Unpacking and unpacking and unpacking
It seems like I will never finish unpacking, much less actually start putting things where I want them in the new condo. I'm finally down to only one box still full in the den, but that doesn't mean the den is actually put together; on the contrary, everything that was in all the boxes originally stacked in there is just piled around on the floor and shelves in the den - but at least I can say, those boxes are unpacked!
One project I wanted to make sure I got done this past week was unpacking all my celeb autographed pics and creating my new Hall of Fame. And I did get it done - it's nice to have an actual hallway with several sections of wall, so that I could spread out and group the photos according to actors/shows/movies and themes.
And I got enough of the family photos unpacked that I have started to create my family wall in the dining room, grouping various old photos like my grandmother and grandfather on their wedding day around the portraits of me and Mom that Daddy had painted. I'm glad I got a lot of that done by Mother's Day because today was a bit rough but at least I could look at Mom's portrait on the wall and feel like she was somehow here with me.
I really can't finish putting my den together or my dining room, though, until the old condo is sold because the furniture that will complete those rooms is still at the old place to provide "window dressing" for potential buyers who look at the place. And I keep hoping that the old place will sell soon because I want the rest of my furniture so I can finish fixing up the new place. I really fixed the old place up over the years and put a lot more money into it recently to get it market-ready, and while several of the buyers who've looked at the place have all commented on how cute it is, no one is making a fair offer. Notice I said "fair offer." I did get an offer that was a ridiculous low-ball offer within 4 days of listing it, but the buyer was trying to buy out of his price range, had hardly any cash to put down and actually wanted me to pay HIS closing costs in addition to offering to buy the condo for almost $9000 less than its listed price! He didn't have the money to afford to make a legitimate offer on the place so it wasn't even worth my time to negotiate, which was also disappointing. But my realtor contends that it is a good sign that I got an offer within in a week of its listing, whether it was a decent offer or not. When I get a decent offer on the old condo, THAT will be a good sign in my book.
One project I wanted to make sure I got done this past week was unpacking all my celeb autographed pics and creating my new Hall of Fame. And I did get it done - it's nice to have an actual hallway with several sections of wall, so that I could spread out and group the photos according to actors/shows/movies and themes.
And I got enough of the family photos unpacked that I have started to create my family wall in the dining room, grouping various old photos like my grandmother and grandfather on their wedding day around the portraits of me and Mom that Daddy had painted. I'm glad I got a lot of that done by Mother's Day because today was a bit rough but at least I could look at Mom's portrait on the wall and feel like she was somehow here with me.
I really can't finish putting my den together or my dining room, though, until the old condo is sold because the furniture that will complete those rooms is still at the old place to provide "window dressing" for potential buyers who look at the place. And I keep hoping that the old place will sell soon because I want the rest of my furniture so I can finish fixing up the new place. I really fixed the old place up over the years and put a lot more money into it recently to get it market-ready, and while several of the buyers who've looked at the place have all commented on how cute it is, no one is making a fair offer. Notice I said "fair offer." I did get an offer that was a ridiculous low-ball offer within 4 days of listing it, but the buyer was trying to buy out of his price range, had hardly any cash to put down and actually wanted me to pay HIS closing costs in addition to offering to buy the condo for almost $9000 less than its listed price! He didn't have the money to afford to make a legitimate offer on the place so it wasn't even worth my time to negotiate, which was also disappointing. But my realtor contends that it is a good sign that I got an offer within in a week of its listing, whether it was a decent offer or not. When I get a decent offer on the old condo, THAT will be a good sign in my book.