Even allowing for the usual bitching and moaning, this has been an exceptionally gloomy winter. Warmer than usual, which means little or no snow, and clouds, heavy clouds, for days and days and days.
So yesterday was sunny, and we spent all day indoors. Alan rented a steamer to clean the kitchen-floor grout, and rental agreements don’t care about the weather.
Plus, it was cold. But the floor looks great, brand-new. Almost offsets the looming expense of the basement repairs, but what are you gonna do?
Lately I’ve been thinking about selling this house. Not selling-selling it, but having it in the kind of shape where if we had to sell it, it would be sellable. It reminds me of the two-day house hunt that led to us buying this one, a blur of a weekend where we walked through every house in Grosse Pointe in our price range, and saw so many tragedies. Hideous carpet that was brand-new, obviously thrown down to make the place sellable, and why the hell would anyone do that? Why try to guess at the prevailing carpet preferences of the market, when you could just stipulate that the seller will install new carpet of the buyer’s choosing, or adjust the price to allow for — which is almost certainly what the market of that time would have wanted — restoration or installation of hardwood?
There was an old-people house where everything old people tend to stack on a dining-room table had been thoughtfully relocated to the dining-room chairs, as though someone was holding a dinner party for dozens of old magazines. There was the cat-pee-smell house. There was the bedroom painted for a Red Wings fan, and I am talking the reddest red you ever saw, a four-coats-of-primer red. There was the bungalow where a woman with bipolar mental illness had lived, with every home-improvement project half-done — the floors half-refinished, the woodwork paint half-stripped. Her estate was selling after her suicide.
Then, this place, which was Acceptable. We’ve redone every room by now, and it’s finally pretty much the way we want it, which means it’s not for sale, but sellable.
Staging is the big thing now, of course. Some friends with a big, expensive place to unload went that route. The stager came through it like a good-taste tornado, took out half the furniture, put a bunch of big paintings on the walls, all that. She even put her own stemware in the glass-fronted cabinets. Fresh flowers everywhere. Our friends checked into a nice hotel in Birmingham (the Detroit suburb, not the Alabama city) for the weekend, and came home to an asking-price offer on the kitchen island. Contrast that to some neighbors who listed at what agents call an “aggressive” price point and couldn’t even slap a fresh coat of paint on the dusty-rose walls. It sold, but for far less than they started at.
Real estate is like a religion for some people in this country, but not me. However, I peek in at the churches from time to time.
I’d throw in some links at this point, but I saw a few of J.D. Vance on one of the Sunday shows yesterday, and it was disheartening enough to put me off politics for a day or two. For shame, Ohio, electing this husk of a man. For shaaaaame.
Jeff Gill said on February 5, 2024 at 9:52 am
OTOH, the unmitigated joy of hearing Tracy Chapman singing live again at the Grammys, and Joni Mitchell making a very old song hit in a new way about being old (a subject I probably am thinking about too much anyhow). Plus I was dozing as Taylor Swift won something again.
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Jeff Borden said on February 5, 2024 at 10:08 am
There’s been some talk that J.D. Vance could be the veep choice of the Orange King, but he really doesn’t add much. Another heavyset white guy with more grievances than ideas and Ohio isn’t even a swing state any more. It’s red. End of story.
Since tRump loves good-looking women, I wouldn’t be surprised if South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem got the nod, though running a state of fewer than 900,000 people isn’t much preparation for a national role. My thinking is Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who recently revealed a “girlfriend” to blunt concerns about his, mmm, sexual preferences. A black man would give the MAGAts cover from being called racists, too. And, christ on a popsicle stick, Scott is just pathetically in the tank for the sage of Mar-a-Lardo.
Taylor Swift made more history at the Grammys last night. I think we can predict the programming today on Fox, Newsmax and all the other sewage outlets. Damn, these people are stupid.
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Jeff Gill said on February 5, 2024 at 10:15 am
Watch Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama.
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alex said on February 5, 2024 at 10:56 am
Kitchen grout cleaning — ugh! We’ve been considering hiring someone to do ours. Stanley Steemer claims that not only can they steam clean kitchen floor grout but re-color it and seal it too.
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Jason T. said on February 5, 2024 at 11:47 am
Having within the past five years bought a house, sold a house, bought another house, and then sold the house we bought four years earlier (not strictly by choice — it was a long story), I feel somewhat qualified to talk about the state of house-hunting these days.
