Wednesday 8 October 2014

Sold in Four Days!


It has been nearly four weeks since I last posted. Four very busy weeks that have kept us  busy, getting our house sold!

Rather than having fun creating cards, I have been busy helping DH get the house in showhome shape. We weeded, pruned and deadheaded the gardens...and dug up pieces of a few treasured perennials to take with us. Ordered a huge load of lovely black bark mulch, and my daughter and DH spread it through the front and back gardens.

It is common here to stage the house for the photos and videos. So we staged the porch for Fall and gave the house a good declutter. I even packed up our out of season clothes into our suitcases, so the closets did not look so full!
Here is a peak at the porch. Not as fancy as some, but we like how it turned out...


Found the Nest pillow a while back, and having been waiting to use it...


Here is the other side of the door...I managed to break the birdhouse support post in the planter, trying to straighten it for the photo...lol


Rugs were cleaned and a few little careful painting touch ups were done with one of my craft paintbrushes. Most were the size of a freckle...but they looked so much better after that careful dot of paint was added. Ground floor windows were given the once over and we all pitched in with the most dreaded task of all...washing the wood blinds. Uggh...how I hate that job!

The other big job was my craft room.  As you can imagine, I have not been able to do much creating in the craft room. Instead I have been going through each drawer and box, one at a time, and purging some of my stash. My new craft room will be smaller than the one I have now, so purging is a necessity. I did as much as I could till the house  photos and video day, but then  I had to just tidy (errrr...shove) what was left, into the cupboards and drawers.

We had about 5 viewings a day and got an offer on the fourth day. The offer is now finalized, and we breathe a sigh of relief that it is all over. Till all paperwork was finalized and the subjects removed, the realtor still had viewings continue throughout, so it has been a busy time....
In Canada, once the inspection report, mortgage etc are done and subjects are signed to remove, there is no going back on the deal. Earnest money is fairly hefty, so we feel blessed.

Everything purged has gone the Hospice Thrift Shop. It makes it easier to part with my supplies, knowing that the Hospice can use the funds. I think we managed to donate about 40 boxes of gardening supplies, garden hoses, sprinklers, tools, craft supplies, Halloween decorations, Xmas decorations, Xmas lights and so on.

We have bought a slightly smaller house than this one but it is on a much smaller lot.
All the back and forth to the lake takes its toll when you are 60! We have loved our garden here, but are looking forward to a life with only a postage stamp sized garden to maintain and a generous sized covered deck for outdoor enjoyment. No fuss and no muss!

Here is my new great room...it goes about 6 feet further past the charcoal chair...there is another 3 seater couch sitting in front of a bank of windows there. Think you can just manage to see those windows in the next photo...

We liked that it still seems to have separate areas even though is it supposed to be open concept. We liked the way the dining room is tucked into this area here...and yet still is part of the great room.

There is a living room too, just behind the kitchen fridge wall...just to the right when you walk in the front door. You can just see the doorway opening there and the window in that room off to the side of the door.

Here is a shot of the dining area. I have a bigger table though...with 8 chairs, so it will be a tighter squeeze. I might have to pop a leaf out of our table...

Our new front garden is nice, but nothing is done out back yet. We can sculpt it into what we would like. I am cruising Pinterest for water feature ideas! I quite fancy having no lawn out back...just the deck, patio and perhaps a water feature. One border of perennials and we will call it done!

Hope you enjoyed the wee tour...will try to get creating cards again soon!!!

22 comments:

cotnob said...

Wow! It sounds like you have been busy, your porch looks wonderful. I'm so please that you have found buyers and everything is now finalized.
Your new 'great room' looks wonderful - I hope you find a water feature for your new garden, it will be niece to design it from scratch.
Have fun.
Pauline
x

Pia S said...

Great news, Maureen! Your new home looks both contemporary and cosy, a combination I love!
Wow, 40 boxes for charity, that's a lot! I live in an apartment we bought about ten years ago, before that I rented and moved a LOT. So remembering all the moving back then I still have the routine of clearing drawers and closets once a quarter. If I want to buy something new something old has to go out first. Except for crafting stuff - no rules without exceptions, lol.

Jenny L said...

Hi Maureen,
I certainly did enjoy the tour.
Looks really wonderful.
When we sold our last house We to sold it in 4 days, after it going on the market, and I was dumb struck about that, but everybody that viewed it said it had a lovely feel to it, and that was what made us buy it ourselves.
I also think it's the way you present a house too.
I bet you are exhausted now.
Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

jimlynn said...

