I've been meaning to start this blog for a long time now. It's hard to commit to writing when every day is working at my business, then working at improving my house. Preparing my property for sale has been a long, arduous process. I always felt sympathy for my clients with big projects to do before selling, now I am experiencing it firsthand. Expect even more sympathy for me now...
For almost two months, I've been prepping my Gordon Head home for sale. My wife and I plan to move into a condo on Pandora, close to my realty office on Fort st., in the Stadacona Center. I really look forward to walking out of my condo and across the street to my office. I'm always jealous during Bike To Work week as I can never join in. It's not like a REALTOR® can hop on a bicycle and go to viewing appointments in Victoria, then Langford, then Highlands, etc... Soon I will be downtown and biking everywhere in my off time. Off time, what was that again? (It's coming back, just sell your house!)
I am a detail oriented person. I am somewhat anal about presentation and having everything right. I could have put my house on the market as is, two months ago, but it wouldn't be me. So I've painted almost everything, inside and outside, every ceiling and piece of trim, plus there's new flooring in the basement, new light fixtures, new landscaping, updated the attic insulation, and more. I'm almost there. Just some closet organizers and a bathroom to paint. But I'm sure I will find more to do. I want my house to look its best. The outdoor painting was an unexpected addition to the task list. My wife pointed out some flaking paint on the wood siding and we decided to deal with it. A lot of work, 9 hours straight for me and a buddy.. Never hesitate to paint when you are about to sell, it makes everything look so clean and sharp, just keep the colors neutral.
This is our first house. We actually moved from Vancouver to Victoria in 2003 so we could afford a house and we do love it. But I'm on duty almost every waking hour of every day and I don't want to have to do yard work on my precious free time. And I hate paying people to do things that I can do myself – paying for landscaping is not an option. So it's condo life for us. This condo doesn't even have a storage locker! Talk about extreme downsizing! Every rake, hose, wheelbarrow, shovel, etc., will have to go in a garage sale. Luckily, I have buyers (they won in a multiple offer situation last night) moving into their first house in August. I've already told them they have to come to my garage sale.
If you are downsizing and need to get rid of something, before you throw it out, try putting it for FREE on usedvictoria.com. I have got rid of so many things this way in the past months. Scrap wood, an old cat condo, old electronics, even empty CD cases, all gone for free on usedvictoria.com. I put it out in the driveway, post an ad, and the “junk” is gone within hours. Love it!
Our house will be ready for sale in July. This is the first time I've sold my own property as a REALTOR®. I think my house will sell fast, given all the work I've put into it in the recent weeks and past years. But you never know what the market will do. I will keep blogging as our process continues, whenever I can finally put down the paint brush.
I've been meaning to start this blog for a long time now. It's hard to commit to writing when every day is working at my business, then working at improving my house. Preparing my property for sale has been a long, arduous process. I always felt sympathy for my clients with big projects to do before selling, now I am experiencing it firsthand. Expect even more sympathy for me now...For almost two months, I've been prepping my Gordon Head home for sale. My wife and I plan to move into a condo on Pandora, close to my realty office on Fort st., in the Stadacona Center. I really look forward to walking out of my condo and across the street to my office. I'm always jealous during Bike To Work week as I can never join in. It's not like a REALTOR® can hop on a bicycle and go to viewing appointments in Victoria, then Langford, then Highlands, etc... Soon I will be downtown and biking everywhere in my off time. Off time, what was that again? (It's coming back, just sell your house!)
I am a detail oriented person. I am somewhat anal about presentation and having everything right. I could have put my house on the market as is, two months ago, but it wouldn't be me. So I've painted almost everything, inside and outside, every ceiling and piece of trim, plus there's new flooring in the basement, new light fixtures, new landscaping, updated the attic insulation, and more. I'm almost there. Just some closet organizers and a bathroom to paint. But I'm sure I will find more to do. I want my house to look its best. The outdoor painting was an unexpected addition to the task list. My wife pointed out some flaking paint on the wood siding and we decided to deal with it. A lot of work, 9 hours straight for me and a buddy.. Never hesitate to paint when you are about to sell, it makes everything look so clean and sharp, just keep the colors neutral.
This is our first house. We actually moved from Vancouver to Victoria in 2003 so we could afford a house and we do love it. But I'm on duty almost every waking hour of every day and I don't want to have to do yard work on my precious free time. And I hate paying people to do things that I can do myself – paying for landscaping is not an option. So it's condo life for us. This condo doesn't even have a storage locker! Talk about extreme downsizing! Every rake, hose, wheelbarrow, shovel, etc., will have to go in a garage sale. Luckily, I have buyers (they won in a multiple offer situation last night) moving into their first house in August. I've already told them they have to come to my garage sale.
If you are downsizing and need to get rid of something, before you throw it out, try putting it for FREE on usedvictoria.com. I have got rid of so many things in the past months. Scrap wood, an old cat condo, old electronics, even empty CD cases, all gone for free on usedvictoria.com. I put it out in the driveway, post an ad, and the “junk” is gone within hours. Love it!
Our house will be ready for sale in July. This is the first time I've sold my own property as a REALTOR®. I think my house will sell fast, given all the work I've put into it in the recent weeks and past years. But you never know what the market will do. I will keep blogging as our process continues, whenever I can finally put down the paint brush.
