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"And This Was Our Starter Home!"

By
Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate VA License # 0225089470

"And This Was Our Starter Home!"

Yesterday, after some lender delay drama, my listing at 10646 Maple Street in Fairfax City closed.  It sold above list price after it had been through four offers.

The seller signed a week in advance, and when the signing was done and title rep had gone to make copies, she and I were alone in the conference room.  She laughed, "This was our starter home.  We were in it for over fifty years!" If you ask me, that's a great start.

While the average amount of time a home owner stays in one home in the Northern Virginia area has been estimated at anywhere from five to seven years, there is no shame in staying in a home that made you happy for over fifty years.  Sure, there may have been an intent to get something bigger or better and make this a shorter term home, but instead of moving, the home owners added a room to the home.  They improved the back yard.  They made it a place worth staying in.  They were happy there during their entire fifty plus year stay.  They raised their kids in the home.  They made great friendships with their neighbors.  They welcomed their grandkids there and their great-grandkids.

Finding the right home for buyers, and deciding to sell for sellers, always comes down to what they value.  In the case of these sellers, the values were clear--stability, friendships, local jobs and saving money for retirement.  That made their starter home their near forever home.

 

Comments (11)

Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Chris Ann Cleland This was not just a house it was home -- and well-loved the new buyers were lucky to have purchased this HOME 

Dec 16, 2020 10:52 AM
Chris Ann Cleland

They were so grateful that the seller allowed them to move in when the lender had the final delay.  This time of year is stressful enough without trying to buy a home and living through a freaking pandemic.

Dec 16, 2020 11:21 AM
Lisa Smith
Keller Williams Capital Partners - Worthington, OH
Listings Manager

Great story! That sounds like a home filled with love :)

Dec 16, 2020 11:08 AM
Chris Ann Cleland

I  hope it brings joy to the new owners as well.

Dec 16, 2020 11:21 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good afternoon Chris Ann Cleland - you home needs to be a relection of you.  If you are comfortable you stay.

Dec 16, 2020 11:09 AM
Chris Ann Cleland

That's it!

Dec 16, 2020 11:21 AM
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Hi Chris Ann Cleland that was a nice investment AND home to live in for a lifetime.... nice little story and great ending....

Dec 16, 2020 11:09 AM
Chris Ann Cleland

Yep.  More rare these days to find homes that folks have been in that long.

Dec 16, 2020 11:22 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Hi Chris Ann Cleland it's interesting how some areas people stay in their homes for years and years, others not so much.  When I hear young buyers saying they're looking for their Forever Home I just smile......normally that's not the case but they like that idea for some reason.  In my area people do stay for years and kids seems to come back after college and raise their families here as well.

Dec 16, 2020 11:10 AM
Chris Ann Cleland

Certainly these owners weren't looking for their forever home, but it didn't stop them from making it their forever home.

Dec 16, 2020 11:22 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Chris Ann,

What a story!  Congratulations on your recent sale, and we wish you many more. A

Dec 16, 2020 12:27 PM
Chris Ann Cleland

Sounds like this high demand market is rolling into 2021 and beyond.  

Dec 17, 2020 08:33 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

We have the average at 5 to 7 years now too. It used to be from 2 to five years because of the military bases close bye 🎅

Happy Wednesday afternoon Chris Ann Cleland 

Dec 16, 2020 01:04 PM
Chris Ann Cleland

Military bases nearby have a tendency to do that.

Dec 17, 2020 08:33 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Chris Ann - my Mom still lives in the home she and my Dad bought as a new home in 1959.  It is in a development that was said to be comprised of "homes for young executives".  She is the only original homeowner of about fifty or so such purchasers.  

Dec 16, 2020 03:47 PM
Chris Ann Cleland

That makes her the unofficial neighborhood historian.

Dec 17, 2020 08:34 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Chris Ann,  Thanks for sharing this story - with a happy ending.  Congratulations on the sale.

Dec 16, 2020 04:22 PM
Chris Ann Cleland

Always love sharing happy endings.

Dec 17, 2020 08:34 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

A 50 year starter home has to have given someone a great foundation.  Very well done

Dec 16, 2020 05:52 PM
Chris Ann Cleland

My thoughts exactly.

Dec 17, 2020 08:36 AM
Steffy Hristova
HomeSmart Elite Group Tempe AZ Tel: 602.710.8161 - Tempe, AZ
Tempe AZ Realtor - Your Home Close to Your Work!

Chris Ann,  I can relate to this story - it is so nice to know the neighborhood, the different generations of the neighbors. It means lots of stability, friendships, childhood memories.

Jan 18, 2021 07:24 AM