No more showings!

The showings continued throughout the weekend and into the week. By Tuesday evening we'd had 14 showings plus the open house. The open house saw twenty groups come through in about 90 minutes. There was a mix of people and comments. One woman complained that the main floor has a step up from the foyer and two into the kitchen/hall. "Why would they do that?" she asked. Two of the couples who went through had conditional offers on their properties - we hoped that one or both might return when the sale conditions were lifted. 

One of the more interesting visitors was the fellow who originally had the house built in 1987. Rick let the realtor know that he wasn't buying but was curious to see the changes made since he sold it in 1992. The sunroom and deck were new to him (they were installed by the previous owner in about 2009). He was pleased to see the work that has been done recently and was impressed on how well-maintained the house had been kept. 

However, the best potential buyer was a police officer and his wife. They currently live in a much larger (and newer) home in a neighbourhood not far from here. He is getting close to retirement and would like to downsize and, in his words, "be mortgage free". The realtor and he spoke at length and texted one another on Monday as well. They came back for a showing on Tuesday evening, or I'm almost certain they did. The realtor showing the house is the one he mentioned to my realtor on Saturday. I didn't see him, but I'm pretty sure it was his wife that was driving the grey truck that did a u-turn at the end of the block.

Tuesday was a stupidly busy day for showings. Initially, we had two booked, 2:15 and 6:45 p.m. Then a 4:30 got added and the 6:45 got postponed until Wednesday. I was happy because I was planning to grill burgers and watch Blue Jays baseball. Ha! Two more requests came in for showings at 4 and 5 p.m. Finally, another request for a showing at 6:30. We left the house just around 2, came home just before 3, and then left again about 3:50 p.m. We were able to come home briefly around 5:40, but were out of the house again at 6:20. I say we, because my son was home ill from work; while he takes his own vehicle, Saku (the cat) rides with me. I pulled into the driveway at 7 and found the realtor and her clients were just finishing up. Ooops! I apologized and hustled Saku into the house. 

If my math is right, Saku and I were in the car for over three hours. He's happiest when he isn't in the carrier and can wander as he pleases. If he's bored, he'll pester me for treats or sit on my lap and look out the window. But mostly, he tends to curl up, either in the back seat or the passenger seat and naps. Meanwhile I've been either knitting or reading to pass the time. I've finished one book so far, and are well into a second. The knitting hasn't been as productive.

Wednesday morning was quiet until just after 10 a.m., when the realtor called to ask some questions about a possible offer. It wasn't the police officer, but rather a family who were our 4 p.m. Tuesday showing. They have a property they are in the process of listing; it isn't on the market as yet. The realtor and I talked about it and because I don't have another property purchased as yet, we agreed that as long as the offer was reasonable, I'd proceed. I received the offer just after 1 p.m., while I was at stitch and chat. I reviewed the documents with him, and we countered only to limit the time to sell their property from Sept 30 to Sept 15. That gives them a full month, and since possession date is Oct 16, had we gone later, I'd have been packing like a mad woman those last two weeks. We can always give them an extension if they receive an offer within a few of days of the deadline. 

I'm not worried, nor is the realtor. Occasionally I go with my gut, and I have a good feeling about all this. The buyers loved all the things that others who viewed the property did not; the back yard, the sun room, the little shed, and the basement space. The inspection needs to be carried out by Aug. 23, which just happens to be my Dad's birthday. Sometimes, I feel that my parents still have a hand in what happens in my life. When we bought the house for D & Eli, the house was built in 1910 - Dad's birth year, and the front garden was planted with lilies - my mom's favorite flowers. 

I'm looking forward to a bit of time to simply relax and enjoy my back yard. Best of all, though, is knowing I don't have to keep the place spotless. I can leave out my knitting or my book, or even dirty dishes in the sink.