Sunday 27 January 2013

SOLD

Selling our flat has been a rather push-me pull-you undertaking, one that has involved the wrong paint, a brand new rug and dog poo...

The long winding road to SOLD began during the initial weeks and months of 2012; every room, crack and crevice was cleared of clutter - including a rather dusty 1970's coffee percolator - then shipped, and dumped in bungalow-sized containers labelled 'glass', 'plastic', 'cardboard', 'clothes'. The percolator was abandoned on a wobbly trestle table in the rain. I hope it found shelter in an antique shop, made good and over priced for resale, or now proudly displayed in a museum cabinet of note. Sadly, it's probably rubbing shoulders with soiled nappies and rusted spoons in landfill.

Then things went quiet....

June. The porch and path were re-tiled, and a brand new front door fitted and painted - I'd chosen a medium teal but an altogether different colour was mixed, applied, and our street - every other door a blue, red, or black - had to contend with a brilliant lilac entrance. As anyone - potential buyers, the postman - would run a mile from a door that remotely resembled the portal to Justin's House, I requested, nay demanded, that the builders repaint it. This time, it was coated in a-sort-of-teal-but-really-it's-blue colour. Why can't paint shops mix the correct shade?

Then it went quiet again....

October. The boiler stopped working. Once. And. For. All. There was no way a potential buyer would accept the old boy in its current stuttering state. Hands in pockets, a new boiler was grudgingly purchased. But hey, we had a warm home, viewers would be flocking in (or not) from the cold.

A brief pause....

Last week of November. In a freak flurry of spontaneity, we viewed a few properties that needed some work, placing an offer - after a second viewing - on a light, spacious three bedroom home we really felt drawn to. But our flat wasn't yet on the market. So the local estate agent was promptly ushered and hastily instructed.

Now we were rolling....

December. In one week shelves and spots were removed from walls, files and books boxed, carpets cleaned and the lounge, kitchen and Little A's bedroom repainted in neutral colours - not a whiff of lilac in sight. A feature wall of duck egg blue and cream flowers was added to detract from the rigorous amount of caramel brown in our bedroom. I dressed our bed properly with throws and cushions, and purchased a green rug - brightly woven with caterpillars and carrots, and according to Little A, a cabbage girl - for Little A's bedroom floor.

And our home was ready for sale.

No pause.

January. The first three Saturdays in January were spent foraging for a new burrow in Croxley Green and Rickmansworth. Our highest tally, I think, was nine viewings in one day. The offer on the home we had our hearts set on fell through in a very dishonest way. Post major disappointment, and to add injury to insult, the very same agent showed us around another property where I had an accident involving a ladder (said estate agent is now being sued). Back at our place, viewers arrived in all shapes and sizes; couples, single men, retired women, parents hunting for an investment, and the guy who wanted to construct a dubious ramp for his feline friend from Little A's bedroom window...

Then, last weekend, when we thought we'd exhausted our search, we inspected a home that had just come on the market at a great, within budget, price. It was proportioned well enough and had potential for an attic conversion and extension at the back. Younger Dad and I made knowing eye contact - it was the one - and without hesitation, made an offer there and then. No second viewings, we wanted this property. The very same day our estate agent phoned with a decent offer on our flat. On Monday morning we accepted, and that afternoon our offer was accepted too...... sometimes, things really do happen for a reason. (the chain, only small, had better not fall though).

And that was that. SOLD, subject to contract.

And the dog poo? Well don't tell Younger Dad, but after a viewing, I found a nasty brown smear on our hallway carpet. So much for the shoes off policy.... yuk.

56 comments:

  1. So glad it's all coming together. We went through similar in 2011 selling my old single-girl flat and then last year trying to buy a new house for the three of us. It was heartbreaking at times! Fingers crossed for a short conveyancing process

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    1. Thank you! It is a stressful process - fingers crossed indeed!

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  2. Congratulations! I hope it is all plain sailling from here on in. Xx

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  3. Am so glad everything is falling into place for you and that all your hard work is paying off. Will keep everything crossed XX

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    1. Thank you, and thank you - we are gonna need it for the roller coaster over the coming months! X

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  4. Congratulations! I have everything crossed for you x

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    1. Cheers - keep them crossed - this is just the start X.

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  5. Congrats. Let's hope move is smooth x

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  6. Congratulations. And I love the notion of a freak flurry of spontaneity.

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  7. Moving house can be such a stressful time, I do hope your small chain keeps together, good luck. Joy xx

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    1. Thank you - it is! I hope it keeps together too X.

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  8. What great news, I'm a firm believer in what will be will be. Hope contracts and everything goes through without a hitch..

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    1. Thank you! You are so right - what will be is what will be - I hope it goes without a hitch too!

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  9. Well, thank goodness. Fingers crossed it all progresses smoothly from now on!

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    1. Thank you - me too - it's only a small chain, so should be okay!

