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Old 07-25-2009, 04:31 PM   #21
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Yep, that's the reality. The good part (at least the less painful part) is that you will be buying in the same depressed market that you are selling in. In the end, you should be fine.
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Old 07-25-2009, 04:34 PM   #22
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Brat, Your kids and grandkids will be fortunate to have you closer. This will be a big change and sacrifice, but you will be near those you love.

I hear you about getting rid of the "stuff". DH and I will be dealing with this too when we move. Not looking forward to that! Good luck on the sale and keep us posted
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Old 09-10-2009, 10:26 AM   #23
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Brat, wondering if you have an update on your house selling process?

Hope you have some good news to share.
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Old 09-10-2009, 02:50 PM   #24
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There is a couple who have seen the house twice in the last 10 days, the last one with their kid's families. They are moving for the same reason as DH & I, to be nearer grandchildren. We understand they are interested but need to figure out how to make it work for them and that process will take a couple weeks. On the first visit their realtor actually asked us to stay and show the house so we got to meet them. They are very nice and would be an asset to the neighborhood. I hope we can work things out.

Our realtor shared with us that we have had more interest than any other property on the Island. School has started, from here on out prospective home buyers are more likely to be empty nesters. So, if the couple above doesn't buy it showings will continue.

DH doesn't want me to get ahead of myself, looking for a home to purchase, but I just can't help myself. The new condo market in Portland is starting to implode. I really feel sorry for those who purchased in the last 5 years and need to sell, with rare exception they are significantly upside down. Right now I am inclined to look at older properties.
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Old 09-14-2009, 05:27 AM   #25
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I'm surprised that NW-Bound didn't put a bid in right here in the thread.
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Old 09-15-2009, 10:08 AM   #26
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Hopefully you can get a sale soon. I would imagine that the upcoming winter would not make your home more saleable or am I wrong on that point?

I can understand your eagerness to start looking for your new condo, however it does make sense to wait until you have sold yours.
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Old 09-15-2009, 09:14 PM   #27
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Our home is magnificent in any weather but few in our area search for a home in the winter with the holidays and all. Frankly, if I were shopping I would want to look for a house in the worst weather as that is when you can see how it handles natural light in adverse conditions, and you can see if the site is boggy.

If we aren't under contract by Halloween we will take it off the market until spring.

For those who are curious, send me a PM and I will provide a link. I don't really want to distort the hit data captured by the realtor. The photo to the left was taken from our study. Every room, but the bathrooms, have this view.
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Old 11-24-2009, 10:52 PM   #28
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Our realtor's convinced us to keep the house on the market. The most likely purchaser, IMHO, are empty nesters like ourselves. Realtors told us that this is the time of year that grandparents visit. Sure enough we have been getting at least one showing each week while other houses, reportadly, have few if any.

One thing for shure, our house keeping habits have improved...
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Old 11-25-2009, 05:40 AM   #29
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Brat, I was curious as to how things were going. Thanks for the update.

Yep, that "show ready" housekeeping thing can be a real PITA, but at least you are getting a little traffic. We have friends down the street who put their house on the market about the same time you did. Last week he told me they hadn't had anyone look at it for the past two months...
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Old 11-25-2009, 07:18 AM   #30
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I am not looking forward to putting our houses on the market. Real estate just seems to get slower and slower, here. I have lived like that (ready to show on a moment's notice) with a five-year-old back in 1984, with a "Mrs. Clean Lives Here" ad by my realtor who didn't check with me first. What a drag! That was just for two months and I don't think I can do it again. This time it will probably take much, much longer to sell. I might have to rent.

Brat, there are definitely people who would just die to have your house. Bainbridge Island is a very desirable area (or, at least I have heard it is wonderful and I have never even been to Washington State). It sounds like the housing market out there is not good either, but with that many showings you have reason for optimism.
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Old 11-25-2009, 07:29 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BunsGettingFirm View Post
I'm surprised that NW-Bound didn't put a bid in right here in the thread.
I just discovered this thread. I was busy staining my boonies home exterior in September when this thread was hot. I guess everybody knows I am desirous of a house in the Puget Sound since I have been so vocal about it.

