Category Archives: selling

The number you are trying to reach …

Phone rang before 8 am. First workday after the Memorial Day break.

“Um, hi, is this Steve? Hi, Steve. I’m the assistant to the vp at Huuuuuuuge and Biiiiiiiiiig Realty here in Austin and he asked me to call you because I see that your house at Sea Eagle is no longer listed on the MLS and are you still going to sell it and …

Five calls like this. Every hour. Till about 8 pm.

“Do you have a buyer? If so, please call Joe Longton at Kuper Sotheby.”

Inserting a new plug

Jacquela and Steven discussed and researched for weeks what to do about selling Sea Eagle. Two days ago, we opted to terminate the sales agreement with the existing agent and agency.

Today, we signed a new agreement with Joe Longton at Kuper Sotheby. He reports selling $13 million in real estate between January 2016 and today.

Pulling the plug

Let’s just say the agent tasked with selling Sea Eagle failed.

Today, Jacquela and Steven terminated the agreement, with cause — failure to generate an offer after more than 50 showings of the house; failure to close a sale of the house since the agreement was signed 8 Mar. 2016; failure to sell the house while listed on MLS and as a pocket listing exclusive to the agency.

We used Texas Association of Realtors form 1410. Steven had the foresight to write this into paragraph 15 of the sales contract, after determining that the standard agreement offered little or no protection to the seller — us — and every protection to the agency.

Tangled up in blue

It’s time to clean the one carpet at Sea Eagle, in the bedroom we called the “toy room.”

Meet Sam from SC Proservices, above, tangled up in blue (with apologies to Bob Dylan) — about to haul the vacuum hose into the house and upstairs.

Sam at work on the carpet. He said it would take 45 minutes. And the carpet cleaned up well.
Sam at work on the carpet. He said it would take 45 minutes. And the carpet cleaned up well.

Floor waxing

Late yesterday, Trey from DeAtley Tile & Stone cleaned and degreased the stained concrete flooring on the first floor of Sea Eagle. Today, he’s back to wax and polish the floor — above.

A second shot of Trey at work, waxing and polishing the stained concrete for showing to potential buyers.
A second shot of Trey at work, waxing and polishing the stained concrete for showing to potential buyers.
Before finishing for the day, Trey talks with Cloral, the painter, about how to protect the new finish on the concrete. Cloral is going to refinish the maple cabinets at the island. Trey instructs: "put down cardboard to protect the floor, and do not tape the cardboard to the floor."
Before finishing for the day, Trey talks with Cloral, the painter, about how to protect the new finish on the concrete. Cloral is going to refinish the maple cabinets at the island. Trey instructs: “put down cardboard to protect the floor, and do not tape the cardboard to the floor.”

This was, part 2

This was Jacquela’s craft room — left at the top of the stairs, painted a “spring green” that she selected with help from Hannah, daughter of a neighbor — light and nearly not there. Now, above, Cloral, in the corner, and Freddie, blue shirt, are painting it Aged Parchment to match everything else in the house — neutralizing Sea Eagle for showing to potential buyers.

This was the accent wall in the stairwell -- a darker shade of neutral tan. Now it is aged parchment. The camera makes this paint color look yellow. It's actually the color of old paper -- aka "aged parchment."
This was the accent wall in the stairwell — a darker shade of neutral tan. Now it is aged parchment. The camera makes this paint color look yellow. It’s actually the color of old paper — aka “aged parchment.”

To every yin, there is a yang

With the final inspection approved at Emerald Hill, it is now time to formally exit Sea Eagle.

Bitter. And sweet. Yin. Yang.

The movers are confirmed for Friday.

Steven walked Sea Eagle today with Randy, the builder who lives across the street. They identified these “make-ready” tasks — patch and paint where needed, clean the house, clean the exterior of the windows, clean the stained-concrete floor, clean up the yard.

After dinner, Jacquela and Steven signed the paperwork to list the house for sale.

Yin. Yang. Bitter. Sweet.