Finally Got Our Place Listed! - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Finally Got Our Place Listed!

Happytrails · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good luck with the sale of your house. It is a horrible process but will be worth it when it is over. We have had our house on the market for about 3 weeks. We have had several lookers but nothing counts until you get the contract! This too shall pass and we will all get on with the future. I hope you have a quick sale!!!
Good luck!

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

I hope you get a quick sale too! We have sold several places over the course of our lives and it's never been easy waiting for the sale. I am in such a mess since this decision was made quickly and I haven't been cleaning and sorting over the last couple of years, I've been working two jobs instead! I'm working harder now that I have quit my jobs! It will be such a blessing to have it all said and done and be on our way. smile

leilani59 · RV-Dreams Family Member

good luck on the sale of your home..

We will once again put ours on the market soon after Christmas.. As some of you know we had our house on the market for 6 months on Jacksonville Bch. Fl. lots and lots of lookers but no takers.. we live about 7 blcks from the beach, more like a beach cottage, 3, 2, laminate floors very nice..
but i guess it doesn't matter with the way the market is.. This time around we will have to lower the price of the house.

Can someone sed some light as to when the housing market will be somewhat back to normal? We would like to start our new life fulltiming and eventually workamp..have to put our plans in the back burner for awhile.. cry

debken · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good luck on your sale. We had a realtor who we thought was doing a really good job and she was in the beginning. After awhile with no sale pending and no future sale on the horizon she pretty much became nonexistant. We were having our own open houses but nobody was showing up. When our contract expired we told her that we still wanted to extend. We never got the paperwork to extend and the contract expired. We called again and she said it was in the mail. A friend of ours called and said he had somebody he knew who was moving down to FL from DC and he wanted to show him our house. He came, looked at the house and loved it. Guess what? No contract with a realtor. We now have to hire a real estate attorney but that's A LOT cheaper than a realtor and she is out a whole lot of money. blankstare

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Leilani, so sorry to hear it didn't sell in the six months you had it listed! We have a six month contract. Hope it sells before then. We are going to re-evaluate the price we've listed at in a month and may lower it at that time. Going to see what happens and if there isn't any interest will lower it. Don't give up hope! Your house is meant for someone else, they just haven't seen it yet!

Jan

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Wow, Debken! Loved how it all came together for you! I am a firm believer that everything happens in its own time, even when I start stressing over the timing! God has perfect timing! Your story sounds like one of those 'meant to be's!' We've sold a house without listing it with a realtor and just had an attorney. Certainly saves a LOT of money! I am certain we are living in someone else's house right now...they just need to find it and I am hoping they are looking through the MLS! biggrin

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

We, too, hope to sell without a realtor. Daughter and fiance wants to buy it but only if they can get a home based business variance. We were told this week by township offical probably no due to the zoning being agricultural. We are surrounded on all sides by a nursery. However, 1/2 mile up road is a alcohol/drug rehab and nearest neighbor about a 1/4 mile away runs his electrical business from home. Everything else on our street is nurseries.

If we can work the deal, will get an attorney and we all benefit.

Jan and GC - it will happen for the best! Good luck.

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Phyllen,

I hope it will all work out for your daughter's business and you can start your new lifestyle. No one pays attention to the rules here. We are in a rural residential area with three trucking businesses surrounding us and a couple up and down the street. They are all non-compliant but no one seems to have the authority to do anything about it. Will be happy to find a quiet and secluded area once we are fulltiming and perhaps sleep in once in a while!

We were also going to sell to our youngest son at a substantial loss and remain working a couple of years and live in our 5th Wheel on the property to pay off debt. His wife's x-husband would not allow the children to move out of the state they are living in so it fell through. If it hadn't fallen through GC would never have decided to retire early and I would still be working a fulltime and a part-time job. It was a blessing in disguise!

Jan

Howard · Host

leilani59,

The real estate market is down pretty much everywhere, but it is exaggerated in Florida because of the extra-rapid rise in values over the last few years. A little too rapid.

Now these are just my opinions, but that's never stopped me before. smile

Interest rates are still good and the stock market is in pretty good shape as well, although the expected volatility may make folks skittish. There is a credit crunch and less money available to borrowers/buyers, but I think that is being way overblown.

Even so, my guess is the real estate market won't start hopping again until right before the presidential election next year. Some economists can say housing and the economy is independent of politics, but I'll bet things improve a lot just before or right after next year's election.