Sounds like you've just been a tab bit busy!!! But it paid off since you got your house sold so quick. Love your new home and space you have in this room. It's just lovely!
lynn

Mrs A. said...

Gosh you miust have a lot of stash if you have alreadydy given 40 boxes away.
Hope your move goes smoothly. sounds very dofferent to what we have here in England.
Hugs Mrs A.

Craftin Suzie (Susan Wykes) said...

I was wondering where you had been Mareen, obviously very busy! Your new home looks lovely hope all goes well with the move. Susan x

cuilliesocks said...

Hello Maureen, congratulations on getting your house sold so quickly, it's such a stressful event.
Your new home looks fabulous, so light and airy.
Your porch with all the Autumn decorations is just beautiful, I'm sure it helped no end, hugs Kate x

Gibmiss said...

Hi Maureen
Fabulous photo's.... Fabulous rooms ... So Big....
Wow love it....
Hugs Sylvie xx

Carol said...

Glad everything went fairly smoothly Maureen. Your new house looks and sounds wonderful and I love how you dressed your porch. Carol x

Cathy said...

Congrats on your new home, I love the colour scheme. Sounds like lots of fun planning your new surrounds too. Glad that you were able to sell so quickly and are able to move on, Cathy x

Darnell said...

Congratulations on selling so quickly, Maureen, although I'm not surprised by the warm and wonderful look of your front porch! I remember all the photos of it decorated for various holidays.

Your new home is really very nice in terms of layout and design and color (lol, sounds like I'm talking about a card!) and the size sounds perfect! So, I'm not clear on where you are moving ... is it at the lake then, so you will now be residents there year-round? No matter where it is, I hope the sale does go through without a hitch and the same goes with your move. You take care through it all!! Hugs, Darnell

Rainey's Craft Room said...

Congrats on your new home and upcoming move. Thanks for the tour it looks beautiful, I can understand why you would choose this house, it looks very open and peaceful. Hope you can take time to relax in it when the move is completed.
Hope to see some of your creations soon,
Lorraine

Em Louise Fairley said...

Congrats to you both on such a quick sale and thanks for the tour!

Hugs,
Em x

Anonymous said...

Hello Mo, waves frantically from Michigan! How are you? It's been ages since I popped in as we had such a busy Summer, and here you are upping sticks and moving! I'm a bit shocked tbh that you'd leave your beautiful home and garden, not to mention your crafty neighbour too! But I understand the need to downsize. Hope the whole move is smooth and that you get settled soon. The new place looks very nice too and it's always nice to plan new decor and seasonal arrangements. Take care and don't do too much!!

Hugs
Brenda B

Hettie said...

Oh My! That was a bit of a shocker to read!!! Talk about out of the blue!
So errr....if ever I get to come over, where do I sleep?
Seriously though, I hope you are both very happy in your new abode. Please let me have your new address. Congratulations on such a quick sale. I wish we had some of those rules over here as it is too easy for people to back out of sales here. Just ask Annie!
Hugs
xx

Mary Jo said...

Congratulations! Glad you were able to make a quick sale! I had a friend whose house was on the market for six months. Took it off for almost a year but then was able to sell it within a month the second time.
Very stressful for her!
Your new place looks lovely!

MaryH said...

Big congratulations on such a fast sale. It goes to show you did the staging very well, and folks could appreciate the fine qualities of your home. The front porch looked so warm & welcoming with the way you've staged it. I can imagine the relief knowing that your old place is sold quickly and you're ready for the new home. Loved seeing the pictures of your new place, and it is so spacious & open. What fun you will have making your new outside spaces reflect your own tastes, and then arranging your furniture in the rooms to make these pretty rooms reflect your personalities. Moving is a real chore but it will finally be all finished! TFS & Big Hugs

Unknown said...

Congrats on selling your house. And your new place looks great.

Becca Cruger said...

Wow! Congrats on everything. I'm sure it's bittersweet to be leaving the old, but the new sounds just lovely!

Pat said...

Wondered where you were Mo, but obviously life has been a bit busy. Love the look of your new home and great to have your old one sold so fast. x

Greta said...

Wow--sold in 4 days! How wonderful! Your new place looks beautiful--bet you're really going to love it!

A Creative Operation said...

I know all about what you have been doing with this. We also just moved, then fixed up the old home and sold it. It sold in 9 days…finalized and all done just last Friday. I am trying to get back into the swing of things in the crafty/blogging world. I LOVE YOUR NEW HOME! Congratulations!!! I'm glad to get back into crafting, and love my new craft room!!! Take care, Michelle