Hole up

My realtor sent me a note the other day confirming my worst fears...

"Checking in! So we're not having a whole lot of luck with the house. We've tried pushing buyers and other agents to it but no one is biting."

I felt lousy, but not too lousy. Most of the signs with houses for sale in my neighborhood up at the beginning of summer were still up. There were even a couple of new ones. The guy across the road who'd moved in early last fall, a "For Sale by Owner" tag had sprouted like a toadstool in his front yard one morning after a hard rain.

I have no idea why everyone is trying to get out of here.

That will be something to figure out since it's apparent I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

In addition to my house being kind of a dog, the realtor I signed with has decided to change companies. This is a pretty regular thing, not just with her, but with other realtors, too. At least, it seems that way to me. 

Meanwhile, my ex is getting closer to leaving Charleston. Originally, she planned to move by September, but now that's looking like October or November; after she and her fiance get a water line dug for their new place on his farm.

My youngest, as cheery a kid as I've ever met, can hardly wait. He's hoping for a tree house and space to roam. There is some of that here, but I'm not certain I have the necessary skills required to assemble a tree house that wouldn't end up maiming half the neighborhood kids.

Maybe I'll give that a shot, too.

The upshot of the realtor changing companies is that my house will be re-listed as first day. I guess that will mean my house will move to the top of the pile for people looking for a place to buy.

I'm not sure if that will do much.

She asked me about lowering the price, too, but I declined. That's really only feasible if she decides to waive her fees and commissions, the government gets OK about me not paying taxes and I embrace living in my car for a couple of months until I have enough for whatever deposits I have to make.

I'm not looking to get rich selling this place --that would be a nice surprise --I'm just looking to get out with some dignity.  

It's been a hard year, so far. It was a bitter winter, a tough spring and not a particularly good summer. I fear the season ahead will be more of the same.

So, we'll re-list and I'll keep following along with my gardening calendar. I'll put a little money aside for minor upgrades here and there to do as the work outside begins to slow. I'll buy firewood in case this winter is as cold as last year's and look through seed catalogs with thoughts of how I might do the whole damned green thumb thing better.


I can hold the line. I can be patient. It's easy when you don't have much of an alternative.