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  10. Oh goodness! I will keep everything crossed for you until contracts are signed and keys are handed over. Huzzah!! xx

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    1. Thank you .... I will breathe when the contracts are finally signed :o) ... huzzah indeed! X.

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  11. So glad that things have finally started working out for you after so much happening. Also great that you didn't let things with the estate agent go,they need to be held accountable.

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    1. Thank you - I never had reason to do it before, but this time I thought it was right to make a claim!

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  12. Exciting times are afoot eh! A long time coming, so good luck and happy new home!

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  13. fingers crossed for the chain not being broken but great news all round!

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  14. Great news! Looking forward to reading about your new place as you settle in. Congratulations on a smooth buy/sale.

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    1. Thank you ... that will probably be in a few months - here's hoping it all runs smoothly.

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  15. Hurrah! Fingers crossed for both the sale and purchase.

    Sincerely do hope you are feeling better after the ladder incident. I wouldn't want to be in Bernard's slip on shoes right now :0)

    x

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    1. Hurrah indeed! Keep them crossed - this is the nail biting stage. Still have a few aches and pains; watch out Bernard, I'm coming for ya :o). X.

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  16. Yay, how very exciting! I love moving house, a change is so often a welcome rest. I hope that all goes smoothly from here :)

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    1. Thank you - it is! The change - when it eventually happens - will be most welcome - I hope it goes smoothly too :o).

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  17. Ooh.... I'm so excited for you! As I was reading I became disappointed for you when your first dream home fell through but thought it was for a reason, there'll be something better for you! Delighted you got your happy ending and I wish you luck with the move (and the contract)....and the carpet cleaning!

    The best part about putting things in storage for a while is that you forget some of what you put there so another de-cluttering happens when unpacking ;-)

    xx Jazzy

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    1. Thank you very much Jazzy! We were very disappointed to lose the first house we really liked ... but then something better came along. Will hopefully get that happy ending when the contract is finally signed. And we will definitely be doing a very big de-cluttering too :o). X.

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  18. Congratulations on selling your flat and securing a new property! I know, fingers crossed, but as you said, things sometimes (often) do happen for a reason...

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    1. Thank you ... I hope this all goes according to plan! ... and that it's all happening for a positive reason...

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  19. Congrats! We've been trying to sell our house since April, so you seem lucky!

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    1. Thank you ... where do you live? We are in London at the moment - so maybe that helped, and created a bit of luck (but it's been quite stressful) - hope you get an offer soon!

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  20. Congratulations. So much to look forward to now!

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    1. Thank you - here's hoping it all runs smoothly!

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  21. Yay!!! At last...congratulations!! 9 viewings in one weekend sounds completely exhausting but glad you've got it all sorted now. Hope the move goes really snoitgly'

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    1. Thank you - well almost nearly there - just have to go through the whole rig-ma-role of signing contracts etc ...

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  22. Congratulations, how exciting! All the best with your move and I'm looking forward to hearing all about your new place x

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    1. Thank you - not quite out of the woods just yet ... but i can see a clearing ahead of me! X.

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  23. I'm only just getting my post Christmas blogging head back on and I'm trying desperately to catch up with everyone. This is fantastic news, you must be thrilled and very excited for what the future holds.

    I hope everything goes smoothly and we'll be reading your moving exploits very soon x

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    1. Thank you - Know what you mean, it takes time to settled into the new Year. It's very good news - fingers crossed it goes according to plan!

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  24. Congratulations!! Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly for you. It can be a really stressful time but worth it when you are nicely settled in your new home.
    x

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    1. Thank you .... we are now sitting in mounds of legal paperwork!!! Here's hoping it all goes smoothly. X.

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  25. What a fantastic coincidence. It must be fate finding your perfect house and receiving an offer on yours on the same day. Good things are afoot!

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    1. I know! I hope it is fate - I like to think it is - and that it all runs smoothly. :o).

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  26. That's great news, I do think these things happen for a reason and it sounds like you've found your perfect home.

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    1. Thank you ... hope so, if the estate agents can keep the chain together! :o).

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  27. WOW - that was meant to be! Its exhausting buying and selling houses. It took us 8 months to sell the last one and when we moved here I said we'd never move again. That was before the baby girl came along - and unless she's happy to stay in a room the approximate size of a linen cupboard, we are once again on borrowed time...

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    1. I hope so! It's all down to the lawyers and various agents to keep the chain and everything in place.... so I guess when baby girl gets bigger you will have to move on again? It's such a pfaff!

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  28. How wonderful that it all came together like that, in one weekend. I can imagine the turmoil of excited anticipation mixed with a tinge of anxiety you are now feeling. I will be crossing all necessary body parts for you in the hope it all runs smoothly. x

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    1. Thank you - I hope it does too! We are excited, nervous and stressed that the whole thing falls into place - we could be moving this Spring! X.

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