Updates on the Sale of Mom's House
See the listing on Realtor.com
Tuesday June 29
The weekend was a busy one. While Peter loaded boxes and furniture into the trailer, there were home visits on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here was the feed back from the Realtors
Buyer #1 The house is too big for my needs
Buyer #2 I found a house that suited me for $40 K less
Buyer #3 The bedrooms are too far down the Hall. The house needs new appliances and there are too many updates needed for the price. Seller would have to lower the price.
When I visited the house this weekend this is what I noticed:
The PROs:
The pool work done made the pool area much fresher. The concrete deck was refinished and looks good. The pool is now opened, and while the water is still a bit green, it should be looking crystal blue within a few days as the chemicals take effect.
The CONS
Kitchens and Bathrooms are a big deal for buyers.
The house needs some updating in the Kitchen - The appliances are old, the counter tops are green formica...
The bathrooms could use updating as well. Dark blue tile in one bathroom does not make a great impression. Somewhat dated looking bathrooms.
Current Realty Trends:
The newest thing in Selling a Home are video tours. The result is that buyers are seeing a lot of homes and demanding perfection before they buy. I did take a few video tours myself, and most homes on the market in this price range are showing picture perfect.
As a result our Realtor says we may have to lower our price.
Audrey thinks there is a good chance we may have to lower our price by 20K because of the stiff demands from buyers in the current market.
She would like to have an Open House first before she does that.
At this point the move is well under way....but there is still a lot of furniture and boxes to move. The first trailer should be picked up in the next few days.
Mom decided NOT to go up to Massachusetts for the first trip. She wants to stay in the house so Peter can unload the furniture in the Rental before she arrives.
Hopefully the house will be emptied soon enough soon so we can schedule the video tour and photos for the listing..
Buyer #1 The house is too big for my needs
Buyer #2 I found a house that suited me for $40 K less
Buyer #3 The bedrooms are too far down the Hall. The house needs new appliances and there are too many updates needed for the price. Seller would have to lower the price.
When I visited the house this weekend this is what I noticed:
The PROs:
The pool work done made the pool area much fresher. The concrete deck was refinished and looks good. The pool is now opened, and while the water is still a bit green, it should be looking crystal blue within a few days as the chemicals take effect.
The CONS
Kitchens and Bathrooms are a big deal for buyers.
The house needs some updating in the Kitchen - The appliances are old, the counter tops are green formica...
The bathrooms could use updating as well. Dark blue tile in one bathroom does not make a great impression. Somewhat dated looking bathrooms.
Current Realty Trends:
The newest thing in Selling a Home are video tours. The result is that buyers are seeing a lot of homes and demanding perfection before they buy. I did take a few video tours myself, and most homes on the market in this price range are showing picture perfect.
As a result our Realtor says we may have to lower our price.
Audrey thinks there is a good chance we may have to lower our price by 20K because of the stiff demands from buyers in the current market.
She would like to have an Open House first before she does that.
At this point the move is well under way....but there is still a lot of furniture and boxes to move. The first trailer should be picked up in the next few days.
Mom decided NOT to go up to Massachusetts for the first trip. She wants to stay in the house so Peter can unload the furniture in the Rental before she arrives.
Hopefully the house will be emptied soon enough soon so we can schedule the video tour and photos for the listing..
Friday June 26, 2020
I wrote up a quick update a few days ago, and somehow forgot to push the "Publish" button, so I am writing a new update this morning as follows
Moms house has officially gone up for SALE today. See the Listing on Realtor.com . As I write this paragraph, there are no new photos on Zillow yet. The square footage and rooms are inaccurate. I assume the Realtor is updating the listing at this time. I texted her to ask her about the listing update. But I do know that Mom's house was not "photo ready" on 6/28 as originally planned, so the photos and video taping have been postponed. I do not know the new date that has been set for photos.
House Showings: We have 2 showings scheduled this weekend. One on Saturday at 11 am, and one on Sunday at 11 am.
Moving Info:
Peter had a trailer delivered to VA House on Wednesday. He hired teenagers to help him load the truck. He has been loading furniture since that time and is still in the process. The Trailer will be picked up on Sunday night June 28 and transported directly to the Rental house. Peter is hoping to have all their essential furniture transported in the initial trailer. Peter will meet the truck at the Rental and hire people on that end to help him unload the furniture and set up the house for Mom. He hopes to be back in Virginia within a few weeks.
Mom is staying with the dogs in Virginia for a few weeks while Peter goes up North to unload trailor. The plan is to have the schedules of availability of a few different people that she can call when a realtor is coming to show the house. Hopefully she can leave the house and take the dogs so she and the dogs are not present when the visitors arrive.
