You would have thought that over the last 10 years, as the market crept ever up, those who wanted to sell, would have. They only had to look next door or down the block to see money being made. But, apparently, a decade of profit came and went too fast for some. They were too busy adding on, replacing, fixing, creating the ultimate dream house.
In the past month or so, I've done so many pricings, I don't know which way is up. Not all of them are tied to bad choices. Many are, in fact, tied to good ones: People are thinking now, more than ever, how they want to live their lives -- not just through the bad times, but after, when good times return and we all have a second chance.
Taxes are a huge concern for many who would sell right now, in the curdling market. So is the whole idea of shedding big-ness. People are painfully aware that they just overdid it, went for home ownership lock, stock and barrel, fixing up even what didn't need fixing.
One family I met with yesterday lives in a wonderfully, totally, completely updated home. They both have great jobs. They don't expect to be laid off. Their kids are happy. So what's wrong with this picture? They feel stuffed, ready for a diet, ready to move to a little condo they own that's 1/4 the size of where they are now. The kitchen with double-thick granite countertops; the baths with intricate tiling and heated floors; the luxurious finished basment.
It's all quite beautiful. Perfect, in fact. Except they're done with it.
Comments(0)