For the past couple of weeks, each Wednesday and Saturday, I run around like a crazy woman trying to make my home look like it belongs in the pages of Home Beautiful. No easy feat. Especially with a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old who love to make mess. I do this in the hope that someone will walk in, fall in love and hand over great wads of cash. So far, no luck.
Oh sure, we've had lots of people through the door and they all think it's 'nice'. We've even had a woman hang around our front gate and interrogate the neighbours and tell us she's 'besotted'. Yet, she's still not throwing bundles of money at us.
But back to the open houses. These little beauties haven't been quite as painful as I thought they would be, mainly due to the fact that we put three-quarters of our belongings in storage. Even so, every Wednesday and Saturday morning I still run around like a lunatic, wishing I could put the kids in straightjackets and tie them up in the front yard until the real estate agent arrives. Instead I spend my time yelling: "Don't jump on the beds, I just made them!" and "Please, don't smear Vegemite over the lounge!" or "Please, please don't throw the roll of toilet paper around the living room!". Usually I'm not so polite.
Today I went through all the rigamarole for zero people to come and look. That's right zero. "People don't like to look at houses in the cold," the agent said. Well that's great, don't they know how much stress I went through this morning? How my kids are probably damaged for life from my maniacal screeching. The very least they could do is turn up.
All along I have felt confident that someone will come and buy our house, how could they not? The past 24 hours I've started to get worried. Not just that we won't find the perfect buyer (or any buyer), but that I'll be stuck doing these wretched open houses for years to come.
Any tips for surviving open houses and auctions with kids and keeping your sanity?
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oh gawd.... I've been there. Its awful and I didnt even have kids at the time! I reckon next time I have to sell, Im moving out first but just leaving enough 'stuf' to make it look lived in -- I reckon its the only way! Just discovered your blog, howdy!
ReplyDeleteOh Corinne, it's absolutely crushing when you have no one or only a couple through for an open house. ALL. THAT. EFFORT. Just wasted. I used to buy fresh flowers for every open house, so it started getting ridiculous after almost 8 weeks of open houses and still no sale!
ReplyDeleteI only had the one bub at the time, but it was still damned hard. I used to put him in his car seat, then run back inside and do a speedy tidy up... on top of the thorough clean I'd already done. I was definitely a mad woman trying to keep the place looking just so, over that period.
Someone will love it, when you least expect it, they'll walk in and make an offer.
Such a tough time, good luck with Sat... fingers crossed you'll get a good turn out :o)
Sorry no tips here, hust wanted to wish you luck! I hope it's all over soon :o)
ReplyDeleteAh, Corinne, I *get* you, Sweetie. Maybe you saw my post this week (http://www.lifeonplanetbaby.com/2011/05/vacating-selling-and-buying-houses-all.html). Know you're not alone! And with 3 under 6, I completely empathise! We have to get our rental tarted up for prospective renters on Saturday. Sigh. J x
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