"Are You Alive?"

That was a text I got from a friend last week after she realized she hadn't seen me on Facebook or the blog.  I found it a bit funny since I had just texted her that day about a reference for a sheet rocker.  It's nice to know she cared and was checking up on me.  Everyone needs to know they're cared about every once in awhile.

So where have I been?  Well, let me tell you.  I have been in a black hole of sorts.  I find it interesting how things you don't expect to be a problem or to throw you for a loop, can really knock you on your backside.  Blindside you like no other.

My last post was on Tuesday April 14th.  That very morning I listed our current house "For Sale By Owner" at about 10am.  By 1pm I had a call from a realtor wanting to see the property, and by 3:30pm a couple was walking through my house.  They made an offer the next day.  Their's ended up being the first of 4 offers!

Awesome, right?!?!?  For me, not so much.  Let me tell you, the whole buying and selling of homes is a crock.  REALTORS ARE A CROCK!!!  In what universe does it make sense to list your home by yourself, a potential buyer sees your listing on Zillow, they contact their agent to have her set up a time to come see it, and then you as the seller have to pay said agent 3% of the sale price?  Why do I have to pay THEIR agent?  It makes no sense and for what the realtor does, they are making a killing!  A killing!!!!  I had one agent get testy with me when I basically told her I really didn't want to pay her.  She said, "Well I don't work for free!"  To which I replied, "I"m not asking you to work for free, I'm just telling you that I might not be the one who pays you."  She didn't like that response and didn't end up bringing her client.  I didn't mind at all.

Over the course of the last week and a half, I have had quite an eye opening on what it takes to sell and buy a house, and if you take nothing away from this post but this, I will have been successful.  Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A REALTOR!!!  They will make you think that they are doing you a favor and that they are doing a lot of work, but here's a secret, you can do it all yourself by hiring a real estate lawyer for a fraction of the cost.

When we bought "The 8 Cow House" we walked up to the seller and asked him to buy.  That's right, the house wasn't even for sale (I will write more on that later).  Once we knew he was interested in selling, we contacted a real estate lawyer and for $300 had him go over a contract, supply a contract, and talk us through the whole process.  Easy as pie people.  EASY!!!  We then sat down with the seller, worked out a contract, signed it, and turned the contract along with the earnest money into the title company, who then did everything else.  No realtor necessary.

Some of you may be thinking that $300 is a lot, but compared to several thousand you end up paying a realtor, it's nothing.  So again, I beg of you, don't use realtors.  Now I know that if you are moving to a new area, having a realtor is nice, but let's rename them and call them "Finding Agents" and you as the buyer pay them a sum.  That way sellers can sell on their own and no one has to pay anyone money they really don't deserve.

So, to say the ridiculousness of having to pay a realtor really got to me, is an understatement.  I also didn't like people coming through my home and then trying to tell me what they thought it was worth.  I tend to be a bit sentimental, so it's been rough.  I also know they are getting a great house with a ton of new "underwear", so talk to the hand people if you are going to complain about the price.  It's one of the best on the market and I'm not being bias here.  I've seen what's out there and the buyers are getting a screaming deal.

I've had to keep going back to the way I felt when this whole process started of taking on a fixer upper and sell a perfectly good home.   Even though the last week has made me want to runaway, it was and still is the right thing to do.  We are under contract, have had the inspection, and are moving forward.  I know it will be better once we make the move.  It's like living in limbo and I don't do well with that.  I don't really own this house anymore and the one we are moving into is still a wreck - but coming.

Now that I'm done with my rant, let me tell you the exciting things I have for you this week.  More on the kitchen!!!!  The floor and countertops went in!!!!  It looks amazing and has made the kitchen look bigger!!!  So exciting!!!  The kids bedrooms are also done and just waiting for carpet, and the loft is painted and waiting to be cleaned.  I have a cleaning crew set up to come in on Thursday and I can't wait.  I'm so ready for the house to not look like a construction zone!!!

Thanks for sticking around and being patient during my little meltdown week.  Hopefully it won't happen again, but these days I can't make any promises!!

Have a great Monday!!

Sneak Peak.......