This afternoon we had an appointment with the chap who was to take photographs of the house for its House for Sale schedule. The DP made the appointment.
(I would have made it for next week to give me a chance/time to do the major declutter.)
So I was up at 5.30a.m. to do my bit.
( I had my Art Group yesterday morning and am still collapsing in an afternoon.)
At 10 I had to be at a board meeting at the Lighthouse Museum. Hence my early start. I did quite a bit, including the bathroom cleaned.
I gave the DP a list of what was to do, as I shot off. He was not happy to remove things aka House Doctoring and said, "They are buying a dream."
Well, yes, but not ours.
The Kitchen with window sill almost denuded of mass of orchids, only three flowering at the moment.
Dining room, still looking like a Doctor Who scene - but they are 'buying a dream'. (Psychedelic Nightmare.)
Sitting room. The above photographs are from the DP. The Photographer, who had a much larger lens than the DP, went into each room and CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND HIM ? Also moved stuff around, which I had said to do should he wish. He moved the chair in the sitting room where I always wanted it! But the DP doesnt. (Its his chair.)
Tomorrow morning we have our first viewing of our list of potential future homes. The second is Monday. The owner of the one on Monday works 'off shore' as many do round here. (Oil industry.) So our viewing is by the handyman of the solicitor. I am sure he will know all about the house.......At least he can turn the key.
Serious stuff going on around us is birth. Fortunately I am past all that.
Feathers and furry beasts increasing all around us.
Serious stuff but very pleasing.
Now let us go back a bit. Remember I was up at 5.30a.m. to do my bit. Well one of my bits is the bathroom I use. The DP has the shower room upstairs. So I cleaned the bathroom to within and inch of its life. It gleamed.
On my return from the board meeting the photographer followed me in so I did not visit the bathroom. When he had gone I did visit the bathroom. Immediately I saw the bath.
"
Why would the photographer stand in the bath?" I asked the DP.
"Oh, that would be me. I was polishing the shiny bits."
Definitely getting serious here.
In Scotland it is still a legal requirement to have a Home Report done by a surveyor before putting your home on the market.
And you have to pay for it before it is carried out. Over £500 this time. Three years ago we paid just over £200 for our previous 7 bedroomed half an acre garden property. Hey ho.
What you get is really quite hysterically funny.
The chimneys and the roof and the gutters are examined with binoculars. (I have yet to see any surveyor with a pair ....) There is a lot of "Unable to view due to floorcoverings" "Furniture" and "Loft insulation." Oh really?
Then there are the scary HINTS. Possible woodworm activity. i.e. the staircase in this house is the same age as the house built in 1870 so it is bound to have wood worm.
It really is money for old rope.
Fortunately, having gone through all this with our previous home we are quite good at seeing through all the doom and gloom on prospective properties. Flat roofs are prone to collapsing without warning. Apparently. Even when they have just been put there.....
Then you get the energy report. Which tells you about loft insulation (got) thermostats in radiators (got) etc. etc. how much you could save on your energy bills if you did . Havent actually noticed to be honest.
The biggie is that the surveyor values your house. At which point you kill him.
Sooooooooooooooooooooo.
Deep breaths, not easy with shot lungs.
And a partner with an infected throat, he is banished to the spare room.
We look round and see what needs doing to present our house in its best possible light. Well, I have wafted a paint brush round.
On the left behind the fireside tools, is where the plumber made a very large hole. Now boarded back up and after much scrambling round in the garage I found the tin of paint which matched!!!! Why do I never write on 'kitchen', 'sitting room' et al? Also covered up all fat splashes round cooker and skid marks from cats sliding down from windowsills.
Pristine.
Then one looks at the potential future home.
Front.
Rear.
Sod the HOME REPORT.
