Two years ago we decided that the responsible thing to do at
our stage in life was to downsize. We considered
various ways of going about this, but given my husband’s tendency to
procrastinate until a deadline looms, he thought we should go out and buy another
house and then put our home of 34 years on the market. I do think this was the right approach. Cleaning up a 34 year collection was a huge
task and a lengthy transition time was needed.
Had we sold the old place before looking for a new place, I have no idea
how we would have ever gotten out in a timely fashion.
Admittedly, we haven’t actually “gotten out” totally. My husband has not yet moved the entire
contents of his den….there is a walk-in closet jammed with old software and
computers. A family member still has some
items in the carriage house, and the antique pump organ is still in the basement
awaiting a decision. But, basically we
are moved out and the house has been on the market for two years.
We have had some nibbles, but no sale. The real estate agent helped us set the price,
and it does not seem unreasonable.
Recently a house across the street sold for 6% less than we are
asking. Our house has 6 bedrooms
compared to 4 in that house, 4 bathrooms compared to 2 ½, two fireplaces
compared to one, 3 porches compared to one, a carriage house compared to a
two-stall garage, and our lot is significantly bigger. Based on that, our price seems like a
bargain.
Regarding condition of the homes….that house has been
updated in terms of decorating. Having
walls painted in very deep shades is currently popular. But, that is purely cosmetic…an easy and
inexpensive fix. Just before putting our
home on the market, I had resurfaced the doors on the kitchen cupboards, had
the kitchen painted and papered and put down new laminate flooring. A couple of months ago, I had the counter-top
replaced with a new and attractive material.
So…why is our lovely family home sitting there empty?
*Is the size of the home a negative? Most families don’t need 6 bedrooms. They don’t know they need 4 bathrooms until
their daughters become teenagers.
*Is the size of the lot a negative? I will grant you that mowing and leaf raking
the property are daunting!
*Do I need to replace the carpet on the back stairs? It is looking old and tired.
*Is there a paint or paper redo that would make the house
more attractive to a buyer?
*I have been told the kitchen is too narrow. Should I move one of our tables back over
there so prospective buyers can visualize how a table fits in the space. Granted, it may be too narrow if the
occupants of the house are “oversized.”
OR
Is it possible that we overvalue the house, because, for us,
it is so full of wonderful memories?
I remember the amazing 80 by 80 skating rink my husband
created in the back yard several years.
The kids put their skates on in the kitchen and spent hours out
there. Other children came from blocks
around and said it was the best ice in the city.
Our daughters did gymnastics in that huge living room. Our son set up boxes as “hurdles” and ran
through the rooms, leaping over them.
The porches were play areas on rainy days. The second floor porch was a great place to
sit and relax after the kids were in bed at night.
The 10-foot ceiling in the living room allowed for a massive
Christmas tree. I had a frame that fit
in the large front window on the second floor, and I created a “stained-glass”
window with colored cellophane for the holidays. A group of young adults once made a haunted
house in the basement.
The front hall window faces west and has prism glass. Late in the afternoon when the sun is low in
the sky, rainbows are thrown across the front hall and into the living room.
It wasn’t uncommon to host a party with 50 to 70 guests. The kitchen was very functional for large
scale entertaining and both the living room and dining room are spacious.
The third floor suite was often occupied by long-term house-guests….friends
needing a place to live for weeks or months.
On occasion when the power was out (e.g. during ice storms),
our house was full of short-term guests, because we had an old coal-burning
furnace in the basement in which we could put a wood fire, and thus, keep the
house warm even without electricity.
On cold winter days, one of my daughters curled up in
cat-fashion on the carpet in the sunbeams streaming in a south-facing window.
No dollar value can be put on memories. A family living in a home must make its own
memories. So, how do I place a value on
my old home?
What is it worth?
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