March 10, 2008
It is going to be easy to stick to a low sugar diet on the weekend. My office offers many sweet temptations and my kitchen does not. I went to a wedding shower on Saturday and there was a room dedicated specifically to dessert. I ate one petit four and then griped about not being allowed to eat any Skittles, because there was a huge jar with about five lbs of Skittles on the table in front of me, and people kept opening the jar, allowing a fruity whiff of candy to cross my nose. So I left that room.
I like topping off my meals with something sweet, so last night after dinner I made berry-banana smoothies with plain yogurt and frozen berries.
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Getting my house ready to sell has taken more priority than cycling at the moment. It is going to take six to eight weeks to get everything done. And then I probably have a 20% or less chance of finding a buyer. This is the worst time possible to list a house for sale, but it's also the best time to buy one. So I suppose it would be better to get the hard part done first. The more I think about selling and moving, the more it feels like the right decision. I've not once said in the five years of living in this house, that I "loved" this house or the neighborhood. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with either one, but they weren't the right fit for me.
I also haven't had a smidgen of a doubt about listing the house FSBO. I have yet to see any real estate agent, anywhere or at any time, represent the needs of the buyer/seller first before her own needs, which is about making money as fast as possible. I won't get started with ranting about real estate agents. They are real people, with families and homes, and they aren't necessarily being intentionally dishonest or trying to rip anyone off, but the inherent nature of the process by which real estate agents and agencies operate does not have the homeowner in its best interest. The only time I'd use an agent is at the point of complete and total desperation when I just want the house sold at any cost. It's possible, but hopefully I will never be there.
Posted by megabeth at March 10, 2008 08:45 AM
Lots of people will be buying. Just make your house the one they want.
And yes,realtors are good if you are buying or selling out of town and for nervous first time buyers. Other than that you are your best agent.
Posted by: A at March 10, 2008 12:49 PM
There was a bit in Freakonomics about real estate too. Given the way commissions work, a $10,000 increase in price for you sometimes only means an extra few hundred for them. They'd rather take less and sell fast than wait longer for the commission check. You, meantime, lose out on real money.
My only advice is try not to buy & sell at the same time. We did years ago, and I think we screwed up on the sale because we were too stressed to think straight.
Posted by: skinnydan at March 17, 2008 02:30 PM
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