Finally made a decision...

I know many of you have kept asking where we sit about selling, since we have been on the fence for a couple of months now. Well, we finally made a firm decision to sell, and the house goes on the market tomorrow.

The decision was finally easy in the end, because a neighbor at the head of the street just listed all four of his (contiguous) houses for sale. (His 52 year old wife died 3 months ago from an aortic aneurism.) They are across the street from the milk company, who has tried to buy his houses before so they can expand. Since I think eventually there will be tractor trailers parked just 2 doors down, and in and out all night picking up milk, we want out NOW.

Wish us luck, please.

here's wishing you luck ;)
hope all works out good for you!!

Darius, I think in the circumstances you made the right decision...such a cute house though. Jo

Everything ALWAYS works out in the end. And it seems once more, it has.

Congratulations. You oughta see if the dairy would wanna buy yours too ... at a great price, of course!

Yes, it does sound as if you're getting a clear message to move. May you find an even better place in the near future!

Clear leading is such a good thing! Glad to hear you've arrived at a solution, even if it is a bittersweet one.

You must be relieved now that you've made the decision. Good luck darius!!

Thanks, everyone.

Now it's the time to worry: Did we price it right? Will someone come to look at it just when the 3 PM train is at its noisiest? Will a potential Buyer be scared off by passing 4 For Sale By Owner signs in a row just before seeing my house? Will the drunk boyfriend of the woman next door choose the time a potential Buyer is here to come bellowing at her front door? Will she throw heavy objects out the front door at him like the last time?

Yep, definitely time to get out of that neighborhood, LOL! The buyer for your house is out there somewhere, and I feel sure that he or she will appear at an opportune moment.

whiterose, I'm hoping for a Gardener, but one who hates my Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (contorted filbert) and dwarf Japanese laceleaf maples so I can take them with me, LOL!

whiterose, you have mail.

This message was edited Tuesday, Aug 5th 7:52 AM

Good Luck to you :)

Darius, your home has so many positive things going in it's favor - it's charming, has a great floor plan and your gardens are beautiful just to name a few. I hope it won't be long before you are telling us it is sold.

Darius, I think you can state in the contract that you get to take certain plants with you. Begin to dig and pot up every possible plant NOW so you won't have a limited time in which to do that task as well as all the other moving work.
GOD bless you and grant a good sale price and a speedy(tho not too speedy)sale.

leaflady, I have been potting up plants for 2 months now, so have quite a few to take already. However, the contorted filbert and the 2 Jap. maples are such a size that it would leave an obvious hole in those beds, plus make the garden look lopsided. I am resigned to leaving them, and not sure I could even move them anyway, as they finally have some size to them.

Darius, don't fret about your "lookers", you can schedule them. And, I'd make sure that you make a point of your garden in your ad--they will see it before they see the other 4 Sale signs. I know that the words, 'charming garden' and 'cozy home' would make me look at the house!
(Just don't schedule anyone for the weekend of Oct. 19!)

Good Luck!
Vi

It sounds like an easy decision to me. I hope you find the perfect place to move to and that somebody thinks your place is perfect for them. Have them look in the morning, drunk boyfriends usually are sleeping it off about then.

hmmm I wonder how MaryE would know about drunken boyfriends? LOL

She had neighbors and learned from their boyfriends' behavior.

LOL Aimee. You are funny!

Darius - Since you and I have been dialoging in a couple of forums, I thought I would take a look at your home page which led me to this forum.

I wish you the very best in your move to a new location. We would welcome you to Grand Haven, Michigan, if you would consider a change of climate. We could make snow flowers in the winter, but in the spring time we could look forward to many beautiful wildflowers.

I would love to give you a demonstration of my motorized hose reel.

FLOWERS OF BLESSING IN YOUR TRANSITION

Thanks Birdsall... but these mountains are my Home! They feed my soul as well as my eyes...

For such a lovely gardener I wish for you a wonderful location where your soul will be fed as well as your eyes.

I have a friend living in Asheville. If I ever get down there, I might send you an email for a get together.

Fred

Thanks, Fred! I have the feeling I will find just what you described. C'mon down... I always love to meet more DG'ers!!

Today I met Nathalyn, who came to Asheville on business and brought me 2 boxes of iris to replace mine lost to iris borers. She's wonderful! I'll have some plants ready for her to pick up on her drive home tomorrow afternoon. Sorry I didn't get some photos but time was short as we had to vacate the house for a showing.

(Posted this later: I did get a photo when Nat came back for her plants. Look in the Parking Lot Forum.)

This message was edited Sunday, Aug 10th 9:28 AM

All the very best in your endeavours darius and by the way I did post to you regarding rose choices - something to think about when you settle in your new home!!! :-) I know exactly how you feel about the mountains - precisely why I chose to live here!

Margaret, after the more southerly NC mountains, my next choice would be in your area. I love it there too!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement!

I sold a house in Hampton before I moved here and keeping it looking spic and span for potential buyers was the hardest thing and not easy with three cats. I hated the intrusion, especially from folk who were there to be nosy and had no intentions of buying.

I agree it's never easy to keep a house presentable at a moment's notice. It's even harder for me because I am NOT a neat and tidy person, nor is my housemate. I always have projects strewn about everywhere, inside AND in the garden. Somehow I manage more easily to keep the garden looking presentable, LOL.

