How NOT to sell your house

We put our house on the market two weeks before Christmas. (Mistake #1) We only had one showing for the month of December. Come January, the showings started picking up, and there seemed to be some legit interest. Come February and we're still here...

Not to be anxious or anything, but I don't know how many showings I can live through.

It seems like every time we have a showing, that day isn't a good day for a house showing. When you have two toddlers and two dogs, when IS the right time for a showing? I know! Approximately 11:00 P.M., when we're all sleeping and not making complete destruction of the house. Come, feel free to roam about the house while we're getting some shut eye and out of  your way. :) 

The constant  making of beds, putting books back on shelves and toys in toy boxes. The constant cleaning yogurt stains off the couch and making sure the laundry hampers don't look over flowed. Showing after showing, cleaning after cleaning. House showings make you stay on top of your game and housework. I.Don't.Like.It.

How do you keep a playroom clean?!

When we first put our house on the market we would put our dogs (two monsters...love em dearly) in the backyard fenced-in playground area. (Mistake #2) That way people could still go outside and see our backyard without being licked to death by our dogs. It turns out that Rome, our 5 yo rescue dog, doesn't like to be locked up in the playground area and makes a sound that imitates a person dying. After the third showing I decided that couldn't be good for selling. How stressful would you feel if you walked into a house and all you heard was a screaming dog? Exactly..I blame this house not being sold yet on ROME!

Yeah you! ;)

A few weeks later, I started taking the dogs for walks when people would come see the house. Some days it's nice to get out of the house and the weather is perfect for a walk. Other days the weather is cold and windy with rain. One day, we had two  different showings scheduled between 11:30 and 12:30. It was around noon that the first one showed up and right as they went inside the house, I slipped out back with the dogs to go on our walk. Nelpe didn't feel like walking so I had Nelpe in my left arm and two dog leashes connected to two dogs who think they just broke out of jail in my right arm. Probably the longest 20 minutes of my life. As soon as I saw the cars drive away I went straight back to the house. 

At this time it was 12:25 so I figured the 2nd showing was a no-show. (Mistake #3) I started making lunch for Nelpe and I. Making a mess, I cut up some avocado, put a chicken sausage in the microwave, and gave Nelpe some crackers to munch on. I hear a knock at the door. I look at the clock...12:45...how dare they!

All this may sound like I don't even want to sell our house. That's not the case. I want to sell this house a.s.a.p., because as soon as we sell this house we can get started building a new house. BUT as soon as we sell this house, we get to go live with my parents while the new house is being built. Pros and Cons.

Someone come buy my house! :)

So what have you learned from all this?

1. Do not put your house up for sale right before Christmas. People are not looking to move during the holidays and everyone is broke. 

2. Do not put your house up for sale at the beginning of the year. People are broke. 

3. Do not put two dogs outside while people are roaming around your house. Unless your dogs are obedient and highly trained.

4. Do not come home and start making food at 12:25 when the time frame for showings is 11:30-12:30.

And last but certainly not least...

5.  Do not live in your house while it's on the market.

Have you ever sold your home before?
Do you have kids and dogs? How'd that go for ya?

XOXO