Now, for those trying to sell that don't want to wait that long and want to increase the number of potential buyers, think European buyers. The dollar is at an all-time low right now against the euro and Europeans are very interested in U.S. real estate at the current prices and while their money has more value. And many of them aren't worried about the credit crunch in the U.S. because they can pay cash.

Some may have a problem with selling good ol' U.S. real estate to "them foreigners" smile

, but consider putting that bug in the ear of your real estate agent.

Good luck to everyone with houses on the market! biggrin

Sonia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Wow, I'd love to live 7 blocks from a beach!

I'm finding after two years on the road that full-timing is not for me and for the past few weeks I have searched for a house to buy, and I can't find one anywhere. Of course, that's anywhere I'd like to live. I am so discouraged.

It's ironic that I see wannabe fulltimers anxious to sell and there are lots of folks like me who want to buy but can't afford what there is out there.

It seems I didn't reserve sufficient cash to buy a house and my retirement pension won't cover a big mortgage. I spent a lot of my cash on my truck and trailer. My recommendation to all wannabes is reserve a sizeable amount of cash so that you can get out of fulltiming if you decide to do so.

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sonia,

Sorry that full-timing didn't work out for you. When we talk to people about full-timing, one of the first things I tell them is that it's not for everyone. Some times it just doesn't work.

Hope you find a nice place to live. Try not to get too discouraged, I'm sure everything will work out. It might just take a little while.

Good luck,

leilani59 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions..
Howard we decided to put the house back on the market after the Holidays so we may be right on the mark.. before election.. i too have heard that election makes a difference.. So thank you for the ideas..I have no qualms on Europeans purchasing.. Hey, money is money and good no matter who you are....lol
Sonia, I am sorry that your fulltiming haven't worked out and I wish you all the luck. r you fulltimiming solo?

Anyway, as for us making the decision to sell..We would like a change and see what we can while we can.. Our mortgage is climbing, the insurance is up and the taxes are up.. In the past 6 yrs. we have had four homeowners insurance companys bail out because of the past Hurricanes.. We are in North Fl. and have not had a hurricane since the 60's.. We are paying the price for hurricane damage homes. We have no debt except the house and once we sell we are DEBT FREE!!!
I am sure at times we may wish we never sold BUt the good times outway the bad and you move on..
With that said, say a prayer for all of us wannabees selling homes and wink

that we can all meet on the road someday soon.. smile

Sonia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the good wishes. I appreciate it. Yes, I am a solo traveler and that's getting old.

North Florida is an area I like and it would make sense for me because it is close to family and friends, but I'm afraid of the insurance crisis there. I think that is making it difficult to sell Florida houses. I know my insurer stopped insuring in Florida. And I know people who are having to sell simply because they can't afford their insurance bill. It's a terrible situation.

I'm not saying that being footloose and fancy free is bad; I just recommend you have a door out.

leilani59 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well guys, Could'nt wait any longer.. The house will go back on the market on Monday.. This time for $35,000 less.. Yikes!!.. We will be debt free once we pay the mortgage off and with the gains buy our fifth wheel and truck..

We wanted to have lots extra $$$ but the way the market is, I don't think it'll happen. Besides we have a pension check to live on..And my husband will still work as a manager of a Condo until we are ready to leave..

Our plans after we sell! ( Cross fingers) is to stay in our town for a few months, get used to the fifth wheel in and out and then take short trips until we are ready to take a long trip..

We purchased "Complete Guide To Fulltiming Life on the Open Road" By Bill and Jan Moeller.. Very good info..

rvBarb2go · RV-Dreams Community Member

I guess we are in good company. We also just listed our house last week. We had an offer on day 8, and we countered. Still waiting. I doubt anything will come of it, as we are pretty far apart on their offer and our counter offer. . I think they are just fishing....We did price our home just under comps in our area. We let our realtor set the price she thought it should be listed at...
The house down the street has been on the market for over three months. They are now listed with a different realtor and dropped their price $150,000. Yikes.

They should have priced it right in the beginning. This market is no time to be testing the waters if you really want to sell. I guess we'll just have to sit back and be patient. When it does sell, we will be joining Howard and Linda and you folks who are living the fulltime lifestyle.

