K|S in Seattle: Saying Goodby to Our First Home

Well, we've been in Seattle for one month now, and we're still settling in. We're almost fully unpacked, though a lot of our stuff will remain in boxes and hidden away because our new apartment is about half the size of our Atlanta house.

Speaking of our Atlanta house--it's sold! We are set to officially close on July 29th, where we will sign all the official documents, turn over the keys to the new owners, and receive a nice check. The home-selling process was a bit frustrating. Or a lot frustrating. We went through a lot of negotiations and counteroffers--I think 7 or 8--with the buyers. It was ridiculous. I understand that it's a buyers' market, but hey, don't try to take advantage of us. The buyers were still trying to weasel more money out of us until the end, and I didn't feel like my realtor was backing me up. He was just trying to close the deal, but I was firm on NOT making any more concessions. Trust me, we were generous with the closing costs and inspection fixes. I was willing to walk away from the deal. Luckily, the realtor smartened up. Long story short, we've sold our house, and we're satisfied with the final sale. Phew. This whole ordeal makes me want to get a real estate license so I can buy and sell my own home. :)

I'm glad that our house sold in a relatively short period of time in these horrible economic times...but honestly, having to say goodbye to our first home is bittersweet. I loved that house. It was our home. Yes, there were some headaches: broken HVAC units, squirrels in the attic, and worn-out plumbing boots that made the roof leak. It's all part of home ownership though, and now that we don't have to deal with those issues anymore, we'll look back fondly on it. :)