Online Diary: The Home Sale
Well, I thought my magical self-destructive powers had reached new heights when I learned that by putting my house on the market I had single handedly destroyed new homes sales in the U.S., those statistics being the worst in 15 years. But, apparently, my powers know no bounds. Now it has been announced that pre-existing home sales are the worst in 5 years. What next – people who buy homes will immediately suffer an electric shock?
I did have an open house a couple of weeks ago. The first day was much better than the second day. On Saturday I had, let’s see, 5, 7, 9, carrying the 1 – exactly two families look at my home in 5 hours. Again, for those of you who are slow – that was the busy day. Sunday, no one showed. Not one single homeseeker could get off their lounge chair on a beautiful day, get in their car and drive 5 minutes to look at my house. No rain, or major sporting event took place, just no people looking for houses, or my house, in any event. I had to have friends put their names on my sign in sheet so I would feel better about it.
And I did have an ad in Newsday last week, which brought about 5 more people to my door. But with the approximate $50 bucks a day charge, it may not be worth it.
Now, I have broken down and am choosing a broker. I get lots of calls from brokers who want to come see my house. For some reason, they won’t say they are brokers right off the bat. After a while you get the vibe and you ask them. Strange, but there must be a reason. Probably hearing "click" a lot has something to do with it.
The one I am likely choosing is rated the second highest on the island in the most successful brokerage house on the island. I don't take his word for it, of course, but the other brokers tell me that.
And then perhaps, I will have some trickle of potential buyers at least look, and make painfully low offers, IF I'M LUCKY. I’m going to try hard not to scream “You *&^*%6#, are you out of you %^#^$@ mind? Why don’t you just ask me to pay you to take my ^$&^%#@ house”. Then again, I just might.
I will let you know.
Okay, it's too early in the process for a melt-down. Open houses don't sell houses. Brokers sell houses, and even then, it takes time. Patience, grasshopper, patience. Though I agree it is no coincidence that pre-existing home sales are now in the tank. You do have heap big powerful magic, Bwana.
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