I admit it. I'm addicted to House Hunters. You know that show on HGTV where prospective home buyers look at three different houses and choose one by the end of the show? And during the course of their search they see all that stuff in your home that you have long since become accustomed to and no longer see? What this show has done, and much to my husband's chagrin, is highlight all the imperfections that have just become part of the house, for better or worse, over the almost 14 years we've owned this home. Let's list a few of the things that prospective buyers spy and see how far we get before I have a stroke:
- The carpet. We had new carpet installed throughout the house...at least 10 years ago. Did I mention this carpet is a very pale shade of...white? Of course, it didn't appear SO white in the store where the swatch was laid out amongst all the other swatches of WHITE CARPET OH GOD ...We're idiots, that's a fact. This carpet has lived long passed its intended lifespan where lifespan includes 3 kids and 2 dogs, rain, mud, vomit AND WORSE, and dozens of visits from the carpet cleaners. It's time to take this carpet out to pasture and shoot it in the head.
- Kitchen cabinets. Our cabinets are a lovely 1997 honey oak. In other words, dated. So are the tile countertops and backsplash.
- The master bath shower. The door needs replacing because it doesn't really want to, you know, close. It takes a good amount of just the right slamming before it will and it's just a matter of time before the whole song and dance just breaks off in my hand. That would also be messy. And also see: emergency room visit.
- Our backyard. Oh it has grass. It has a patio. Well, and that's it. It needs a little, how do you say?...professional landscaping.
- The master bedroom. We never did anything to it besides paint it and stick some furniture in there. It SCREAMS boring. Or maybe it whispers it.
- The window coverings. We were a young couple with a new baby when we bought this house and had a very limited budget to cover the 19 or so windows in this house. Those limited budget window coverings hang to this day. And I hate them. So much.
10 comments:
Stop peeking around in my house and then writing about it!
Just had this conversation with my husband Tuesday night :/
Isn't a bedroom supposed to be boring, so you'll fall asleep better?
Who cares what other people think until you are ready to sell - as long as you like it.
@Joe in Vegas. Once you've decided to sell it's a big hassle to put all that effort into making it nice. Not to mention a money hit right when you least need it. Best to keep up with things as you go along. If you have to spend the money, you might as well get to enjoy the spiffiness for a while.
Though I agree: if the buyer can't afford to upgrade/modify then perhaps a bit less house and smaller mortgage should be there plan. Everyone blames the banks now but shouldn't we have collectively learned by now about affording the house, not just affording the loan?
Worse than the appliance thing is people being bothered by the PAINT. Really, how likely is it that the existing paint in a house, even if modern and fab and up to date and you, the buyer, like it, how likely it will actually match your furniture, linens and decor? Paint costs almost nothing, a room takes a weekend and you'll likely need to paint in any case so don't worry what's there while your shopping.
Also, there is the incontrovertible fact that one's house finally gets all those great little touches of improvement when one puts it on the market. The second coat of paint, the one you ran out of time to apply because you went into labor, finally gets put on the trim. The windows' inner sills get cleaned. The grease under the stove fan hood gets removed. You know, details. And then one moves right on out and proceeds to grease up, half paint, and dirty a new house until it's comfortably recognizable and not perfect. *sigh* The good news is: one's friends don't notice either. Only those pesky first-time-buyers do.
Ack I just had this conversation with my Realtor. Then hired contractors to paint paint paint paint everything in sight. AND if you don't like my perfectly good WHITE appliances? Find another house....Ugh I hate moving.
I'm thinking about swearing off House Hunters. It makes me feel so...so...inadequate.
I'm glad you're back! Now I somehow feel compelled to go paint the trim in my kitchen.
The stainless steel thing perplexes me a little. The fingerprints! Ugh. Though I don't like white either. Black is fine. I think I'd prefer a nice gunmetal gray that shows nothing.
The reason why you still have the carpet for years is probably because of your cleaning habits. You know, the way we take care of our appliances and furniture affect their durability. Good luck with your house!
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