Getting Ready to Move and Kind of a Weekly Menu

Just when I thought our life couldn't get any crazier....It did.  Frank and I have been talking about downsizing for a while now.  We weren't in any hurry, we just knew that after he retired we would eventually move to a parcel and home that required less time and money to maintain.  Frank's been keeping an eye on Zillow and every once in a while we would drive by some houses but none of them met our criteria.  Since we were in no hurry, we could afford to wait until we found exactly what we wanted.

We wanted:

• Ranch style home with maintenance free exterior
• At least 5 acres
• Paved Road
• City Water
• Natural Gas
• Within a 10 mile radius of current home
• Master suite on opposite side of home from other bedrooms
• At least 1600 square feet
• Local ordinances that allow us to raise our animals and Frank to conduct his CPL classes

Last Friday, Frank found a house that seemed nice.  He showed me the photos and told me it had just listed on  Zillow that day for sale by owner.  On Saturday, yes just one mere week ago, we went to see the home and we liked it.  We came home, discussed it and decided to hit some open houses on Sunday to compare what was available in the price they were asking. 

We went back to the first house to look at it again and then went to look at the others.  We liked the house even better the second time through and though we thought we were wasting our time we figured we should look around at some of the others.  Nothing compared.  We went back to the house and gave them an offer, contingent on the sale of our home.  They accepted and on Monday we signed a purchase agreement.

Front and Rear views of the new home.

On Tuesday our friend Maria McGuire came out and we looked at comparables for listing our home and at what our competition would be listed out there.  She thought the house would sell for more than what we were hoping and instructed us that she wanted all the kitchen counters cleared, the storage areas partially emptied, some of the furnishings removed, the decks stained, the gazebo powerwashed and set up as an entertaining space, some trees trimmed that were hiding the deck, etc...before she came out to take photos and put it out on the market.

Maria predicts that once our home is listed we will have multiple viewings in the first few days. The market is tight in this area right now and the houses are moving quickly.  We got to work and haven't stopped for 3 days.  We rented a pod and have been clearing out and filling up.  Frank cleaned the garage first so that we would have somewhere to put all of the stuff we will be selling in a moving sale.  Our current home is nearly 4500 square feet so we need to get rid of lots of stuff!!!!

Our goal is to have it ready to go on the market on Wednesday.  I would like to start the moving sale on Thursday but need Maria's advice before I do so.  In the meanwhile, life goes on and we gotta eat, so here's a haphazard weekly menu.

Tonight we had previously made reservations for a wine tasting dinner at Andiamo's Steak House downtown.  On Thursday, I am scheduled to have a lesion removed from my tongue.  The oral surgeon seems to think it is nothing but wants to remove it and have it biopsied to be on the safe side. That means a soft diet for a few days.

Please stop by during the week.  I have some posts previously scheduled and I will be updating with house info as time permits. 

Saturday

Wine Tasting Dinner Date

Sunday

Pork Tenderloin

Grilled Sweet Potato Planks

Monday

Fajitas

Tuesday

Italian Sausage Sandwiches

Wednesday

Pork Fried Rice (with leftover tenderloin)

Thursday

Pasta with Grilled Veggie Sauce

Fish Friday

Tuna Noodle Casserole