A few weeks prior to leaving for our trip, we worked and worked and
worked to get our old house ready to list. There were ceilings to tear down, and floors to refinish (we didn't do that) and painting (we didn't do that but should have...it took for-ev-er). Finally, the day before our departure, the photographer arrived to take some amazing pictures and the house listed on Friday around noon. It was up a few hours before we left because we spent about an hour watching the numbers on Zillow...kind of interesting for the kids to see - they've never sold a house before.
I'm still kind of amazed at how well it turned out. I wouldn't keep living here but I think we did the best we could to make it a great place for someone else to buy. This last one is my personal accomplishment. I tore up all the carpet and picked out the paint. I'm sure I missed my calling, lol.
So, we left around 3 PM on Friday and started to drive. Along the way, we received texts from our agent...three showings that evening. First said the kitchen was too small, the second put in an offer 20K below asking. Reached the hotel, went to sleep.
The next morning came a cash offer slightly above asking. Then another for asking price. Then came the "escalation clause" from the first bidder. (it's basically when you put out your highest willing to pay price and it increases to that whenever someone else has a higher bid). Now we're at 15K over asking. The second bidder raised theirs to meet the escalation clause.
At this point, it's time to head to Mass, which was good because, frankly, this isn't something that makes me happy - all this back and forth. That, and my heart was troubled because, ultimately, I wanted to see kids in the house....like our kids. It was a good place to raise little people to mid-sized people.
Out of Mass, yet another offer pending but not sure of the specifics. What we do know - it's a young couple with two small kids. So, as we sit in DC traffic, we ponder how much less than the current offer we would be willing to take if it meant having kids in the house (plenty of time since there was a motorcycle parade and most of the streets were jammed solid).
Ultimately, I gave up on the traffic. I pulled off the highway at the Alexandria exit and tried to regroup. We saw a sign for
The Basilica of St. Mary and figured we'd go and see if Our Lady could provide any guidance. Mass had just started so we went outside to the grotto, said our prayers, and headed back to the house.
Sometime later that evening, the young couple's offer came in and it was the highest to date. Wow, that's quick service! The clincher was the letter they wrote, talking about their 5-year-old son who fell in love with the house that "we never would have dreamed we would buy" but, since he was so smitten, they were as well. It was cute because I can see our #5 saying something like that - cute little boys.
I still felt somewhat badly for the #2 couple (they are middle age and described the house as a "childhood dream" because it resembled their grandparents' home) but the young buyers seemed to be a direct answer to prayer ( I should know I'm never the person God speaks to directly...there is usually some lesson to learn).
So, once we agreed to the deal with the young couple and the house went contingent, the older couple put in an offer that would take effect if the first offer fell through. That happened Saturday, the day after we returned home. It's kind of an amazing thing and not at all surprising..not to me anyway.
On Friday, we did some sightseeing and headed home...quickly...because the Mass for my Consecration to Jesus through Mary was happening that evening at home. We tried so hard but the DC traffic is a
nightmare and nothing seemed to be going right. Thanks to God (and Our Lady, of course) I had mixed up the time and we had an extra 30 minutes so we made it in time...in our highly disheveled state (think riding in a car for 6 hours and thinking you had time to change before going to Mass). Grateful for Mary, her Son, and the wonderful people making the Consecration with me, we made it and went home to bed.
So, as I said, this backup offer arrives about 8:30 the next morning. Out of no where. Uninvited and seemingly unneeded. I was too tired to worry about it so we just said, "of course!"
Fast forward to today when the first buyers terminated the contract "due to the results of the inspection" with no other commentary. They didn't do two of the tests they said they required, just walked away. Hmmm. I guess you shouldn't buy a house based on the whims of a 5-year-old.
Guess what, we really did need that backup offer after all (ahem). I'm not sure it will even go through as it is now but I do know this, whatever it is, the Blessed Mother will see to it that it works out the way God would want. She is constantly with us, watching over us, and He...well, He always knows what's best for us...even when we have no idea.
So, we will go back to the man in charge of home sales ;0)
We are blessed.
May God bless and equip these men to do His will - now and always (Fr. Joseph Martin is third from the left in the front row - St. Bernard's native son!)
