Tag 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.”

Weed whacking

The real estate agent — Sari Pearce — connected Steven with Jose Vences, landscaper. Today, Jose is at Sea Eagle cutting back the wild grasses that grew tall through the summer and then gray in winter; blowing and raking up all the leaves; pulling weeds; mowing the small front and back lawns. Everything seemed to collect on the surface of the pool, which Steven cleaned twice as Jose and the 30mph winds wreaked havoc.

Above, Jose threshes the tall grass at the hill next to the pool.

At the other side of the pool, the field of wild grass is hacked close in hopes of spring rain. Next to the pool, a field of bluebonnets is growing -- one of Steven's favorite signs of what passes for the blink that is Spring in Texas.
At the other side of the pool, the field of wild grass is hacked close in hopes of spring rain. Next to the pool, a field of bluebonnets is growing — one of Steven’s favorite signs of what passes for the blink that is Spring in Texas.
The front lawn, neat and edged.
The front lawn, neat and edged.

This was

We’re painting our selves out of Sea Eagle, making the house neutral for potential buyers. We’re using Kelly Moore Aged Parchment, the prevailing color used in the majority of the house. It looks yellow in the photos. It’s actually a pale tan, like old paper.

Above, this was Steven’s office — soft gray with white trim. Now it is aged parchment. The stained cedar ceiling is untouched, still killer.

This was two shades of blue ... the master bedroom. Now it is aged parchment.
This was two shades of blue … the master bedroom. Now it is aged parchment.
DSC_0602
This was a peach color selected by Jadin for her bedroom, with a pale orange accent wall.
Steven observes: Jacquela describes this as "separating." She does not want to look at the photos. The emotion is difficult to explain. We built this house from picking out the lot and scraping the dirt -- with John Hagy, the builder, and Kai Geschke, the architect. We lived in this house for 12 years. The house feels and sounds different without us, without our "stuff." We invested ourselves into the floors and walls. This is where Jadin grew up, where Reboot curled under Steven's desk. We keep those memories. They are treasures.