Is your house trying to tell you something?

I get frustrated as a realtor when people complain about how long houses sit on the market these days. Have you been in three-fourths of the homes out there? Their current owners have let them "sit" for five, ten or fifteen years without caring for them, and then wonder why they are now "sitting" on the market not attracting buyer's. Hello? Do people really think that I have clients out there who are just waiting to find that special dirty, outdated house with a bright purple room and stained carpet? Before you think that you wouldn't be included in that group, take a stroll through your house and look at it through the eyes of a buyer. Better yet, a great reality check is to attend some open houses in your area and the go home and look at your house. I know it's hard. I know we are busy. But sometimes our houses can be the gauge to tell us whether we are just too darn busy. I just read Kathryn Robbyn's book "The Emotional House". I would highly recommend it for anyone who is feeling "stuck". It is a must read for those of you who haven't put much effort into maintaining your house and now are thinking of selling it. What Robbyn's refers to as an emotional house is basically the same as what I call a well loved home. A well loved home is not about the "wow" factor. It's all about the "ahhh" factor. As she states, "it's the special feeling you get when you enter a room and suddenly find yourself at ease. A well loved home carries the heart and soul of the people who live there, because their lifestyle and life principals are important enough to infuse their home with them. The benefit is simple physics: every action has an equal and reciprocal reaction-the house gives back."
People aren't looking for "show case" houses that are dressed up to impress but are really a fake environment that no one could comfortably live in. The well loved house nurtures your soul from the moment you step foot inside the front door. Over the next month, I'm going to post a series of steps to get there if you are lost in the haze of half finished house projects, neglected maintenance, and live-in dust bunnies that seem to be multiplying in leaps. You can get there from here. Baby steps, a plan and a little vision is all you need. I'll try and provide the last two and we'll hold hands while taking the baby steps. Remember, the house gives back!