My housemate said last night she had a nightmare the night before. She dreamed she got so accustomed to making her bed every morning that she contimued to do it for years!

Hah! Glad we're not the only ones whose bed is seldom made. ;) I can't imagine keeping our house ready for sellers; I have enough trouble decluttering and cleaning up for company!

Kimberly, I'm finding it easier every day, becoming sort of a routine.

While I have always been a clutterer, AND loved to have company, I always hated all the effort it took to make the house presentable. Ususlly I was too tired to enjoy the guests.

Exactly darius. But we still do it!! With me it's either the garden or the house - just can't manage both and keep them looking good at the same time. So....trying hard to get everything into perspective. I used to be so houseproud but relaxing that part of my makeup now and enjoying life so much more. Must be something to do with getting older....and wiser!! I hope!! :-)

I haven't been able to keep either the house OR the garden looking good for the last few years since I am too tired when I get done taking care of all my Mom has for me to do. I keep saying that someday I will afford a gardener and a housekeeper so all I have to do is get more plants and putter.

I guess I should buy some lottery tickets. (I would rather spend money on plants than the lottery though.) lol

Margaret, I'm familiar with the syndrome that makes some of us "houseproud"... I had it bad at one time, but finally getting a bit better. Had it for other things as well... fancy cars, Italian shoes, good jewelry... I could go on and on.

Now I figure if someone comes to my house and is more interested in how the house looks, or even how I look, than in any exchange between us, then I really don't need them as a friend.

I now wear comfortable boots, even with shorts in the summer, and never wear make-up unless there is a very special occasion! I came to NC with 65 pairs of heels (several pair unworn) in a rainbow of colors to match all my hand-tailored suits. Now I have kept just a couple of basic black heels and 1 or 2 suits in case I have to go to a funeral or something requiring appropriate dress. I'd guess my make up has all dried out and I'll have to buy new if I ever need it...

Aren't some of us peculiar? I'm like the woman in the poem, "When I'm an old woman I shall wear purple"... I've even learned to spit!

Peculiar? No, I think that you are just comfortable with who you are on the inside. What a sad life indeed if it can only be measured by "things" accumulated. I hope that mine will be measured by memories and experiences.

But I don't know about that spitting thing - - - I just never have the urge for that. Must be the "girly girl" in me. LOL :>)

Oh what wise words indeed from both of you and a lesson perhaps that only time has metered out to us - to me. I too worked in an office and was well suited and healed but I was so glad to get rid of all that. Not that they were designer or anything, never could quite raise my standards that high nor would my purse allow it. Now, I just wear the good stuff to church or special occasions and as for makeup - just a little when I go out. This country life suits me, yes indeedy.... as long as my back holds out. Lani your house and garden can wait - they are not going anywhere!! :-)

So Darius, are you selling thru a real estate agency after all? Have you been showing the house?

Oh, the freedom of maturity! Oh, the joy of abandon! I remember so well the day I suddenly realized I didn't have to wear a bra or makeup, or heels or panty hose. I felt like I had just been given the keys to the REAL castle, and was finally given permission to be at ease.

I also remember when a sales manager told me I MUST wear makeup, it wasn't professional to call on clients with a bare face. I would love to spit for his benefit now. Jenny Joseph, you are my hero.

I am an old woman, and I wear purple and eat a pound of sausages at a go and sit on curbs and collect things in boxes, and spit if I feel like it.

Aimee I'm with you! It IS freedom in so many ways. The older I get the better it is. I only wear a bra if absolutely necessary (and it is becoming less and less so) and makeup if I get the urge which is still sometimes, since I like the way I look and the look on DH's face when I get all dolled up... I have a plate and 6 pins in my L ankle so I have a doctor's excuse never to wear heels again (hurray!) and I refuse to wear panty hose for any reason whatsoever.

I do, however, love to wear dresses and skirts. And pretty colors.

I'm going to post a wardrobe thread and see what happens.
:)

My goodness, ladies, I feel like the fellow with no vices that Mark Twain compared to a ship with no ballast to throw overboard.

I's been wearing T-shirts and jeans most of the time now in my maturity. T-shirts protect me from the sun, and jeans protect me from the neighbors.

Bad arches prevent going bare footed. I never did wear panty hose, so I guess I am stuck with what I got left.

I am with Birdsall on what I wear. I have never worn heels because it hurt my feet or my knees, wear blue jeans and tshirts or tank tops at home and maybe wear a gauze blouse to town IF it is clean that day. I have four of them but my favorite one is the large one that covers my tummy when I raise my arms. My favorite jeans fit loosely also so I don't groan when I sit down. lol

Never have worn much makeup because I can't see my face when my glasses come off and DH doesn't like makeup anyway. Love that man!!! Don't curl my hair because my hair won't take a curl anyway.

I guess you could say that I am easy maintainance until it comes to my garden and critters. LOL

I'm with Ponditis...I'm easy maintenance too until it comes to garden and critters. I don't get into makeup, jewelry, or girly stuff. I'm happier in my "work" clothes always. Work clothes being tshirt, shorts, boots. When I see women dressed to the nines with tons of makeup and jewelry on, it gives me a headache. LOL