnel .. TV!! Wish I could be there full time. I'm working on Sam Hass and Hu to adopt me.

[Just Susan]

I bet you were a wonderful Realtor, Bare. Really great advice, thanks.

[samhass]

Re: the adoption..Bare, Do you eat a lot? We're retired senior citizens on a fixed income. :-*

[Just Susan]

You guys are fixed??? Isn't that only for domesticated animals?


HB sounds like a whole lot more fun working together. Too bad we all live so far apart.


My prayers are with you Bare. It won't be long for you. 4 in 4 that is awesome. Oh and Bare, you and Fireboy can eat your meals with us...we are not fixed.

[samhass]

Yes, Susan. I'm fixed for good. You're not????? ;D You start "birfin "any babies here in TV and you'll have to move to Spring Arbor.

[chelsea24]

Great post Bare. Our realtor did not tell us all of those things but a client of mine did. We did it all and sold in 3 mos. This stuff really works! The hardest part is living like it's a model home. We spent a lot of time in the garage. LOL

[Barefoot]

Sammy - You ask if I eat a lot? Have you seen my muffin top lately? (That's the bit at your belly button that is supposed to be indented, ha ha). My muffin top now looks like a pillow top mattress.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Bare, I find that hard to believe about you.

HB

[samhass]

Oh Bare, I went to meet MikeG for the first time today. He is beautiful. The man should be in a painting..a young David. I know we all appreciate beauty at our ages. He's also kind and seems to have a gentle, good soul.

[Barefoot]

HB - Sad, but true.

Sammy - I heard you were drooling at the information session today.
Lets get MikeG to post a picture of himself. Something especially Susan and Bright would enjoy.