Mary has a dog that is due to have puppies on July 4, so she is rather tied up during this next week as she anticipates the whelping.. But hopefully is able to arrange to be helpful in some capacity.
Mom found a pool man who is able to open and maintain the pool for the month of July. He is starting the process today of adding chemicals and getting the pool opened. This is very helpful as the house is so much more attractive with the pool open.
Moving is always stressful and right now is the peak of stress for Mom and Peter. They are taking it one day at a time. Happily the move is well under way and the bulk of the boxes and furniture should be gone this weekend, It will be exciting to have the house cleared out enough that there will be no distraction from the beautiful large open rooms, the gorgeous views of the outdoors and the sparkling pool. It is a lovely house and it will soon be a jewel to behold..
Moms house has officially gone up for SALE today. See the Listing on Realtor.com . As I write this paragraph, there are no new photos on Zillow yet. The square footage and rooms are inaccurate. I assume the Realtor is updating the listing at this time. I texted her to ask her about the listing update. But I do know that Mom's house was not "photo ready" on 6/28 as originally planned, so the photos and video taping have been postponed. I do not know the new date that has been set for photos.
House Showings: We have 2 showings scheduled this weekend. One on Saturday at 11 am, and one on Sunday at 11 am.
Moving Info:
Peter had a trailer delivered to VA House on Wednesday. He hired teenagers to help him load the truck. He has been loading furniture since that time and is still in the process. The Trailer will be picked up on Sunday night June 28 and transported directly to the Rental house. Peter is hoping to have all their essential furniture transported in the initial trailer. Peter will meet the truck at the Rental and hire people on that end to help him unload the furniture and set up the house for Mom. He hopes to be back in Virginia within a few weeks.
Mom is staying with the dogs in Virginia for a few weeks while Peter goes up North to unload trailor. The plan is to have the schedules of availability of a few different people that she can call when a realtor is coming to show the house. Hopefully she can leave the house and take the dogs so she and the dogs are not present when the visitors arrive.
Mary has a dog that is due to have puppies on July 4, so she is rather tied up during this next week as she anticipates the whelping.. But hopefully is able to arrange to be helpful in some capacity.
Mom found a pool man who is able to open and maintain the pool for the month of July. He is starting the process today of adding chemicals and getting the pool opened. This is very helpful as the house is so much more attractive with the pool open.
Moving is always stressful and right now is the peak of stress for Mom and Peter. They are taking it one day at a time. Happily the move is well under way and the bulk of the boxes and furniture should be gone this weekend, It will be exciting to have the house cleared out enough that there will be no distraction from the beautiful large open rooms, the gorgeous views of the outdoors and the sparkling pool. It is a lovely house and it will soon be a jewel to behold..
June 12, 2020 Friday update for previous week
Rental House Found in Massachusetts:
Earlier this week Peter found a suitable rental house for Mom and himself in Massachusetts. Just 1 mile from the Thomas Aquinas Campus and 20 minutes from the School Peter will be teaching at.. It is a 2,000 square foot rambler with a main floor and finished basement. It is a basic rambler design. There is a living room, kitchen and eating area, and 2 bedrooms and bathroom on the main level. Mom will have a bedroom and den on the main floor. There are two bedrooms a bathroom and a rec room on the basement level which Peter will use for his space. There are also 2 garages and 2 acres of land. The landlord is aware of the dogs and is OK with them. The landlord is in charge of the grounds crew at the college, so the connection of the landlord to TAC is a nice plus. He is very enthusiastic about renting the house to Peter.
The landlord has generously offered to paint the whole house. Mom asked Michelle and Mary for ideas on what paint colors she should choose. We gave her a list of neutrals that should work with her needs. It will be nice for Mom to have freshly painted walls.
Move Date:
The rental is available for move in on July 1. That is the date that Mom and Peter have as a target to arrive at their new home.
The house in Virginia is now on a "Coming Soon" listing. That means that Realtors and Buyers are aware that it will soon be coming available for sale. However, no one can come to the house for viewing until it is actually on the market. The actual "For SAle" date will be after the belongings are packed up....near the end of June.
What to move?
The house in Virginia still has boxes lining the hallways. At least now that Peter and Mom know the dimensions of their rooms in their future home, they can make an informed decision about what they plan to move and what they will not bring. Peter has a floor plan drawn up and is working with Mom to decide what furniture will go in what rooms. The house in Massachusetts is less than half the square footage of their current home, so they will need to be smart about what furniture is best to bring.
