Thinking Domicile Downsizing?

Kman and I have kicked around the idea of finding a smaller home maybe with some acreage a little removed from the Big City. Of course, ya'll know our ideal place is somewhere near Alpine/Fort Davis/Marfa area, but the problem with that dream is there is little or no way to make a living wage. The scenery and the weather is drop dead perfect, but you can't eat scenery or drive it.

We might be faced with this type of housing in order to survive on our current retirement savings and live in the Big Lonesome area:


Luna's Jacal on the Old Maverick Road, April 6, 2006.

So, maybe we have to settle for a mini retreat instead. The housing market in Texas is far better than most of the rest of the country, but as I remarked to a friend, it's like offering one good sized lifeboat to a Titanic load of panicked passengers - someone is gonna get wet.

I think we could probably get a fair amount of equity for our home; of course with all the artsy special touches from Kman, a potential home buyer is gonna absolutely LOVE our place, or decidedly run out as fast as they came in.

Kman has put a lot of love and work into our home, and I am not sure I can part with some of it...the murals especially. Yeah, he could paint more, but the La Bahia Mission mural was painted especially for me and I can't help but smile every time I come in the front door.

Here are a few basic smart tips, but the part about the clutter....one woman's tschotskes is another one's trash! (And one thing this list doesn't mention that I have had good luck with when selling a house -I've sold three - is to put a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies in the oven just before the potential buyers take a tour. Made one sale for sure just that way. The other sale was with a pot roast. Good food smells might turn off a few buyers, but men are goners once they get a whiff of roasting meat.)

The links below also are good starting places if you are thinking of relocating to Texas. I have to say though, as a native, I sure hate to see Texas become the next California. Did I mention Texas gets hotter'n Hades half of the year? *smile*

Tips for Selling your Home in Texas

If you are selling a home, the chances are there are other homes in your neighborhood which are competing for that all-important buyer. Here are a few tips which will make your home stand out from the rest, and make viewings quickly turn into offers. Remember that there is a lot of Houston, Austin, and Dallas Texas Real Estate out there to compete with.

1)Make sure your address number is clearly visible from the curb. In a street of ‘for sale’ boards, potential buyers tend to stop at the first sign and it may actually be your neighbor’s house.

2) Add lighting to make the house look great after dark. Solar lamps along the path, an attractive porch light and a lamp in the window will make your house look like a show home and will draw the eye of those driving by after dark. Make sure your home stands out from the rest.

3) Clean and de-clutter. Mail, children’s toys and bathroom toiletries need to be out of view for a showing. Think ‘model home’ and have a few nice knick-knacks on show but clear the clutter.

4) Sell the value of the area you live in. Some Dallas Neighborhoods have really nice parks, great public schools, or low crime rate rates. Be sure to talk about the perks of your community.

5) Stylize your home. You may have lived in your home for years and do not want to modernize before moving but adding new touches can make a good first impression. Disguise well-worn carpets with a rug, add slipcovers to old armchairs, use eye-catching cushions in toning shades along the sofa and invest in an artificial flower arrangement for an attractive focal point. Lay the dining table with your best china and add napkins to the wineglasses. It all adds to the professional finished look, and you can take them all with you when you move.