Dear So and So

[lph]

Dear Body,

yah, you rock! After three weeks of sneezing and coughing and congestion and bronchitis and fever and chills and headaches and no hearing or sense of smell or taste, you pulled through, all on your own without any help from meds. Ok, so you're you're still expending blobs of bright yellow something from your breathing apparatus, and you're a little pudgy round the middle and not about to pass anyone on the daily commute for a long time yet, but dang, you whupped that virus! Proud of you

- your surprisingly patient brain

[Blueberry]

Dear Real Estate Agents showing houses:

When you schedule an appointment on an hour's notice, we re-arrange our day and bust our butts to have the house perfect, it would be really awesome if you actually showed up. I wouldn't think you would have a conflict come up that quickly.

It would also be nice (for those of you who have come through) if you would not track so much mud that we have to mop the floors between every showing. We have inside mats and outside mats, and there's really not much mud in our yard. What gives?

While we're on the subject, feedback of "I didn't realize it only had one bathroom" or "we didn't realize it was so small" just means that you are incapable of reading. All of these things are listed on the MLS. Feedback that it should be listed for <significantly less> than it is isn't helpful either. We're squarely in the range every agent told us to list it. Since you are the only one who has made such a comment (out of many, many showings), you are clearly an outlier.

Signed,

Sick, cranky, and tired of being booted away from home and office for NO reason

[indysteel]

(((Blueberry))). FWIW, I asked people to take their shoes off when viewing my house. As far as I know, they complied (it was winter and the carpeted floors were cleaned before it went on the market). I left a tray for the shoes near the front door.

The post-viewing comments are THE WORST. They always left me feeling so dejected. It takes some emotional fortitude to sell a home in this market; more than I often had.

[Blueberry]

Thanks, Indy. We've asked that people take their shoes off (including in the showing instructions), and have a shoe tray by the front door. They just aren't very good at complying. It's definitely not the norm around here.

The first few showings were bumpy because (unbeknownst to us) the housekeepers hadn't paid the attention to detail we wanted, our agent didn't catch it, and the house was sort of a mess (piles of magazines the housekeeper wanted so we didn't recycle, furniture pulled out). We've gotten feedback that it's showing well from lots of agents (including the ones who didn't realize we only have 1 bath) since we've been doing what I think we need to do.

I still say we're lucky. We're mostly not taking this to heart. We've only been on the market a week and 2 days, and we're showing multiple times most days - so great news there. We've heard suggestions of offers, but nothing yet. We came home from California with a really crappy bug and it's taking us a while to shake it (not to mention we're coughing a lot at night - so not sleeping). Things just seem so much worse when you don't feel good. And this is such an emotional process to begin with. I'm glad I have TE as a place to vent!

[indysteel]

That's great that you're getting good traffic. Hopefully, you'll get a nibble/bite soon! Sending positive vibes your way!

[Blueberry]

Oh boy - more real estate agent issues.

Dear showing agents:

Lock the frigging door. It's not that hard. My back door should NOT have been standing open when I got home (don't know if you left it unlocked and it blew open, or you left it open). Not cool. Glad nothing (that I see) is missing - but I'm going to be a little paranoid for a while. I'm *really* trying to be good about not flipping out about the house being on the market and trudging through it - but this *is not helping*.

[Sky King]

Blueberry,
When I sold my last place, I wouldn't leave the house until I saw the whites of their eyes. I would take the dog and go for a walk. (I worked from home) So at least I knew if they showed up and I never gave them more than 30 minutes and usually did a loop so I could see the house and tell if the cars were still there. Good Luck!