Uh… wrong house…
There are three townhomes in the photo below, and one “residential brokerage” (aka “for sale”) sign. Which house does the sign look like it is in front of – the one on the left, middle or right?
Maybe the photo is a bit too skewed. Here is a more straight-on photo.
Guess which house is ours.
And not for sale.
Last Saturday, after opening the shades so Data could sit on my desk and look out the window, I went into the bedroom and said to Steven, “Guess what? Our house is for sale!”
He didn’t find it as amusing as I did until he actually looked out the window, and saw where the sign was (I think he thought I was exaggerating in my description of it). We haven’t had any next-door neighbors for quite some time (hurrah!) and we were wondering if the house was going to go on the market.
He called the number on the sign, and left a polite message inquiring about the price of the home and told them that they put the sign in front of our house by mistake.
He didn’t actually talk to the real estate agent until this Thursday. She told Steven that she has to remove the sign anyway (it is against our townhome association code to put them up) and that the house is going for about 20-25% less than its original cost.
Yikes. I told Steven, “I guess that means we’re stuck here for awhile!”
We aren’t planning on moving anytime SOON, but we definitely aren’t going to move if the market is so bad. I suppose we’ll have to wait it out a few more years…
Themocracy
We were sitting here wondering whether we could move even if we had to, and I don’t think we could. The housing market is so bad out here that people can’t seem to sell anything at all right now. With jobs being cut, people just aren’t going anywhere.
It’s pretty hellish what the mortgage collapse has done to your house prices. Ours are down too, just not so dramatically.
We live in a semi. When the place next door was for sale we used to get people wanting to see our house too. They’d look disappointed — funny thing is that the property is a mirror image of ours.
I’m astounded that your HA won’t allow For Sale signs. What in the world??? Oh, well, at least you like your house. Imagine being trapped right now in a house you hated!!
It’s SO depressing to be selling our house right now. I’m thankful that we’re in a good situation, we’re not on the edge of bankrupcy or foreclosure, but it’s still frustrating. Houses that are being sold by owners in our situation are still being listed (not necessarily selling, though) for more than we paid, but there are so many bank owned homes that are being sold for less than the original sales price that no one else can sell theirs unless they’re willing to lose $100k just to compete.
Kyra – It must be the same all over. I suppose we should just be grateful for what we have, for now 🙂
Nat – It is the same out here – all of the houses are similar. I think there are only 5 or 6 different floor plans! So, if not much is selling, that is bad news for EVERYONE in the neighborhood!
Cat. – There are a TON of silly rules. A TON. We just obey them since they don’t harm us too much. I think you can have a sign in your window. Just not on the yard since the yard isn’t owned by the homeowner.
Jenn – I think that is what is happening to the one next door as well. Or something similar. No one will be able to compete with these bank prices. And hey, it’s a great time for someone with the credentials to get a loan and buy a home for a low price! It just sucks for the actual homeowners.
Wow, that had to be a shock to look out of the window and see a FOR SALE sign hanging out in the front lawn! Maybe you and Steven could buy the house at the bargain rate and make a mansion! Hehe, just kidding.
Gina (Mannyed) – The reason we asked is because we were thinking about buying it! I think we could afford it. At least then I would have a garage to park my car in 😉
Wow, how crazy!! I would have laughed too. I’ve considered going from a rental apartment to buying a house come summer when my lease is up. Still not sure what I’m going to do…
Don’t hold your breath for them to come get their sign either – unless your townhome association keeps asking them to take it down or something. Around here, the realtors seem to just leave those things up all over the place. LOL. For my parents’ last two moves, the realtors never came and took their signs back so my parents kept them in the garage the whole time they lived there in both places. You would think they grew on trees or something. But yeah, it’s annoying that they put it in front of your side.
We went house hunting last year and got the sticker shock and decided to stay put and make some improvements to our current home instead.
I would have laughed, too… that’s funny.
Bethany – Hey, if you have the money and the time to take care of a house, NOW is the time! I bet you’ll be able to afford things you couldn’t before. I think a lot of us could!
teeni – Ha! That is funny that your parents had to take it down THEMSELVES! What is the deal with that? The Townhome Association must have been pretty upset with them, because they came it took it down (along with another) late Saturday morning right after I posted this!
martymankins – Seems like now is a good time to be grateful for what we have, right? 😉 I sure feel that way!
hehe what a way to find out your house is for sale. If I was driving by, I would have thought it was yours.
The housing market is bad all around, I think it is the time to stay put unless you have to move.
Felicia – That is what I thought! Anyone driving by would think it was OUR house! Guess NO ONE is interested! 😉
Hahaha, I’m glad you were able to laugh about the situation. That is absurd!
Emma – It is absurd. Which is what makes it so funny. I probably wouldn’t be laughing if the sign was still there now! 😉