They Grew Up There and They Raised Their Kids There
For 17 years, our next door neighbors along with their two young daughters and their big dog were a steady presence on the street. We had seen Kelly’s parents come and visit fairly often and become familiar faces. We didn’t know until some time later, that this had been her parent’s house, and Kelly had grown up there.
They had made many improvements to the house over time- new kitchen, windows and doors, new siding, new covered front porch, new stone patio, etc. It never occurred to us that they might move some day. They never talked about the house not suiting their needs anymore.
We joined the neighborhood in 2004 just before I had become a Realtor after experiencing first-hand how emotionally charged making a move and buying a home could be- especially in a hot seller’s market! Steve and Kelly knew I was a Realtor.
But it seemed to come out of the blue the day Kelly called me and told me she had “never planned to stay in that little house so long” and that they wanted to make a move right away! Even more surprisingly though was that their oldest daughter was in college and the younger one was a senior in high school, and yet she said they wanted a bigger and newer home with a pool.
They “hit a wall” with the home they’d been in, and they couldn’t stand it another minute!
It was time to move on and get into that dream home that Kelly had planned to be in years ago but never got around to! They said that even though the girls wouldn’t be there all the time, they loved to have family visit, and they have a very big family.
Once she and Steve made that decision, it seemed like nothing about their current house worked for them any more. The four of them all shared one full bath, the only office they had was tiny, there was just the living room for company to hang out in, there was no AC, no garage, and the interior needed updating because most of the improvements they had done were on the outside.
With their timeline tight, I quickly crafted a plan to get them into their dream home within the shortest timeframe possible.
It was the end of March 2020, and the pandemic was just beginning to ramp up. Steve and Kelly wanted to purchase a home (with a mortgage) before selling their current home. The plan was to find their dream home and move in, so they wouldn’t have to worry about timing or dealing with showing their old house.
If they had needed to get the equity out of their home first, they could have used the new CashBid program offered by William Raveis.
We got the pre-approval in place, and I set up a search to match the very specific criteria they were looking for: more space, more property, updated or new condition, a pool or room for a pool, in the same town, and possibly in the same neighborhood. We reviewed the options.
We looked at two top contenders, and they loved the second one, so we submitted a competitive offer right away. However, it had not been disclosed to us that the house had been tied up with seller issues, so the search continued. Very soon afterward, we looked at a gorgeous home that checked all the boxes and was even closer to the beach! That was the one, and the purchase went very smoothly.
Now happily settled into their exciting new home it was time to get the old one sold!
We did some minor staging, had the photos taken, and hit the market. Immediately there was interest from 10 prospects. Some were not local and couldn’t get there right away, some still had to sell their home before they could buy.
But one family had been looking for a long time, loved the neighborhood, and had a May deadline to move. They came to see the house but were unsure about it because they would need to add a master bath and finish the basement. They took a day to think it over and then made an offer. The negotiations went well, and we arrived at a deal. It turned out that this was the first buyer to see the house the first day it came on market!
Of course it couldn’t have gone that smoothly, right? Sure enough, all went well until the inspection. The inspector found an old pipe repair in the basement and decided to investigate further. He fed a camera through the pipe and discovered an underground sewer line repair that was not up to code.
This issue was unexpected, but in real estate, that’s what happens sometimes. It’s important to go in knowing that roadblocks occur. Nonetheless, I worked closely with the buyer’s agent to solve the unexpected issue so that we could reach the end goal for our clients. Steve and Kelly had the pipe repaired and the process was back on track. We sailed through a smooth final walk-through and closing.
One and Done! We sold their house in one day for 97% of asking.
They grew up there 
and then raised their own kids 
there. Generations of fond memories were there. And yet, one day, there was a driving force 
to move on. Stronger than the ties that kept them there was the urge for the excitement 
of a new chapter, a new space, new memories, a new castle 
, a new home.
Do you have a story you can share in the comments? Are you ready for your next chapter 
? Let’s have a conversation, 203-912-4440.
How did I get Steve and Kelly out of their childhood home and into their dream home in record time?
With great care and understanding, a clear plan and strategy, creativity, technology, and abundant cutting-edge resources and solutions on hand, I guided them through the plan. I have managed many home sales for my clients in the last 16 years and was happy to include Steve and Kelly among them.
Selling a house is a big deal. It can feel daunting when you’re ready to let go of the family property and move to a home that’s more suitable for your current lifestyle. There are so many moving parts and potential roadblocks you can face on this journey, and you want to be prepared.
That’s why you deserve the guidance of a professional that can help you maximize your equity and sell in the least amount of time. A professional who can help you make informed decisions and avoid the common pitfalls of buying and selling. It’s my job to make this happen.
Thinking of selling in the next 12 months?
Call today to get started ==> 203-912-4440
We’ll discuss your goals and timeline, briefly cover how I work with clients, and if we seem like a match, we’ll discuss next steps from there.
Linda Raymond Real Estate Blog, Fairfield, Westport & More 