Another Update - We Are Clear To Close!

We're one step closer to the home sale finish line! It has been a crazy busy week, but God has gone above and beyond everything I could have even imagined. He is so good, y'all!

On Wednesday we finished loading the first Pod container. Whenever they called to let me know they'd be picking it up the next day, I asked about the second Pod. The woman looked it up, then said, "You ordered an 8' Pod, but we don't have any available. We'll have to give you a 16' Pod and charge you for the 8' one instead." I was floored. I had ordered an 8' Pod because a 16' was more expensive and I wanted to save some money. To do this, I had planned to sell a few furniture pieces that wouldn't have fit in the smaller container. I listed three items on OfferUp: my futon, a nightstand, and a media cabinet. None of them sold. I got offers, but even after I accepted them no one showed up. I was then going to donate them to the church. I asked for someone to contact me; no one did. So whenever the Pod company said they were giving me a larger container for the price of a smaller one, I knew I'd be able to take everything with me and still have room to spare. My realtor was so happy for me! She kept telling me not to get rid of anything, to figure out a way to take it so I wouldn't have to buy anything whenever we got to the new house. Now it was possible! 

Thursday we got the second container, and my son and I got to work. We loaded everything we could on our own, leaving only four larger pieces of heavy furniture: his desk (which is a corner desk so it comes in two pieces), my chest of drawers and the media cabinet. I called several people to see who could help us get the last items into the Pod but I couldn't find anyone. Meanwhile the buyer was at my house with an interior designer/contractor. He has plans to remove the wall dividing the kitchen from the dining room. It was something I would have done if I'd remodeled the place, but I imagine the previous owner didn't have the money to do a major remodel so she just changed out the cabinets and put in new appliances. This gentleman is going all out, and I'm sure the unit will look beautiful once he's done. It meant one thing for me: I didn't have to do a deep cleaning of the empty house, since construction will begin right after closing and before he even moves in. Less work for me!

Friday I went to vacuum, spot mop and do some light cleaning. The balcony was still being worked on and I'm so thankful. We all agree the balcony looked 100 times better with the tiles but there's nothing we can do. The buyer is very understanding. I texted the young man who'd helped us load the first container and asked if he was available to help with just these four pieces. E and I would do the rest. It was a last ditch effort, otherwise my son-in-law said he would help, but he wasn't feeling well. He'd eaten something that hadn't agreed with him and he spent the night tossing his cookies. Thankfully our church volunteer said he could come by just to help carry the items down but then he'd have to leave for an appointment. I was so extremely grateful! I told him if he helped carry everything down we'd take care of the rest. 

It was all completed in about half an hour. The house is empty, the Pod is filled, and that afternoon my realtor called to tell me we are clear to close Monday morning! Hallelujah, thank You Jesus! Yes it's been a lot of work, yes my body is still sore from all the moving and cleaning, but my heart is happy knowing my God has been beside me the whole time, and He's still with me now. Praise Him through Whom all blessings flow!

Update - Praising God

In Luke 17 we read about the 10 lepers who asked Jesus for healing. Jesus didn't appear to do anything; He simply told them to go present themselves to the priest. All 10 went to the priest in faith, and all 10 were healed because of their faith. But only one of the men came back to give thanks and praise God for his healing. This disappointed Jesus, because gratitude is so important to God. We should be thankful for His blessings. In that spirit, I want to give praise to God for the past few days and for how He has blessed me over and over. 

The Pod container was delivered on Monday morning, and my son E and I got to work loading it with boxes. Here in South Florida the weather had been hot and humid for days, but Monday was cooler, breezy and pleasant. I think the high for the day was in the low 70's. The sun was hiding behind the clouds, keeping us protected while we worked. I was so thankful that God gave us such a pretty day so we wouldn't be overtired. 

The next day a volunteer from the church came to help us move the bigger pieces of furniture. He wasn't just any volunteer either; this guy is a weight training coach. He is one strong dude! He literally lifted the sides of our sectional over his head and carried them downstairs and into the container. Let me just say, those things are super heavy! We had that container loaded to the brim in less than three hours! Not only was he a hard worker, but his attitude was so encouraging. Here we had a young guy lifting furniture, loading a truck, and smiling the whole time. I thanked him multiple times, and all he would say was, "I'm happy to serve." I had several offers to come the next day to help some more, but it wasn't even needed. The container was full!

(And the garage was empty, LOL!)

