The realtor team came back yesterday to tell us what they think we can get for our house. Dex couldn’t work from home yesterday, so I met with them myself, not wanting to delay. I sat through the comps - most of which I was familiar with, either from studying the listings religiously for the past two years, or from going to an open house - then sat through the “what our firm can do for you” speil. Finally it was time for the bottom line.

Oh. A cringe. The number they suggested was 20-30K less than I had in mind and about 60K less than we could have listed for a few years ago. But after absorbing it all day, after taking another hard look the percentage by which prices have dropped in three years, I agree with their number. Maybe I’d bump it 5-10K. I don’t know. It’s such a tough market and I want to sell as quickly as possible while still getting a fair price (says everyone who is trying to sell a house right now). 

I vacillate between “our house is so wonderful and unique that it’s surely worth more” to “what if we can’t sell, what if it just sits here and sits here?” Price is too wrapped up in emotion and ego. Even at the price they suggested we will make an excellent return on our 15-year investment. And I remind myself too that the house we will buy (the theoretical house we have yet to find) will cost proportionately less than it would have 2-3 years ago. It’s all relative.

In truth, the price they suggested is exactly what I thought our house could list for in 2004. We had a valuation done by a different realtor in 2005 and we shocked then too - by how high the price was. Any disappointment I feel now is a residual effect from the bubble madness of ‘05-’06.

We have a few key things to finish before we list. We should (fingers crossed) be ready to plant the For Sale sign out front in about two weeks. Eeeeeeeeeee. This is huge. This is huge.

p.s. We still don’t know where we’re going once this place sells. There’s a short list but the job factor (as in where will Dex’s company allow him to relocate) is the wild card.