According to the real estate agent we used all four times, many buyers can’t see past superficial things. Bad wallpaper or stained carpet can be a deal-breaker. It’s better to blow a couple of thou at Home Depot for some cheap (but plush-looking) berber than take a chance you won’t get any offers. Throw some Speedhide paint on the walls and bingo, the house has been remodeled.
When we were house-hunting, I was looking at things like — does the plumbing make noise? Is the basement wet? Is there any water damage in the attic? Is there loose mortar? Are other houses in the neighborhood well-maintained? — lots of other people are focused on “the drapes are hideous.”
Do you ever watch “Sell This House”? They do a hidden-camera bit where they film buyers as they walk through houses. I hoot at derision at what people complain about: “Oh, I hate that dining room table.” Lady, you’re not buying the table, you’re looking at the house.
Real estate agent tip: Buy the cheapest decent-looking carpet but put really good padding under it. It will level out uneven floors and make the carpet seem more expensive.
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Suzanne said on February 5, 2024 at 12:15 pm
We bought a house in Feb last year and the biggest issue we had was that houses were selling so fast, we didn’t have time to think about it. I was still very fatigued from cancer treatments which didn’t help. We saw one house that we loved but thought the price too high and by the time we discussed it with our realtor, numbers were crunched and we came up with a price we were willing to go with, it had sold. The one we bought was on the market 3 or 4 days. We were scheduled to see one the same day we saw the one we bought but it sold in less than 24 hours. It has slowed down but interest rates have gone up so had we waited, we would have spent way more.
It’s really a no win for the consumer.
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alex said on February 5, 2024 at 12:51 pm
To be fair to the hypercritical homebuyers on “Sell This House,” they’re viewing a lot of competition that doesn’t need a total makeover, and the homes on that show typically verge on being hoarder houses if they’re not festooned with scary collectibles and atrocious decorating and misused space in general.
The hosts explain time and again that what you’re selling is space and space needs to be staged in the most advantageous way possible. A dining room that’s used as an office/weight room tells potential buyers that the house lacks space. And if you’re not going to replace ugly countertops and carpet, then at least try to neutralize them by tying them into a coherent decorating scheme.
I like that show and think it provides some useful advice. Alas, the DABL channel that carried it has recently changed to 24/7 “Moesha” reruns.
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Julie Robinson said on February 5, 2024 at 12:53 pm
Jeff B, Tim Scott and his lady are engaged, and how dare you impugn the reputation of such a fine man. Wink, wink.
Our neighbors are moving to Scotland, where the wife grew up, and even though their house hasn’t gone on the market yet, half a dozen people have contacted us about it. Mortgage rates be damned, I think it’ll go high.
We took down personal pictures, did some painting and decluttering, and I bought flowering plants. This was before prices had their latest increase, and mortgages were still fairly low.
Will the hive mind jump in on grout colors? Bathroom is coming up next, and the room is small so I’m thinking light-colored tile. Probably white with an accent row in blue or blue patterns. I know white grout shows dirt easily, but to me gray looks always dirty.
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David C said on February 5, 2024 at 12:54 pm
We’d like to sell and move back to Michigan but it’s damned hard to leave behind a 2.375% mortgage and our neighbors are turning their property into a shithole, so who knows that that would do. Both of their kids have 20 or thereabout year old former German luxury cars and both leak oil like a sieve. It smells like a fucking quick lube place not to mention all the oil that gets washed into the storm sewer and into Lake Winnebago where we get our tap water. I guess I’m the neighbor who so doesn’t want to be the asshole neighbor that I let the asshole neighbor be an asshole. I don’t want to be that guy that complains about property values but maybe I’m going to have to.
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Jeff Borden said on February 5, 2024 at 12:56 pm
Our situation is odd. I very much want to improve our house, particularly the living room, with new bookcases, refinished floors, etc., but it’s highly likely the buyer of our house will just bulldoze it. It was built in 1905. Brick foundation. Not a straight line in the whole structure. Only about 1,300-sq-ft of living space. We’re on a lot 25-feet wide and 125-feet long.
A similar house to ours next door was demolished and replaced with an enormous $1.48-million dollar structure.
We’re left wondering if anyone likes small, cozy houses and whether we should invest in upgrades that might lie in rubble within the next 10 to 15 years. We’re trying to “age in place,” but who knows what the future holds?
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Dorothy said on February 5, 2024 at 1:39 pm
Exactly two years ago this week we moved into this new build patio home. two weeks after we moved in, we put our Beavercreek OH home up for sale and it sold in a few hours after an open house, $50K over asking price. That was the craziness of 2022. We too replaced the carpeting in the old house because it badly needed it. I would have preferred to give $$ to the buyers and let them pick their own carpet, but realtors today have a black belt in How to Sell, so who am I to argue with their instructions? I really hate staging. I understand the science behind it but it just rubs me the wrong way.