I got the results of both the home inspection and termite inspection for the new house on Tuesday. Both were good reports! No termites or evidence of termites, and the items marked by the inspector were minor. Of course it's a newer house so that helps, but just because it's a newer house doesn't mean it won't have problems. It's true there's no perfect house, but I thank God there's nothing major that can't be easily fixed.

I put a few items up for sale on OfferUp, specifically the couch/futon, a nightstand and a media cabinet. I'd ordered two Pods because I knew we wouldn't be able to fit everything into one. I chose one large and one small because they are pricey to rent and I'm gonna have to keep them in storage for longer than I'd anticipated. Today when the company called to confirm pick up of the loaded container, I asked when they'd deliver the second one, since it's supposed to come in the same day. The lady checked, then said, "Oh, you ordered an 8' container, but we don't have any available. We're gonna have to give you a 16' container and charge you for an 8 foot." I couldn't believe it! None of the items I'd posted on OfferUp got sold, and I didn't know what I'd do with them. Now they'll all fit in the container with room to spare! I don't believe in coincidence. This has to be a God thing.

The only thing that was concerning me this week was the work on the balcony. They'd taken the tiles off but hadn't done anything else, and the balcony looked rough. I emailed asking when the work would be done, but all I got was "soon." Even my realtor emailed and said the buyer didn't want to close on the house until the work was done. I prayed that God would take care of this. Sure enough, today they were grinding the patio smooth! I don't know how far they got, since I only stopped by for a moment to pick up a few things and left, but I'm hoping the work is complete, since tomorrow the buyer is coming to do the walk thru.

Tomorrow will be a very busy day. The first container will be picked up between 7:30 and 8:00 am. Then the walk thru is at 11:00 am. Meanwhile we have to get as much of the remaining furniture into the garage so we can load it up and be done with that. Then I have to give the place a good cleaning, since I don't like turning over the house with it being a filthy mess. Each day we are one step closer, and each day I praise God for walking me through this difficult season. God is so good y'all! I will shout it from the rooftops, 

Our God is Greater,

Our God is Stronger,

God You are Higher than any other,

Our God is healer,

Awesome in Power Our God, Our God!

Preparing For A Move

The papers were signed, inspections done...now the (not so) fun part would really begin in full force. Decluttering, sorting, packing, labeling, and oh yes, selling.

The home I was leaving was about 1,800 square feet plus a two car garage. We were less people, now that my daughter was married and gone from the nest as well as her older brother. Our new home was smaller - no family room, no third bedroom closed off, and only a one car garage. It was perfect for us; after all, it would just be my youngest son E and myself. But it meant there would be things we wouldn't be taking with us because they simply would not fit.

I had two large storage cabinets in the garage that I'd bought from Lowe's just 4 years earlier. 

I knew that I might be able to fit the smaller cabinet but not the larger. I considered selling them, but my daughter said her mother-in-law was interested in the larger one. I had no problem giving them both away or keeping just the smaller one. I'd used the large cabinet as a pantry which I no longer needed. The smaller one I used to keep tools and cleaners for the car. Her in-laws came by and picked up both cabinets. I was glad because it was one less thing I'd have to pack or re-home.

 

It was easy to empty out because I was mindful to use whatever food was in there rather than go grocery shopping. 

The next thing that had to go was one of the sectionals. I had one in the living room and one in the family room, and although the one in the family room was newer it wasn't as good quality as the one I'd gotten from Costco 4 years before. I decided to list the sectional, which I'd bought off of Amazon, on OfferUp. I spoke with a friend who'd sold things on the app and she said she'd had great experiences. Amazingly, it sold and was picked up all within 2 hours! I decided I would continue posting and see how much I could sell.

I posted my glass tables and ceramic lamps. These had been purchased 20 years before, so I wondered if they would sell, since they were no longer in style.

Although they were pretty and were in excellent condition, neither item got more than some passing interest. I didn't let that deter me, and I posted my china cabinet that I'd lovingly stained. It sold the very next day.

While I loved this piece, I knew I wouldn't need it. The new house had a dry bar right off the dining room that could easily house everything in the china cabinet and then some. I did keep the dining room table, and began using the dining room itself as a staging area for my boxes.

Next, my daughter and son-in-law rented a truck to take her bedroom set, which they'd be using in their guest room. Since there was plenty of room in the truck, I offered her my old patio furniture (too big to fit on our new balcony) and the television with stand from the family room. I had the fireplace/tv stand in the living room, along with the bookcases, and that's all I would need in the new house. 

