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Rockky, if we had old wood on the floor, we would certainly go your route and refinish it. We have wood floors throughout the downstairs (except for the kitchen) and carpeted bedrooms, which leads to another question.....
but WAIT! Chinese food thread. Let's see. Has anybody ever tried Szechuan chicken over soft-serve ice cream? (This is intended to buy me another paragraph or two off-topic.)
The other question: does anyone have an opinion on professional carpet cleaning companies? We have never used one. For the carpeted areas of our house, we've gotten away with a small machine we own, but they need a really thorough cleaning now. Suggestions?
Mary, I think the friends are likely to be able to buy our house, and one of our relatives (in town) has mentioned the possibility, but we want to be prepared, so we plan to do the minimum reasonable amount of prep. The kitchen floor really does need to be replaced. I like some of the wood laminates I've seen, but not others. There is a contractor we've had do some work for us, but he sure isn't cheap. I'm not sure how we'll handle this.
Since we have a lot of family in the area who are passing around the word about our house, we think that we would try selling the house ourselves first. But thanks so much! I will keep your offer in mind.
Selling certainly isn't easy these days. We have had a couple realtors send us some comparables over the past 6 or so months. I'm afraid prices are dropping, but not as rapidly as in some of the "bubble" areas.
Moo goo gai pan! (Did I come close to the correct spelling?)
Lori,
Some time ago you posted that you and your hubby were planning on relocating to the West; and you were looking at Nevada, Arizona or California. I gave you the city-data forum for Arizona with a gazillion (is that a real amount?) threads and posts on the state. You never posted your final choice (I may have missed it) and now your recent post in the Chinese Food thread said your hubby is now in the West (??). And now you're stuck with a "honey do" list - flooring, upgrades, etc. I might offer a little advice since we're in a similar position as you - selling a house that needs some "curb appeal". I've followed this topic with interest and have read many real estate newspaper sections on what home owners should and should not do to get a realistic selling price. It's an area where you need to tread cautiously.
Very rarely can you get a 100% return on money invested in a remodeling project. Years ago, you could get the most from: painting (a must); bathroom and kitchen upgrades (80%). Any money you spend is an expense that lowers you profit margin when you sell. For example, the current rage in counter tops is quartz or granite. However, both are expensive. So, if you spend 3-5 thousand replacing your counter tops, then that's 3-5 thousand that lowers you profit. Theoretically, if you get 80% return on the counter top, then you're 20% in the hole. Of course, if the homeowner can do most of the work, you save money on labor costs. Two to three years ago it was a "sellers" market and you could get your list price with little or no effort. Today, however, we're in a "buyers" market and it's tougher. I would suggest you and your husband get an experienced Realtor to bring you some "comps" for what houses in your neighborhood are selling and what you need to do to your house to get your realistic price. Trying to sell a house on your own is a toughie in today's market. Hope this helps and good luck!
Lash,
You'd better leave those little guys in the ice cream parlor alone or they'll sic their big momma on you!
Was it this thread I saw where somebody mentioned Delaware Today? I could have mixed the threads, and if so, I'm sorry. Anyway, I'll continue because you can't stop me! : )
About Delaware Today, there's a very good article in there this month about wineries. Now, after you read 3/4 of the article, it gets interesting for us, and is about Pizzadilli's Winery on Peach Basket Road, Felton. I went a couple of weeks ago, and it's just wonderful. On Route 13 from Dover, head south towards Felton. Turn right on Peach Basket Road at that car auction, which is held every Thursday night. Then after turning on Peach Basket Road, it's about 1/4 mile on the right. Sign says 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., I think, but they changed the hours to 12-6 p.m. You drive down a long paved driveway, and you'll see the vineyards on your right. At the end of the driveway, there's a beautiful huge clearing....I think 119 acres, the article said. There's a huge pond, and well kept grounds, a large building where they sell the wine out of (just opened within month) and there's a place in the building to utilize for meetings/parties. Also, there's a very large pavilion in the back. People have parties, wedding receptions there, and Pizzadilli's does all the catering. Also, they give tours of the winery if requested. Check it out! Very unique place!............To tie this in with your Chinese thread........after lunch go Wine Tasting!
Last edited by rdlr; 11-08-2007 at 02:11 PM..
Reason: confusing directions
Yes, we're moving West, but not to any of those states! My husband is currently in the western state where he will start his new position shortly after Thanksgiving. He'll be back and forth until then. You may well be confused by all this. I am. We have considered many locations, but one of my husband's friends brought this job to his attention. We visited. He got the job. Now I am scared, and wondering about leaving so much family in the East. For a time, we thought my sister and family would be moving west, and that was a comfort to me, but no--they're staying in NJ! My daughter is out there though, and I keep reminding myself how much I will enjoy being much closer to her.
Thanks so much for your advice. We've been reluctant to have a realtor in the house, but unless our friends come through and buy this place as they've planned, we know we'll need a realtor's opinion, even if we decide we'll try selling ourselves. We have seen some comps. Problem is, they're not true comps. Most of the houses in this neighborhood have 3 or 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, whereas we have 5 br's and 3.5 baths. I feel certain, though, that a lot of the houses are more updated than ours, with the granite or marble countertops that you mention, for instance. We do, though, have some features that virtually all the other houses in the neighborhood lack.
One of our primary reasons for doing some things to interest buyers in the event that the friends don't come through is to sell fast. I want to join my husband. What about that angle?
Julie.......there will be no house EXACTLY like yours. Appraisers and Realtors take that in to consideration. Appraisers, primarily, find similar type homes which sold within the last year, preferably 6 months. They grid the sales and adjust for amenities, such as sq.ft.living area, fireplace, porch, condition, etc. They must stay within a radius of, not more than, 3 miles when searching for comps.