Earlier this week Peter found a suitable rental house for Mom and himself in Massachusetts. Just 1 mile from the Thomas Aquinas Campus and 20 minutes from the School Peter will be teaching at.. It is a 2,000 square foot rambler with a main floor and finished basement. It is a basic rambler design. There is a living room, kitchen and eating area, and 2 bedrooms and bathroom on the main level. Mom will have a bedroom and den on the main floor. There are two bedrooms a bathroom and a rec room on the basement level which Peter will use for his space. There are also 2 garages and 2 acres of land. The landlord is aware of the dogs and is OK with them. The landlord is in charge of the grounds crew at the college, so the connection of the landlord to TAC is a nice plus. He is very enthusiastic about renting the house to Peter.
The landlord has generously offered to paint the whole house. Mom asked Michelle and Mary for ideas on what paint colors she should choose. We gave her a list of neutrals that should work with her needs. It will be nice for Mom to have freshly painted walls.
Move Date:
The rental is available for move in on July 1. That is the date that Mom and Peter have as a target to arrive at their new home.
The house in Virginia is now on a "Coming Soon" listing. That means that Realtors and Buyers are aware that it will soon be coming available for sale. However, no one can come to the house for viewing until it is actually on the market. The actual "For SAle" date will be after the belongings are packed up....near the end of June.
What to move?
The house in Virginia still has boxes lining the hallways. At least now that Peter and Mom know the dimensions of their rooms in their future home, they can make an informed decision about what they plan to move and what they will not bring. Peter has a floor plan drawn up and is working with Mom to decide what furniture will go in what rooms. The house in Massachusetts is less than half the square footage of their current home, so they will need to be smart about what furniture is best to bring.
May 31,2020 Saturday
The Zoom meeting went very well. Present were Mom and 6 of her children. Joanne told Mom she would not be present since she was attending mass. Father Joseph told Mom he could not attend as well. Mom did not invite Steven because he is so involved in the details of his wedding that she did not think he needed this distraction. Mom was very happy to see everyone who was able to attend, and the positive spirit of the meeting was encouraging for all.
Mom began the meeting explaining her reasons for choosing Audrey as her real estate agent. Audrey has 35 years of Real Estate experience in the Fredericksburg Area. Mom has been working with Audrey for the past 3 years, and she has always been impressed with Audrey's blunt honesty, her responsiveness, that she will go the extra mile, and that she is sensitive to Mom's future as an elderly woman. Peter and Mary also feel very comfortable working with Audrey.
The main goal of the meeting was to discuss a listing price for the house that would be comfortable to everyone. Audrey, the realtor, had suggested a price range for the house as follows: A low listing price was $545 and the high listing price was $575. Those present discussed whether we needed to do additional research. Michelle and Paul both agreed we should trust the agents judgement on this range. We then decided on a listing price of $549.99 Everyone seemed comfortable with that listing price since the goal is to sell the house before the end of the summer and at that price this should be attainable.
Mary let everyone know that both Mom and Father Joseph are currently signed on the deed of the house. Mom gave Mary Power of Attorney for the house so she could focus on moving and getting settled. Father Joseph also gave Mary Power of Attorney because he is in Canada. Mary made the point that she was not interested in making decisions on her own accord. She explained that as Power of Attorney for the house, she agreed to have 3 Zoom meetings with family members who are able to attend. The first meeting (this meeting) to discuss the listing price of the house. The second Zoom meeting to discuss offers. And the third Zoom meeting before the signing of the Deed. We are hopeful that these meetings will allow everyone who wants to be included in the house sale to have opportunity for input.
Paul also offered to be available for more timely Real Estate consultation. Since he has sold 6 homes and is available all day by text and phone his expertise is invaluable. Everyone was grateful.for his offer because of his experience and flexibility. Peter said he did not need to be included in decisions on the sale of the house after he has left Virginia. Paul and I will include Mom in all major Real Estate decisions.
Mary reminded everyone to let her know if they want text alerts for when this website page is updated. To get the alerts, simply text Mary's cell phone at 540-455-6188 to let her know.
Mary will be calling Audrey soon. Peter and Mom's goal is to have the house ready to be shown by July 1. Audrey can then list the house as "Coming Soon", at a time that makes sense for that showing date.
Mom began the meeting explaining her reasons for choosing Audrey as her real estate agent. Audrey has 35 years of Real Estate experience in the Fredericksburg Area. Mom has been working with Audrey for the past 3 years, and she has always been impressed with Audrey's blunt honesty, her responsiveness, that she will go the extra mile, and that she is sensitive to Mom's future as an elderly woman. Peter and Mary also feel very comfortable working with Audrey.