Once her bedroom set was gone, her bedroom was the first to be emptied out.

I continued to pack, declutter, and take things to Goodwill. The barbeque grill wouldn't be going with me, since I wouldn't have anywhere to put a grill. I tried my best to clean it so I could sell it, but after being outside for years, even with a cover, it was pretty beat up. I put it out on the curb, and before the day was over it was picked up by a Comcast technician who'd been working in the area. 

Everything seemed to be moving right along like clockwork. But it's just like Florida to throw a wrench in the works - a wrench named Dorian. Would we get hit with a category 5 hurricane?! It was time to get back on my knees and pray for a miracle! 

Packing And Searching

When God lays something on your heart, there's a good reason for it. I had spent two years decluttering my home, first little by little, then more aggressively. Months before putting my house up for sale, I was making deposits at the local Goodwill monthly. When it came time to pack up my house, I was so grateful to have much less to pack and go through. I was intentional about keeping only the things that I loved and that I could use (and fit) into a smaller home.

Of course, I didn't really know what I could and couldn't keep until I found the right place. Things were moving quickly, but I was aware that a home purchase could fall apart over any detail. Thankfully the buyers were already pre-approved by their bank. It all rested on inspection and appraisal.

The inspection was scheduled for August 1, just one week after the house was put up for sale. I was so relieved when, after 3 hours of very detailed checking, the inspector declared that the house had only minor issues. He pointed out that the exhaust fan in the master bathroom wasn't working. He was right; it hadn't worked in years and I'd never given it a second thought. He also said the washing machine was leaking. It wasn't. Occasionally the drain would get clogged, though I wasn't sure why. Since these were the only issues he mentioned in front of me, I went ahead and had a new exhaust fan put in the bathroom that afternoon. Strangely enough, I used the washing machine and the water drained with no problem for 2 weeks. Then suddenly the drain began backing up again. Rather than leave it that way and hope it was a fluke, I called a plumber and had the drain unclogged. Whenever he showed me what came out I was shocked. It was baking soda! I often added baking soda to my laundry since it's supposed to help with odors, and whenever I did yardwork my clothes reeked. I had no idea it could harden in the pipes and cause blockage. Lesson learned!

My realtor had a mini vacation scheduled for August 8 - 13 which I'd known about before the house ever went up for sale. August 14 we went house hunting. What I was looking for was a townhouse 1,500-1,600 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, preferably a corner unit so I wouldn't have neighbors on both sides. I was open to fixing up a place so long as it was in my budget and wasn't major repairs needed. My son E went with us, since he was going to be living there too. I also wanted an extra set of eyes that knew what I wanted and needed. We saw 5 homes on the first day, 4 homes the next day. Whenever I liked a place, my son didn't. He would point out things and I could see his point. Whenever he liked a place, I didn't. We saw places that needed way more work than I wanted to take on. There were kitchens that were too small, homes with very little storage, narrow staircases, small rooms. We saw one place that I immediately loved; it was a townhouse that looked like a single family home. The space was great, the layout was perfect, but the association fees were so high that I wouldn't be able to afford it. Which my son didn't mind; he didn't like the place! Rather than get nervous or worried, I trusted that God knew the place He had chosen and would show us at the right time.

August 17 we had 5 more homes lined up to see. We went to the first one at 11:00 am. The first thing I noticed was how well maintained the development looked. I even questioned the age of the homes; I couldn't believe they were over 30 years old! This townhouse was unique in that the living area was upstairs and only the garage and entryway were downstairs. We were welcomed by a nice wide staircase, and as we went up and turned all three of us said, "Wow!" The home was light and airy. It all looked to be in excellent condition. The kitchen had been updated, as had both bathrooms. The house was even painted in colors that went perfectly with my own taste and decor! The only downside was that one of the bedrooms wasn't really a bedroom. It was completely open to the rest of the living space. I had wanted a third bedroom for whenever we had company. Still, as we went through the home, I couldn't help but see all the pros. There was a window above the kitchen sink that looked out onto a canal and lots of tall, beautiful trees. There was no backyard, just a balcony that was completely screened in and had a lovely tiled floor looking out to a gorgeous view. My son E and I measured the rooms and were pleasantly surprised at how large and roomy they were - the second bedroom was bigger that the bedroom he had at the house, plus it had a walk-in closet! Even the one car garage had tons of storage. It was the first time that my son and I both agreed on a place. As we were leaving my realtor said, "Okay, tell me what's wrong with the place so I can tell you how wrong you are!" And I had to admit I really really liked it. 