We have relatives WAY out West... hubby has a cousin who transferred with family years ago to the Washington state area. I have a retired Air Force uncle and family on the outskirts of Las Vegas (although it was OUTSIDE of Vegas when they moved there). I have heard from many that the west coast is wonderful!
Since your daughter is out that way, that will be good for you and hubby! And if you work closely with Southwest airlines, flights are not that hard to come by to get back east. Other than the geographic distance, it sounds like a cool opportunity!
Besides, you can always head to Chinatown in Los Angeles and get really authentic Chinese food... you may be so spoiled by the west you'll wonder why you hesitated! What a new frontier to explore!
Was that old farm house in the DE area? That project would be a dream for hubby and I... if we could find the right situation that we could muddle through living there in the meantime! I'd love to hear more... perhaps a new thread?
Mary
No, Mary, it wasn't in DE. It was in PA. I suspect there is more of that type of property in the corridor between Philadelphia and Gettysburg than in DE. There are some rather old places back off Rt. 9 though.
I think I've mentioned before that I'm fascinated with the history of the DelMarVa. In the 1950s Bethany Beach was a quiet, little town. Ocean View seemed miles away. The peninsula didn't have a lot of outsiders before the Bay Bridge was built. Then......they came....in droves. Slowly at first. Now...BAM!
I love riding around those bottom counties in VA. We picnicked each year with a large group of locals just south of Salisbury. Fantastic people....real America. I loved going to see them.
Both Rehoboth and Bethany were set up as church camp/retreats. Later, Rehoboth was called something like, "The Summer Capital of the U.S." because so many D.C. politicians had summer homes there.
The commercial poultry industry began in Ocean View.
You guys ought to take a morning and walk through the Agricultural Museum just south of Del State. It is a nice example of the rural past of mid to southern DE.
I wish I could find a really good, personal history of the DelMarVa. I did find some really old documents on line about land acquisition in the early 1700s. The same names were there that you still see in southern Sussex County today.
Whoops. Off track here. What was the title of this thread?!?
I think I've mentioned before that I'm fascinated with the history of the DelMarVa. In the 1950s Bethany Beach was a quiet, little town. Ocean View seemed miles away. The peninsula didn't have a lot of outsiders before the Bay Bridge was built. Then......they came....in droves. Slowly at first. Now...BAM!
I love riding around those bottom counties in VA. We picnicked each year with a large group of locals just south of Salisbury. Fantastic people....real America. I loved going to see them.
Both Rehoboth and Bethany were set up as church camp/retreats. Later, Rehoboth was called something like, "The Summer Capital of the U.S." because so many D.C. politicians had summer homes there.
The commercial poultry industry began in Ocean View.
You guys ought to take a morning and walk through the Agricultural Museum just south of Del State. It is a nice example of the rural past of mid to southern DE.
I wish I could find a really good, personal history of the DelMarVa. I did find some really old documents on line about land acquisition in the early 1700s. The same names were there that you still see in southern Sussex County today.
Whoops. Off track here. What was the title of this thread?!?
Not to worry about being off track. I for one find this interesting. Growing up in Philly I knew nothing about delmarva, this is all new to me and I love learning about the place where I am spending my retirement days.
We were talking to a man who has live in West Dover for 35 years. He was telling us stories about the beaches being pretty empty back in the day.
So hard to imagine cuz it sure is crowded now.
Hi All! I guess we're giving up the pretense of continuing this in the Chinese food mode. But, just in case, has anybody ever tried the dessert called, as I remember, Eight Precious Pudding?
Delly, thank you. A couple of my relatives have mentioned similar things. Reflecting on all this, I think our biggest problem comes from the new houses near by. Our house is considerably larger than most of them, but they have things considered so necessary these days--the granite, the top of the line cabinets, the stainless steel appliances--that we don't have. We would plan to leave our six-year-old kitchen appliances, which are a good brand, but not stainless. Even though most of the nearby new houses have only 3 bedrooms, a few four, as compared to our 5, I think we're going to have to price below them, and this is worrisome.
Mary, thank you. You are such a thoughtful person. More than anything else, I do need to remind myself often that I will be moving into my daughter's territory. We are really lucky, in fact, in that my husband thinks his new job is close to what he's been dreaming of, and that we will be able to stay with friends out there until we find a place we want to rent (probably) and then take our time buying. I have, if you total it, spent quite a lot of time in the state we're headed to, as well as neighboring states. Things to like there, and things, but mostly people, I will miss.
Rockky and Eliza, I find the history of the area interesting too. I've never found a really good comprehensive book--yet they must exist. Eliza, you can still find some almost empty stretches of beach, even in season, if you go to park between Dewey and Bethany. You walk up over the dunes and keep going. The problem, of course, is the traffic getting there. But you might try this early on a week day next summer.
I've got a ton of things ready for Good Will. Today, I'm back to removing all the photos and personal items around the house. Dover relatives will be over tomorrow again to help, but I've promised them FOOD, so have to think about that. Maybe we'll make it CHINESE FOOD!
Lori
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WHO TOLD YOU!?!?!?!?! 
Upgrades To Improve House Sale
threads and posts on the state. You never posted your final choice (I may have missed it) and now your recent post in the Chinese Food thread said your hubby is now in the West (??). And now you're stuck with a "honey do" list - flooring, upgrades, etc. I might offer a little advice since we're in a similar position as you - selling a house that needs some "curb appeal". I've followed this topic with interest and have read many real estate newspaper sections on what home owners should and should not do to get a realistic selling price. It's an area where you need to tread cautiously. 
