This Old House
My dad is selling my childhood home. He moved to a new, smaller, easier to maintain and maneuver home. It was on some property he inherited from my grandmother. He returned to his roots. I am truly so happy for him. But this post isn’t going to be about how wonderful that is and meaningful. Nor is it going to be about the sadness I feel watching my childhood home go to a new family. It is going to be about how he is driving me bonkers because he expects this house to sell lickety-split . Read the papers lately, Dad? The market is rock bottom and you are WAY over pricing this house.
To start, as you can see my mother was an avid gardener. She has so many gardens around this house it is unbelievable! If I walked onto this property I would veto it before even walking through the door. I have BLACK thumbs and NO time to care for all these beauties. I couldn’t do it. Wouldn’t want to even try. Next, my dad keeps telling me that people aren’t taking into consideration all of the upgrades they did to this house. Um, ya, that was 20 years ago when you put the tile in the bathroom. Blue tile is no longer in vogue. At this rate, though, it will be back in style when someone finally buys it.
My mom had an obsession with wallpaper. When she grew up having wallpaper meant you had some sort of wealth. So, the ENTIRE house is decked out in wallpaper. Even bigger problem… my mom was no interior designer. None of them coordinate with each other. On a positive note, he decided to leave the pool table… great definitely a plus. However, right next to it sits 1970’s barrel furniture bar set. Never seen this kind of furniture… be glad. Finally, he is leaving the baby grand piano as a selling point for this house. I argue… not a selling point. While I am part of the around 25% of Americans that can play piano (albeit very poorly), what are the odds that a piano playing, green thumbed, wallpaper loving, 70’s and 80’s decor of a buyer will walk into that house? The odds are not in his favor.
This looks like a beautiful house – and BIG!! Good luck to your dad, selling it.
LMAO……..too funny!!! And such perfect timing……we’re on the eternal search for a new house and just the other day we went into a house that was in a time warp. You knew instantly walking into the home, just by the smell of the house. I asked dh to please, when we’re 70 years old, DO NOT let our house stand still……..and his response “don’t worry, I’ll have a younger girlfriend that will keep the house updated, lol”. I remember when my mom was trying to sell her house…….same exact thing and she would get so offended by the remarks people would leave behind.
It does look like a beautiful home and I understand the feelings of selling your childhood home………….good luck to your Dad……..are your parents divorced?
OMG!!! AMY you are hilarious!!! That was a great read!!!
We are trying to sell our house too….what an ordeal!!!
Good luck to your dad…and you!!!
I joke around and really it is a big, beautiful house, but they fell into the time warp. She actually updated a bunch of things, but a bunch (of previously mentioned items) stood still in time. My mom passed a year and a half ago and they had lived in this house for almost 30 years. They had been out of the housing market for a long time and just aren’t up on what people look for in their house. On the emotional end of it I understand why he wants to sell it, why it offends him when people (or I) make comments, and why a 70 yr old man wouldn’t understand that barrel furniture left behind in a house… not considered “a find!”
Amy, you are right and if this is priced right it will sell… we bought our house in WI a little over a year ago, and same thing…original owners in a time warp. Yes, some things updated but not everything. Our house was all dark wood trim when we bought it… it’s now beautiful, updated white trim… Ah…we have already done so much… painting goes a long way. I can not wait to tear my kitchen apart… yes, it has been updated with granite but that is it… I have to say I don’t like the granite…I would’ve never picked it…oh well…. and my powder room had this crazy wallpaper… we are just finishing that up… along with the new tile we put in our foyer… you should’ve saw what was there… Fortunately for us not all the walls had wallpaper but some did. My mom was big into wallpaper, way back when too… definitely a thing of the 70’s/80’s…. The good news… we bought our house and someone will buy your dad’s….esp. if the price is right… this is a tough market that is for sure.
Is this home in IL?
Awwwww, you made me giggle … black thumbs!
I hope it sells quickly!