<p>Inventory of homes in the Puget Sound area is apparently low which has increased prices.
Condos are also moving but not as fast.
[King</a> County home prices rise with fewer houses for sale | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2018135316_homesales04.html]King”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2018135316_homesales04.html)</p>
<p>^Inventory of homes in the 94596 area of Walnut Creek CA is DOWN almost 80% from a year ago. This is definitely what is creating the bidding wars at the moment.</p>
<p>Fingers crossed for all the sellers and soon-to-be sellers out there! I am happy to report that the sale of our house funded today. We only had one bid, but it was the right one–the house went pending for 4% over list in two days “as is” with a six week rent back to give us time to get out of here. Good luck, all.</p>
<p>We’ve never experienced a bidding war on either side of the deal. I’ll be excited to just get an offer.</p>
<p>How do you keep from riding the emotional roller coaster? Do you and your spouse ever differ about how tidy and clean your house must be or to what lengths you’ll go to sell? </p>
<p>We put our house on the market before we completed everything on my To Do list (note that was my list, not our list…dh thinks I’m a tad obsessed.) Even our RE agent is telling me to relax, but I can’t. Perfection must be achieved…as if that will somehow, magically, cause an eager buyer to appear. Dh has already made cracks about how sorry he is that quaaludes are no longer legal in the states.</p>
<p>Congratulations, WordWorld! All you need is one good offer, and your sounds terrific. Hope you have an easy move.</p>
<p>Thanks Silpat! I am like you–the night before the house went on the market I was finishing the last of my “must do” items that H did not consider necessary. He was irked because I made him “babysit” our youngest while I was busy. I think this one change made the house look a lot “fresher.” I replaced all of the outdated and dingy covers on the light switches and electric outlets with bright white, bigger ones from Home Depot. Thank heavens for the electric screwdriver, there were almost 70 total (big house, lots of outlets). It only took me a few hours and I think it made a big difference visually. It cost about $100 plus my time, much cheaper than the $1200 we paid for the installation of new, bigger baseboards. I’m so glad now we didn’t spring for crown moulding, it would have looked nice but, after talking to our buyers, it would not have made a penny’s difference. That being said, the house certainly did “sparkle” when I was done with it all.
We were luckily in a temporary rental the entire time and the house sold quickly. I think he would have been even more anal than me when it came to keeping it sparkly while the house was listed if we had been living in it. We left it staged and stayed entirely away. With four kids (17 down to 3), the thought of living in it while on the market brings terror to my heart, esp. as I would have been the one expected to keep it perfect. Lucky for our marriage, it never came to that…<br>
Good luck!</p>
<p>*jealous . . . . *</p>
<p>I think what you did was great WordWorld.</p>
<p>We changed the outlet covers too when we sold…and changed them when we bought a place too.</p>
<p>Makes a big difference for a very small amount of money.</p>
<p>Congrats on your sell.</p>
<p>VeryHappy, you’re next! Good vibes your way…</p>
<p>DH and I are spending the weekend doing what I’m describing as “detailing” the house.</p>
<p>In spite of the fact that there are still some big things to do. It’s easier to use a magic marker thingie to touch up the dark trim than it is to figure out how to replace some bad shingles on the roof.</p>
<p>So…how did the Open Houses go?</p>
<p>Photographer here right now. I guess it’s a better gig than weddings and bar mitzvahs.</p>
<p>from my experiences, the staging and cleaning are important, but it won’t trump the 3L’s, Location, Lot size and Layout. Newely remodeled home does demand higher price, but if it is the old same, detailing won’t help much.</p>
<p>Had our first showing on day 2 of being listed, feedback was good on curb appeal and all that but layout (floor plan) not what was wanted. Showing number 2 this evening…just mowed the grass again. At this time of year i swear it has to happen every 3 days. One more reason I am ready to move, even a quarter acre is more than I want to care for :)</p>
<p>" One more reason I am ready to move, even a quarter acre is more than I want to care for"</p>
<p>Me too…</p>
<p>Question for you experienced ones:</p>
<p>We are having a brokers’ open house this Thursday, during which time we and our dogs will of course be gone. Our dogs love to romp in the woods and we take them there almost every day. Two hours in the woods with the dogs is easy. However, we’re trying to develop a contingency plan in case it rains. Does anyone have any good ideas for places to go with the dogs if it’s raining??</p>
<p>I’ve thought of walking them outside of the local mall, under the under hang, but that’s not very exciting, either for the dogs or for us.</p>
<p>VH, I have a friend whose house is currently on the market. She has two dogs and she comes over to visit me and my dogs when there’s a showing or open house. 
Do you have a friend who might invite you over?</p>
<p>alwaysamom, do you live near me? ;)</p>
<p>We take our dog with us when we go (she likes car rides and if it’s not too hot can wait in the car if we shop or whatever) or to a neighbor’s house/fenced yard. If it were raining I imagine we’d cook up an errand and just bring her along. Showings seem to be scheduled for only an hour here.</p>
<p>I’m not worried about a showing, just the two-hour time slot this Thursday for the brokers’ open house. Actually, when I put it that way, it’s really no biggie – just two hours! We can manage.</p>