Step 3: Get Out of the Way

Our real estate agent was an upbeat person, but she didn’t mince words. This wasn't a good time to sell. The kitchen floor was obviously old and worn underneath its shiny scrubbed surface. Two other houses in our little development were up for sale, and one was a coveted corner unit. We accepted her asking price without argument.

On the other hand, she liked our house-sprucing so much, she led her entire agency’s troops through it, and then scheduled an open house for the following weekend. On the big day, we turned up the air conditioning and fled the scene.

By the end of the week, we had a full-price offer from a woman who had visited late in the week. It was the perfect place for her and her teenage daughter, and the home office I set up in the third bedroom met her needs, too.

Before the closing, we agreed to “give back” several thousand dollars at closing to cover expenses for repairing problems identified during the home inspection.

Last I heard, those 2 other houses on the street are still up for sale.