Still at it

Last week I chose a realtor. She came immediately even though I was not quite ready for her. That shows how badly they want our business. I really like her. She let me down easy and said, "I just want you to wrap your head around this." Then she gave me all the bad news. Our house is not worth as much as we thought. At this point, I don't care. I just want to be out of Pensacola, sell the house and get on with my new life. Then she said, "Your house will sell for sure. This is a beautiful house," and added, "stop putting money in it - - - NOW!" She explained that because of all the bankruptsies and foreclosures and short sales in the State of Florida, the housing market is continuing to spiral DOWN. . . and it won't recover for at least three more years. When the rest of the country has started to climb out, Florida is not. Story of our lives. We're always in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we have many other blessings, so I'm not going to complain. I am one of the happiest people on earth. That's just my opinion.

This week I found a leaky pipe and a few other repairs that will need to be done before it will pass an inspection should a buyer come forth. So today I called yet another handy man. It's getting so I close my eyes and point when I open the phone book or look on the internet for people to come and help me. The painter I hired was someone I had hired before to do drywall and the 2nd time he came to paint, he ripped me off. Probably my own fault but he won't be getting called again by me. He did a good job and that's all I care about.

I have two fix-it men coming tomorrow to give me bids on the last 4 items to be finished on the house. The'll come next week and then Dean will come next week, and then we'll put a sign out front and head west again for the last time, I hope. So far I've worked with a Bathroom refinisher, a roofer, a drywall man, a painter, a plumber, a handy man. Total cost of all the fixins? $3700.00. That doesn't take in the dollars saved because my boys and my son-in-law did a lot with no labor fees. They probably saved me a total of $1500.00 I have dones some work myself which saved another $500.00 All in all, I've spent very little dollars. Yay!

Since starting this project, I know how to caulk, lay flooring, do detail work. I know Lowes building supply store backwards and forwards and they know me by name and I know many of their sales people by name. Lately when I go there some of them say, "Hi, Mrs. Gardner, how are you today." Can I just say that working with people like this makes this process a lot more pleasant? Thanks Lowes! You have been the best help ever. I will be praying for a miracle when I leave here in two weeks, that our house sells "over night."

If you know someone who would like a really nice home that's priced ahead of the market, send them our way. it's not a short sale, it's not a repo that you can buy for thirty or forty thousand, but this is a house you can move into and live in and love from the get go; a house that will not require any repairs because its new and clean and livable.