We decided since we still had appointments to go to, we would see what else was available before making a decision. We ended up only seeing two more properties, and they were nowhere near what we were looking for. One backed up to a shopping center, the other needed lots of work. We were supposed to see two more, but no one was there to open the door and we couldn't get the lockbox open. We were all convinced God had led us to the perfect place. Now we just needed to make an offer.

Since the townhouse was advertised as a 3 bedroom but in reality it only had 2, I offered $12,000 less than the asking price but also said I'd be ready to close in 3 weeks. The seller dropped the asking price by $8,000 but said she wouldn't be able to move and close that soon. So my realtor negotiated a little more, explaining that I would have to pay for storage for my things since I would be out of my own house by September 9. Ultimately, I got the house for $9,500 below asking and I was thrilled! The best part - I would be purchasing the house cash, no mortgage, no debt. Hallelujah!! I had sold my house and signed a purchase contract for a new house in less than a month! God is so good y'all!

2019 When God Closes A Door, He Opens A Window (Part 3)

I was ready. All the projects that could get done, were done. I fixed or got things fixed. I painted, changed old faucets, scrubbed and staged my home. I was ready.

My realtor and I sat down and went over all the details, what to expect, pricing, offers, everything I needed to know before the house went on the market. We agreed on a date: July 25 the listing would be posted on the MLS. Since she was leaving on vacation the first week in August, we wouldn't have an open house until later, maybe September. While the listing would specify that we wanted 24 hours notice, I was prepared to have my house ready for showings at a moment's notice. My realtor explained that quite often people will expect to be able to see a house much sooner, especially when the market is hot. I had no problem with that and I trusted my realtor to guide me.

At noon on July 25 the listing went live. I had spent the morning in the yard cutting the grass, trimming edges, cleaning up...for 2 1/2 hours. I was tired y'all! That night all the Sunday school teachers had a meeting at church with the children's ministry director. At around 4:00 I received a call from my realtor. A couple wanted to come see the house. I asked when, and she said, "Tonight. The buyer is a firefighter and has a tight schedule." I had cleaned up the house inside and out, so I figured it would be fine. I wouldn't be there because of the meeting at church, but I told my realtor I'd leave her the keys and she was welcome to show the house.

As my son E and I were leaving, a car drove up which I assumed were the buyers. My realtor was ready and waiting. I saw a woman get out of the car accompanied by what seemed like a couple of young kids. Upon closer inspection, I realized the "young kids" were the potential buyers and the woman was their agent. I chuckled as we drove off. I knew perfectly well that my house was not going to appeal to them. My house was decorated in my style which is not contemporary, not modern farmhouse, not boho or any of the other popular styles we see so prominently on magazines and YouTube. I went off to my meeting.

Another couple came by to see the house as well. This couple was older and very picky. They asked a lot of questions, things that normally are asked at inspection, so I assume they'd had some unpleasant experiences in the past. That didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the call I received from my realtor at 10:00 that night - I would be receiving an offer in the morning!

No, it wasn't the older couple; it was the young couple who had first come by the house. They'd been saving for a house for four years, and while they'd made offers on other homes they'd been outbid on several occasions. Now they were ready to act and get what he called "the perfect house". I was caught totally off guard when I received a strong offer. We negotiated a couple of times and before the end of the day on July 26 I had accepted an offer and we'd signed the contracts. My house had gone on the market and sold in 24 hours! I laughed when they came to put in the For Sale sign after the fact!

I'm not gonna lie, I was in shock that first day. It seemed like I was dreaming. The next day I went into full panic mode. My heart was racing as I wondered what I was going to do next. I was prepared to wait at least a couple of months for the house to sell, in which time I would decide whether I wanted to move near my daughter (about a 45 minute drive away) or near my oldest son in Central Florida. Now I realized there wasn't a whole lot of time to think things through. I finally sat myself down and began to pray. God, in His infinite kindness, brought peace to my heart. I wouldn't have to figure out where to move; I had 45 days to find a place or else my belongings were gonna have to go into storage, something I didn't want to do. That meant Central Florida was out of the picture. I would begin looking in the city my daughter now called home while I packed up my belongings and awaited house inspections and everything else that went along with selling my home. 

I knew I was blessed to have my house sell so quickly; I didn't yet know how much of a blessing it really was. What I did know and still know, is that God is faithful. Just as He'd gotten me buyers for the house, He would lead me where I needed to be next.