We’ve had three more showings since the Realtors’ tour and I wanted to share some of the feedback we’ve received about our lovely home. I know that this is the nature of home selling and that I can’t take this stuff personally, but it’s hard when people you don’t know attack your taste. Especially when you don’t know what their houses look like.
First, some buyer feedback:
Pool is not for them. Did not think there was enough basement storage.
OK…I must wonder—if buyers don’t want a pool, why is their Realtor showing them a house with a pool? And our basement is close to 1,000 square feet, with three room-size storage closets. Just how much crap do these people have?
Buyers want to be closer to downtown area and want newer.
So, we wonder again: if these guys want a new house close to town, why are they being shown a 20-year-old house away from town?
This home showed well, but buyer did not like low ceilings.
Low ceilings? I would say Chris and I are both on the tall side of average and neither one of us have ever felt like we were in danger of bumping our heads on the ceilings. Apparently, giants were looking at the house.
But my favorite criticisms came from the Realtors themselves. When asked to choose the WORST feature of my home, almost all mentioned a blue wall in the basement and the refrigerator in the basement bathroom (I know, but give me a chance explain).
First, the blue wall:
This is what decorators would call an “accent wall.” Chosen to contrast with the adjacent yellow walls and coordinate with a denim-blue sofa, I found this color to be casual and fun—perfect for a family room, I say. In a house my own Realtor deemed “too neutral,” here was that POP OF COLOR I keep hearing about. But seriously, more than half of the Realtors said it was the WORST feature in my house. So, my big plans of being planted on that denim-blue sofa with a Bud Light Lime in my hand (Have you tried those? They’re yummy.), enjoying a rare Sunday in which both the Broncos and the Rockies were televised here in KC were thwarted. Instead, I spent the day eliminating the offensive blue wall. I was, however, able to work in a few beers. It seems I can drink beer and paint at the same time.
And, the infamous refrigerator in the bathroom:
Honestly, the Realtors FREAKED OUT about this, using an appalling number of exclamation marks to help me understand that the refrigerator must be removed. When I told my sister about this, she said, “that refrigerator is frickin’ awesome.” So here’s my justification for having a refrigerator in a bathroom:
1. A refrigerator there when we first looked at the house. We thought it was terribly clever.
2. The bathroom seems to have been designed to hold a refrigerator; it fits the space perfectly, and a big, industrial outlet was installed halfway up the wall, just like the one in the kitchen.
3. It’s not like the fridge is in the master bathroom; it’s in the basement. There are four other refrigerator-free bathrooms in this house.
4. Always full of libations and munchies, the location is perfect when you’re lounging by the pool and are ready for another drink or a little snack. No stair-climbing required. You have to attend a summer party here to truly appreciate it.
My sister is right: it is frickin’ awesome, and I’m not moving it. So there.
I’m still cautiously optimistic that eventually someone will say something nice about my house. As soon as they do, I’ll let you know.
*Note: I was a literature major in college, which means that I had to take poetry classes. Which means I had to write poetry. It did not take long to discover that I was a bad poet. I AM a bad poet. But today 20 Realtors toured my house and filled out questionnaires in which they shared what they loved and hated about the place I call home. The results have moved me to do something I should not be allowed to do: write a poem. Please forgive me, Dr. Hicok.
So, we finally got the house listed last week. The papers have been signed, the sign is in the yard, the description and pictures on various websites. Carpets have been cleaned, windows have been washed and all those little projects that used to be put off “til next weekend” are getting done. And we had our first showing last night.
So, we had the listing appointment all set with Sue the Realtor for Sunday afternoon, but we had to postpone it because we discovered that the appointment conflicted with another important event. What event, you might ask, could be so important that it would delay something that we’ve spent months cleaning, painting and repairing in preparation for? The annual fantasy football draft, of course. When one is busy, one must set priorities.