Anyway, I am sure Brat's house is lovely and worth whatever the asking price. But where do I find money for it? By selling my own in this market? I am settling for an RV that I can drive up to the PNW then play squatter somewhere, but have not gotten that RV even.
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Old 11-25-2009, 11:02 PM   #32
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The folks who probably will buy this house are retired professionals who have sold their home in another community. The state has no income tax and the City/County property taxes are very reasonable yet services are excellent.

On my side of the street: #1 is a retired CFO of a well known company who does temporary CFO gigs to keep busy, #2 is an attorney well known in his area of expertise, #3 works for a firm known for actuarial work, #4 retired financial advisers who moved from another city, #6 retired Fed criminal investigator, #7 dentist, #8 engineer, #9 attorney.

Between professionals and executives (let alone blue collar and non-exempt white collar workers) who lost employment and a raft of folks who bought homes for too much with stinky mortgages the normal sell/buy market is all gummed up. There are more empty homes across the country than there are families who can afford to buy them. Frankly when they report that new construction is in the dumps I cheer. With rare exception we are over-built. It will take time to work through this mess.
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Old 11-28-2009, 07:06 PM   #33
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Brat, check out the website portlandmaps.com You can see what people paid for their property the last few times it sold. Based on that, I still think the housing market in Portland has a way to drop.
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Old 11-29-2009, 09:27 PM   #34
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I hear that single family residences in Portland metro priced in the mid $250 sell quickly. That segment of the market seems to have stabilized. The condo market is impacted by over building and Yupie job losses, they will continue to soften.

I was on PortlandMaps last night checking on a listing: condo in NW, purchased for nearly $632 10/06, asking $499, sitting empty but not bank owned. That is still more than I want to pay.

On my look-at list are a couple units in buildings constructed in the mid-70s where PortlandMaps show a low basis, the unit is vacant, and have been on the market for a long time. The seller should be in a position to consider an offer much lower than asking. We will be looking not only at initial cost but life-cycle costs for whatever we purchase. Knowing the ‘neighborhood’ and the reputation of developers is important.

Right after Thanksgiving our home was shown three times with “high interest” feedback. The Realtor’s comment about visitors during the Holidays appears to be on target.
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Old 12-02-2009, 02:55 PM   #35
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If I was lucky enough/shrewd enough, whatever enough/ to get a home on Bainbridge Island they would only be able to remove me in a box.
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Old 12-02-2009, 09:08 PM   #36
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Our home is truly magical... If only one of the kids had settled in the metro area they would have had to bury us in the yard or at sea....

I was at my dentist in near Bremerton today, one of the other patents turned out to live near us. The next thing I knew everyone wanted to look at our listing on the Internet. We are such old salts out here.. dentist's daughter is at the Naval Academy. I love these folks. Between their professional skills and the community culture I will miss them so much. I will commute from Portland for their care and camaraderie.
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Old 03-27-2010, 03:57 PM   #37
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It has suddenly gotten crazy. I appears that we have an offer coming our way and today there are showings, essentially, back to back. Each time a Realtor shows the house they leave a card. There are about 45 in the stack. My RE team says that many houses have had little to no traffic. The only issue with our house is that it is custom, not designed to appeal to the multitude.

Maybe, maybe, we will get lucky this week. I am so glad we have the Realtor is seasoned.

I will be SOOO to have this over with.
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Old 03-27-2010, 04:05 PM   #38
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There seems to be a spurt in the real estate market here in western PA. My friend put her house on the market the beginning of this month and told me yesterday that she had sold it to a young single lady(her mother was buying it for her for cash). They had low-balled an offer earlier but came back with a stronger bid provided she can move in a month. Hope your place sells soon, too!
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Old 03-27-2010, 04:51 PM   #39
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Brat, what wonderful developments! I will be hoping that soon your house will sell, so that you can move on with your plans.
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Old 03-27-2010, 05:13 PM   #40
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Quote:
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The only issue with our house is that it is custom, not designed to appeal to the multitude.
Your place is beautiful. Hard to believe someone hasn't fallen in love with it by now.
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