Also in 1979 when we were looking for our first house, we didn’t see a cat-pee-smell-house, but there was a very sad one that had a child who was disabled and their bedroom smelled something awful. I was surprised they hadn’t done more to fix that before putting it up for sale, but the family had enough challenges so maybe they didn’t realize the smell was that bad. We’ve moved five times since 2002 so I think we’ve seen more than our share of houses, and I’m very hopeful we’ll never move again. That’s the plan, anyway.
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David C said on February 5, 2024 at 1:39 pm
If your goal is to age in place, do the renovations that will make you happy and enhance your ability to stay in it. If you sell, will you be able to find a house that suits you better for whatever you get for your current house? Often times, not.
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brian stouder said on February 5, 2024 at 1:51 pm
We sold our home in Fort Wayne, and indeed, it wasn’t on the market much longer than drag-racers stand at the starting-line. (Having St Francis college 2 blocks away definitely helped!). And now – I’m becoming rura-fied!
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Julie Robinson said on February 5, 2024 at 1:52 pm
Lots of those McMansions going up here, too. The houses are mid-century modern and most are 1300-1500 sf. People want in the neighborhood but then they wreck it. We were told by one contractor that our house was a tear down; obviously they didn’t get the job. We’re just praying whoever buys our neighbor’s place will be happy with the improvements made. The house on the other side will definitely be a tear down because she’s let it go to ruin.
We just had some of the happiest news a Floridian can get: we still have homeowners’ insurance. The company threatened to cancel it because of our solar installation and ever since November we’ve been jumping through hoops. Finally, 13 days before cancellation, they said okay. So grr but yay.
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Sherri said on February 5, 2024 at 2:08 pm
Just a reminder that even if we’re careful, any of us can get scammed. Cory Doctorow, who knows a lot about how scams work, still got scammed.
https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/05/cyber-dunning-kruger/
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Deborah said on February 5, 2024 at 4:26 pm
I’ve been reading “Democracy Awakening” by Heather Cox Richardson, I pre-ordered it and got it when it came out this past fall but I had some other books to finally finish before I would let myself start this one. It’s very good but super maddening because it spells out all of the shenanigans the Republicans have pulled since the 1920s. I’m at the part that’s all about Trump and I’m ready to scream. There’s not a lot I didn’t already know but having it all play out in one continuous narrative, as HCR can do very well is mind boggling. I have read her daily Letter from an American substack for the last 4 years. I haven’t read any of her other books yet but I will eventually. She says she is hopeful about Democracy in interviews I’ve heard but so far I haven’t come to that part. If Trump gets re-elected of course we can kiss that goodbye. Have any of you read this book yet?
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Mark P said on February 5, 2024 at 5:18 pm
I sold my house in Alabama in the late 1990’s. After no luck with a real estate agent, I decided to sell it myself. To increase my odds, I decided to essentially hold a permanent open house. Anyone could drop by at any time. So, I had to clean up the house and keep it clean and uncluttered all the time. It became a habit, and it made the house a lot more pleasant to live in during the year it took to sell. I wish I could do that with my current house, but I’m too messy, and my wife would not be on board.
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Ann said on February 5, 2024 at 6:16 pm
Our place in Marquette, built in 2013, looked brand new when we moved in three years ago. Now the dog has torn away hunks of drywall in a couple of places and the husband’s walker has scratched up all the hardwood floors. We’ll have to throw a bunch of money at it when it’s time to sell.
For McMansion fun, see this. https://mcmansionhell.com/post/741171396971053056/weve-found-it-folks-mcmansion-heaven
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Dorothy said on February 5, 2024 at 6:23 pm
I forgot when I commented above to ask about our LAMary – how are you with all this flooding and torrential rain? I’ve been thinking about you, Mary, and hope you and your loved ones are okay and safe. And DRY. A friend of mine just got back to Ohio yesterday afternoon after spending a week or so in LA. Her son lives there and he’s getting ready to move to Washington state, and she owns the apartment (condo?) where he’s lived for awhile. She is getting ready to list it for rent in March and she needed to do some work there while also helping her son and his fiancé to pack.
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Sherri said on February 5, 2024 at 9:02 pm
Climate change isn’t real, right?
https://wapo.st/42vn66n
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Julie Robinson said on February 5, 2024 at 9:05 pm
Good one, Ann! I’d forgotten about that blog. That is one of the more hideous places they’ve featured.
