You know what??…

You know what…I really don’t like getting feedback about my house….The feeling I get when my phone beeps and it says I have new feedback to review is that sinking gut feeling. What now??…What isn’t good enough now…

The simple truth is, most of the feedback has actually been ok, fairly nice really I suppose..(most anyway) and I suppose my reaction says a lot about my mindset rather than anything else. It’s just what we are selling is a small terrace, it is three bedroom, but one is a box room. It is a simple cottage style terrace, which I think is really nice. It has a gorgeous garden which Chris overhauled completely (and did a fantastic job). It has a small enclosed yard on the front. It doesn’t have any structural problems as far as we are aware. However, it just doesn’t seem to be good enough. Two of the bedrooms have rough walls as I removed woodchip quite a while ago and the carpets could do with replacing. To me, this is fairly minor, we’ve lived in it like this for a long time and it is easily remedied really. We’ve done the other rooms, so to me, again, this is good, two upstairs rooms is a project for the new owners – they can make it their own. Unfortunately, this is not how most seem to view houses now…perfection seems to be required…even on a cheap (ish) house. Although I suppose if you are buying in this price range you probably don’t have much money to spend on overhauling anything. Although that may be an assumption. I actually think this is what a lot of us expect nowadays – perfection, no work to do, ease, and if it isn’t like that we are appalled! haha.

It does have to be said, we do live a little differently, we don’t have central heating. We have two multifuel stoves that we use and it keeps the house reasonably warm. We have two small children and they never seem to be particularly cold. It is more work, it is a little more dusty maybe. But I sort of like that it is different and the work involved is interesting and sort of fun. Although to be fair, Chris does most of the heavy stuff, although I do love axing up a bit of wood, fantastic stress relief. But!!! I completely get why people want central heating, so…why don’t they just get it put in if they like the house? why is it a big deal? why does everything seem to be a big deal nowadays?

It is not that long ago that most houses did not have central heating, in fact, it is not that long ago that we didn’t even have “video recorders” (:D) or even telephones in houses, never mind mobile phones and internet. Apparently we all like “mod cons” – what are mod cons?? I’m not sure what people really like and I’m not sure the estate agents have got it right. For instance, only putting the good photographs up on the advert to get people in. I think, be honest, it is a complete waste of time getting people into your house if they think they’re getting perfection and they aren’t. You know what maybe this is out of context but Jesus came as the light and exposes everything kept in the darkness. I don’t really believe in keeping things in the dark or in lying about anything and this approach sort of makes me uncomfortable. I’m sure it will sell, I trust God with our lives and am excited and as I said before, love meeting all these different people and having them cross the threshold when they are coming to view. But I just think there’s such a lot of rubbish spoken in relation to selling your home. A personal hatred of mine is calling a room “a good space” and a house “a property”. Be real…

Another bug bear is when I’m having the viewings, I feel like I need to make the house almost like no-one is living here! Which is difficult. It is clean, clean, clean, tidy, tidy, tidy, almost making it look sterile to me, and that is not homey. Don’t people want homes? Have I got it wrong? I don’t know! But when you read the advice on making your home likely to sell, a lot of it again, seems to me like superficial stuff designed to fool people into thinking they need your house. As it has been said, we just need someone to come and fall in love with the place as I did when I visited 13 years ago. I just knew it was the right one, it was mainly the garden that did it, but I just knew I wanted it. So here’s praying someone will want it and love it like I have done. It’s not perfect, it needs a fair bit of decor sorting, but it’s got character, it is a home, it is very peaceful despite all the mayhem of family life.

My prayer is that anyone coming into this house will meet God in all his glory. I was born again in this house, in the bedroom. My two boys were born in this house, home births that I fought for in a world that seems terrified of any risk. So more new births in this place would be good. Lord, bless anyone entering this home, may they be born again into new life, your goodness and your love. And work in me, so I can love them and not rant too much.

Amen! so endeth the rant.