Tag Archive | House for Sale

It’s like “Living in Macys”

May28

The other day, I was lamenting on FaceBook about how hard it is to live in a home staged to sell. There is no longer anything personal out on display. The stager has provided appropriate decor in place of personal momentos. Some rooms have been repainted in a more neutral “Pottery Barn” look to appeal to a young family…colors chosen by the painter and the real estate agent. The house is no longer my home, it is a commodity that is ready for the next owner to personalize.

When I mentioned living in a staged home, one of my FaceBook friends who has recently sold her own home, told me that her husband said that living in a staged home is like “living in Macys”. I like that and I pondered it.

martha stewart

Imagine living in Macy’s. Just what would that be like? Would Martha Stewart and Donald Trump stop by for a visit? You would have your pick of any style of furnishings that you like. Everything would be shiny and new and always on display. Always on display…those are the key words.

When you live in a staged house, it must always be in showroom condition, ready for a perspective buyer at a moment’s notice. When the call comes that an agent would like to show the home, there is the frantic rushing around to make sure everything looks just perfect. Tossing wet towels in the dryer, making sure all dirty dishes are stowed in the dishwasher, mail and papers are put out of sight, and general running through the house to make sure everything is in place and ready for the showing..including all lights turned on. Then a mad dash out the door before the visitors arrive. This is followed by ‘where should we go for an hour’ and bated breath waiting for feedback on how the house showed.

Thank goodness this is just temporary…at least I sure hope so! Although I love living in a clean and uncluttered house, there is a lot of stress in keeping it pristine and in show condition. I’m looking forward to the day the house sells, and I can go back to living in a more relaxed state. I think I would rather have visits from the dust bunnies than Martha Stewart.

Moving Home to California to Retire

May27

Blogs should have a theme and should be posted on a regular basis. This is common knowledge. This is what I have not been practicing. I don’t know how to come up with a topical theme. If I write at all, it will be about whatever pops into my mind. I’m not looking for hundreds of followers. So if you happen upon my blog in your searching, I welcome you and hope you find entertaining reading. I hope you’ll come back and see if I have posted something new, but I won’t guarantee that I have.

I follow a blog that I really enjoy. The writer lives in London and she posts every (well, most) Sunday. I eagerly look forward to her blog. She is someone who is in the midst of a life change…changing where she lives and looking for new employment.

I suppose in a way I am like her in my current stage of life. I haven’t moved yet, but the house is up for sale and when the move is complete, I will be heading home to California. I’m living in a beautiful area of the East Coast right now. But it’s not home. I miss my family and the sunshine and the ocean. I do not miss the smog and the crowded freeways and the earthquakes. But home is home and that’s where my heart is.

I’m also going to retire when I move. That’s a big change. I’ve been looking forward to not having to get up and go to work everyday. But suddenly today, on Memorial Day 2013 when I’m home from work, I realize that there is a good possibility that I could find myself with SO much time on my hands that I could become….BORED! Oh, I’ve read so much about making sure you have hobbies and interests to keep you busy when you retire. You have to have a plan about how you are going to spend your time. And I’ve nodded and thought to myself  “Sure, that’s not going to be a problem for me. I have plenty of things that will keep me busy!” But today, I started to question if that is really true. I guess I’m going to have to come up with some goals and schedules.

Another big change is that this will be a big downsize. Currently, the house is around 2600 square feet. In this area of the country, it’s a medium-sized house. And with .75 acres there is a lot of wildlife and trees to enjoy. I love watching the birds and the squirrels and the rabbits. We have mockingbirds here that I particularly enjoy. They are so precocious and have a beautiful song. I am trying to really savor and enjoy everything about living in my little secluded hideaway here. But I will have no regrets when it is time to move. I eagerly look forward to my new life in California.

I’m going to have much more to write about this whole experience. So if you are interested, check back.