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gretchen said on February 6, 2024 at 2:25 am
When we sold our last house it had new furnace/AC, new roof, newly refinished floors, but we had moved out, so people asked things like, but where would the dining room table go? We finally moved a table back in to say here. The table goes here. Meanwhile, a nearby house had water marks showing that there had recently been 3 feet of water in the basement, but it was decorated so cute that it sold immediately.
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LAMary said on February 6, 2024 at 9:02 am
After last year’s floods we were prepped for this year’s torrents. The sickening feeling of climbing out of bed to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and stepping into water on the floor was something I didn’t want to experience again. The thoughtful Poole brothers, both showed up on Saturday with sandbags and strategies for keeping the water out of the house. I have a row of 37 sandbags in front of the house and garage and a few more along the foundation of the house on the side where water was pooling and seeping in last year. So far, no water in the house. It’s raining now and was raining every time I woke up during the night but it wasn’t a hard rain. Just steady rain, but not like the night the house flooded. I got to my office safely yesterday although there were many idiots driving like stunt drivers along the way. LA drivers have no clue how to drive in rain. I’m going in again today. Those giant spreadsheets aren’t going to do themselves. I have a raincoat that looks exactly like the red coat that George Costanza used to wear and some waterproof Adidas. I’m set. And I am so lucky to have two kids who showed up to help out their mom. Now as long as it doesn’t get too windy and the trees in my yard don’t start falling down I should be ok.
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Sherri said on February 6, 2024 at 12:17 pm
I’ve said before that Biden was never really my choice of nominee, but I have to say, he’s been much better than I ever would have expected at the job. Better in a number of ways than Obama was, in fact, only he’s not getting any press for it.
Biden didn’t try to half ass pandemic economic recovery, and as a result, the economy recovered much faster than anybody expected and without the recession that everyone predicted. Yes, there was inflation, but that was worldwide and shorter here.
When the courts stopped Biden’s big student debt plan, he started doing it piecemeal. His NLRB appointments have been good enough that SpaceX and Trader Joe’s want to get the NLRB declared unconstitutional. While the initial news about the railroad deal was bad, after the fact, Biden worked to improve the deal. Biden became the first President to ever join a picket line.
I personally know two of his federal court appointees, and they’re spectacular.
He was not a progressive Senator, and he still isn’t as progressive as I would like (we really need to add more justices to SCOTUS), but he has been quietly far more progressive than I would have imagined.
He’s going to get dinged for Hamas-Israel, not without reason, but that really is a no-win situation.
The right thing to do is to pull back weapons support from Israel to stop genocide, but politically, that’s much harder.
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Jeff Borden said on February 6, 2024 at 12:19 pm
I’d been blissfully unaware Taylor Swift was an Aryan princess earlier in her career. Now, I understand. She’s 5-foot-11, a natural blond with blue eyes…real Valkyrie material. No wonder their tiny little schwantzes are hurting.
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brian stouder said on February 6, 2024 at 12:37 pm
Sherri – I couldn’t possibly agree MORE! Joe’s gettin’ it done…. and I look forward to our first female president, after President Biden retires. On edit: Jeff, I was eating a sandwich for lunch, and laughed-coughed-almost choked, while reading your post. Should’a known better than to read this blog while eating – but waddaya gonna do, eh?
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Jeff Borden said on February 6, 2024 at 2:57 pm
The mother of the Oxford High school shooter was convicted today on four counts of involuntary manslaughter for being “grossly negligent” by allowing her mentally unstable son to have a gun. The husband is getting a separate trial.
No doubt this isn’t the end of the story. The ammosexuals will be in full revolt over the idea someone might be held responsible for the carnage we see and hear every fucking day in this country. And, while Jennifer Crumbley is a spectacularly unsympathetic figure, there may be some extenuating circumstances. It will be interesting to see how this plays out locally and nationally.
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LAMary said on February 6, 2024 at 3:31 pm
I believe Ms Swift comes from a wealthy family too. She’s made a shitload of money herself and she has given a shitload of money to good causes. Her employees are paid better and treated better than most too.
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tajalli said on February 6, 2024 at 8:09 pm
LAMary, I’ve just read that LA received 1/2 of its total annual rainfall within the past three days – more than 7 inches (see below). Also, that the Big Sur area had a hurricane warning this past weekend, its first ever.
https://ggweather.com/seasonal_rain.htm
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basset said on February 7, 2024 at 9:26 am
And… the Beatles first came to America sixty years ago today.
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