The Critical Eye

As I mentioned in my last post, Photoguy and I have put a lot into our home over the past 8 1/2 years. And, we love it. It's more than just four walls to us. It's all of our memories and it's right in the neighborhood we love.

It's interesting how putting your home up for sale can cause you to cast a critical eye. One day, I'm loving my home. The next day I'm thinking, "We need a new front door, a different color of exterior paint and forget the fascia, it needs to be completely replaced. When did our brick start looking so crummy? Why is our yard mostly dead? Our garage needs to be blown up with a stick of dynamite and completely replaced." And, then there are all of the dings in the walls and typical wear and tear around the house that come with living in it. Suddenly, I see every stain and blemish.

Today, Photoguy and I discussed whether or not installing a dishwasher would help us sell. Because, even though we've never had one, I think lots of people no longer consider them an optional appliance.

"You know what this kitchen really needs?" Photoguy asked. "It needs all new lighting. Yeah, recessed can lighting would brighten it up." He went on.

I disagreed. While the new lighting would be nice, I countered that it really needed a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets. A friend came over and suggested that we paint the walls (in the kitchen) a different color. And, as long as we're getting a new dishwasher, why not a new fridge and stove too?

So, in five minutes, I went from loving my kitchen to realizing that it is the worst kitchen in the world. Why would anyone ever want this kitchen. It's awful! The appliances are so yesterday's model, the cabinets are dingy, and the lighting -- !? --.

Selling a home is such an emotional process. I have to just believe that the right family for our house is out there somewhere. Either they will buy our house and we will get the one down the street, or, we'll stay and get to enjoy all the little fix-up jobs we've done trying to sell.