The main goal of the meeting was to discuss a listing price for the house that would be comfortable to everyone. Audrey, the realtor, had suggested a price range for the house as follows: A low listing price was $545 and the high listing price was $575. Those present discussed whether we needed to do additional research. Michelle and Paul both agreed we should trust the agents judgement on this range. We then decided on a listing price of $549.99 Everyone seemed comfortable with that listing price since the goal is to sell the house before the end of the summer and at that price this should be attainable.
Mary let everyone know that both Mom and Father Joseph are currently signed on the deed of the house. Mom gave Mary Power of Attorney for the house so she could focus on moving and getting settled. Father Joseph also gave Mary Power of Attorney because he is in Canada. Mary made the point that she was not interested in making decisions on her own accord. She explained that as Power of Attorney for the house, she agreed to have 3 Zoom meetings with family members who are able to attend. The first meeting (this meeting) to discuss the listing price of the house. The second Zoom meeting to discuss offers. And the third Zoom meeting before the signing of the Deed. We are hopeful that these meetings will allow everyone who wants to be included in the house sale to have opportunity for input.
Paul also offered to be available for more timely Real Estate consultation. Since he has sold 6 homes and is available all day by text and phone his expertise is invaluable. Everyone was grateful.for his offer because of his experience and flexibility. Peter said he did not need to be included in decisions on the sale of the house after he has left Virginia. Paul and I will include Mom in all major Real Estate decisions.
Mary reminded everyone to let her know if they want text alerts for when this website page is updated. To get the alerts, simply text Mary's cell phone at 540-455-6188 to let her know.
Mary will be calling Audrey soon. Peter and Mom's goal is to have the house ready to be shown by July 1. Audrey can then list the house as "Coming Soon", at a time that makes sense for that showing date.
May 30, 2020
We have set up this web page to update family on the sale of the house. This page is hidden from web search, or other website navigation. Please keep this link private so that only authorized persons can access this information. We recommend you keep a record of this link in a safe place so you can access this page as needed.
If you wish to have text alerts, please let me know. A text alert will be sent out to the group every time there is an update to this page..
Our hope is to minimize time spent communicating individually with people on these timely matters. Feel free to reach out to Mom, Mary, or anyone in this group if you have questions or imput. Please understand that our time is limited and we are exceptionally busy as we try to get the house sold, and the people moved.
We have set up this web page to update family on the sale of the house. This page is hidden from web search, or other website navigation. Please keep this link private so that only authorized persons can access this information. We recommend you keep a record of this link in a safe place so you can access this page as needed.
If you wish to have text alerts, please let me know. A text alert will be sent out to the group every time there is an update to this page..
Our hope is to minimize time spent communicating individually with people on these timely matters. Feel free to reach out to Mom, Mary, or anyone in this group if you have questions or imput. Please understand that our time is limited and we are exceptionally busy as we try to get the house sold, and the people moved.
Mom's Zoom Meeting
If you are unable to attend the Zoom Meeting check the website later for information.
When Sun May 31, 2020 12pm – 12:45pm Pacific Time - Los Angeles
Where https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78202441453?pwd=eW9TVEpHNmNkc1RSczlNeGo5elgvdz09 (map)
Joining info Join with Google Meet
meet.google.com/fjc-htce-kia
Join by phone
+1 478-449-4171 (PIN: 119013407)
Calendar evelynorlowski@yahoo.com
Who •porlowski@thesummitva.org - organizer
•evelynorlowski@yahoo.com
more details »
P Orlowski is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78202441453?pwd=eW9TVEpHNmNkc1RSczlNeGo5elgvdz09
Meeting ID: 782 0244 1453
Password: 5FsiJj
When Sun May 31, 2020 12pm – 12:45pm Pacific Time - Los Angeles
Where https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78202441453?pwd=eW9TVEpHNmNkc1RSczlNeGo5elgvdz09 (map)
Joining info Join with Google Meet
meet.google.com/fjc-htce-kia
Join by phone
+1 478-449-4171 (PIN: 119013407)
Calendar evelynorlowski@yahoo.com
Who •porlowski@thesummitva.org - organizer
•evelynorlowski@yahoo.com
more details »
P Orlowski is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78202441453?pwd=eW9TVEpHNmNkc1RSczlNeGo5elgvdz09
Meeting ID: 782 0244 1453
Password: 5FsiJj