Well,it finally happened. My Mom's house sold today. It has been on the market for almost a year in the very depressed city of Dayton, Ohio. We started out at one price, lowered it 2 times and sold it for 2/3 of it's appraised value to a flipper. I have been sweating the next few months, worried I was going to have to dip into our personal funds to continue utilities, insurance, and taxes.....and today it sells.
I am of 2 minds over this. On one hand, thank God it sold! I can stop worrying about when the next bill will be paid. No more utilities, insurance, landscaping, taxes. No more worries that something will happen and I will have to find the monies to replace a roof, furnace, water heater, or plumbing. I can stop worrying that the house is empty and I am an hour away if something were to happen. All of these things are a huge load off my mind and our finances.
BUT....it is the house I grew up it. It was where my family was the happiest. We moved into that house the day JFK was killed. I was 6 and my brother was less than a year. I had Girl Scouts in that house and our troop's first camp-out in that backyard. I learned to cook in that kitchen and how to walk in heels down that hall. I kissed my first boy in that side yard and learned to drive from that driveway. I shaved my legs without permission and cut myself to the shinbone in that tub. I held my favorite brush as a microphone and sang with the Cowsills in that bedroom.
I have been just crushed since Tom called to say they accepted our counter-offer. It has been a year of changes for me/us. In my head this is a good thing. But in my heart it is devastating that I won't be able to "go home" again. On February 28th it will be gone. I will hold my memories close and miss it just the same.
T
T,
ReplyDeleteI know how you are feeling as I will be in the same boat maybe this year.. I have lived in my family house for almost 60 years but I have been thinking I need to move out soon..
Warren
Dear T,
ReplyDeleteNice to read your voice here. It sounds like sort of a two sided coin with your mom's house sale. It is a challenge for sure to lose something that meant so much and yet, you are also unburned of the stress and financial worry.
I used to watch Clean House a lot when Niecy Nash was the host, and one time, she gently asked a lady whose house was full of her mother's things she had inherited if she needed the things to remember her mom and the memories. The lady thought for a long moment, and then said no, she guessed not. That was an 'ah ha' moment for me. I am sure you will miss the old homestead, but you will have those happy memories you so kindly shared with us to carry you on soft winds. On the flip side, it sounds like you'll have much less stress from carrying the responsibility and financial aspects of it.
Please be gentle with yourself though for a bit T, and give yourself time to grieve though, because in the end, it is a loss to you and affects you like any other loss.
Warm thoughts to you and the family,
Mystress
T,
ReplyDeleteI understand all you are feeling. I went through the same things 4 years ago. Once difference is I must pass our old house to get to work. I constantly say to myself, why are they parking that car in my mother's yard? Why did they cut down that tree, my dad planted it. I'm better now and I'm able to separate my thoughts of all the problems it was for a while and just remember the wonderful time my family had there. I hope soon that will be all you remember.
PK
I don't have any wisdom, or insight for you, but I wanted to acknowledge your pain, and tell you that I sincerely hope that you are able to make peace with your feelings, and heal, sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteSending warm wishes your way.
You don't need the house to remember those things though, you wrote it beautifully here. I do know that it's hard to let go of things though, whether we need them or not.
ReplyDeleteI grew up outside Dayton. I wonder how far apart we lived.
-sin
I'm sorry. You did well in a very bad market situation. I've done that twice, and I know how stressful it has been for you. I hope you will soon feel better about your loss.
ReplyDelete