Barb

wmalefyt · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are having second thoughts about putting our condo on the market right now. Prices keep dropping and very few are selling from what I hear. I hate to have to wait another year, but if we can't get enough for this place we won't have enough to finance our fulltime adventure.

I think if your home sits too long on the market it gets "stale" and the agents don't even bother showing it or buyers become suspicious and think something must be wrong with it.

We're still hoping the market will pickup so we continue to get the place fixed up and ready to sell. Part of that is buying a St. Joseph Home Sale Kit! http://www.leafletonline.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=590&zenid=5630ae998097de1528a450606f3cbca7

Good luck to those of you already listed.

-- Edited by wmalefyt at 08:44, 2007-10-12

Terri and John · RV-Dreams Community Member

Our heads are spinning. We worked our tails off to get the house on the market as soon as possible figuring it would take a while to sell. We listed on 10/3 with a reasonable price, had an open house on Sunday, and accepted an offer that is only $4,000 below our asking price last night. The best part is that there is no contingent of waiting on their house to sell to close the deal. That item alone was the deal maker. Now we just have to get through all the inspections and the close of escrow before I can really jump for joy.

I certainly feel like the fickle finger of fate, for once, is working with us in getting us to our fulltime goal. The truck has been delivered, the fifth wheel will come out of production mid-December, the last day of work for both of us will be 12/31. 2008 is looking like it will start off better than we had hoped.

I hope everyone else who is going through the same process as we are will find their pieces all falling into place real soon.

Many thanks to Howard, Linda, and everyone who comments on RV-Dreams for giving us the information and validation that we needed to move ahead in fulfilling our rv dream.

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations to all of you getting offers on your homes! In the last two weeks we have had eight scheduled showings and one realtor caravan through the house but no offers. Lots of interest. I don't know if my realtor is scheduling an Open House or not but we sure are getting tired of the dinner hour showings. I asked my realtor about the price but she said everyone is fine with it so she doesn't want to lower it right now. Keeping my fingers crossed that an offer will come soon!

MikeandSally · RV-Dreams Community Member

Wow, Jan you story is almost like ours, house on the market for 6 week got an offer 10K but took it now were through the inspections, if all else gose good we'l be FT-ers on Dec. 1. If anyone want to see the house here's a link http://www.HouseOnTexas.com
We like many of you started this dream a long time ago, but realy stared to put it together when we turned 55, sold the the F350 4x4, the Nextlevel 5er Toy box and the Rhino (we mostly did off roading) bought the MH and toded and now we wait.

We'er going to spend the first month here in Ventura Ca (you know Christmas whit the kides) and it's on to Texas (funny that's the name of the street we live on now...LOL)

Hope to see you all down the road, maybe even in Branson.

Good luck all!

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mike and Sally,

That sounds great! Hope it happens similar for us. I guess I shouldn't get too excited after only being on the market for two weeks. We have a lot of sorting and tossing to do yet. Just found out our younger son is going to have back surgery in two weeks. If we weren't trying to sell this place I would head out to California and care for him during recovery. We will talk to our older son and see if he wants to take his brother's stuff to him when he comes for his on Thanksgiving or we will get another storage unit and keep it here until his brother can come to get it.

I went to the dentist the other day and found I need a lot of dental work. Fastest will be going to an oral surgeon in a couple of weeks and then back to mine the beginning of December. We will lost the dental insurance when my husband retires so timing will be critical. Just a little added bonus to everything else I am trying to take care of before heading out.

I sure hope things work out and we can meet on the road sometime in 2008!

Jan and GC

MikeandSally · RV-Dreams Community Member

Wow Jan sounds like you have a lot going on. Hang in there I think with the way the housing market is right now we were lucky to sell in the short time we did, had over 25 lookers but only this one offer. Hope every thing works out for your son (What city does he live in out here) If you/he needs anything lets us know , were in Simi valley.

Jan and GC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you for the offer to help, much appreciated. I think between their friends and his wife's family he will be taken care of. They live on the Navy base at Lemoore. It isn't very easy for a civilian to get on base. My only concern is that he gets a good doctor for surgery and that they use the new technique instead of fusing. But it is something I have no control over. My older son is stationed about three hours away in Port Hueneme so he is fairly close to him. If we were already fulltiming it wouldn't be a problem and we would be on our way there. I feel stuck with this house not sold! Makes me see the RV llifestyle in a whole new light! However, I will ask for everyone who practices a religion to please pray for a speedy recovery for my son.