Sold

Last Sunday I was walking Jack down the man-made creek that runs through the community’s picturesque canyon. Swarms of swallows crisscrossed our path as Jack sniffed the tiny, magenta flowers blooming from his favorite succulents that cascade the walkway. It was surreal, even though swallows are the signature of San Miguel’s rainy season, I have never had them almost fly into my face. As we walked on I wondered what it meant. I felt anxious. I was about to head out of town to Queretaro with my friend, Hattie, to pick up 4th of July supplies at Costco. I’m not used to fast-paced cities or crowded shopping centers. Jack had been sick the week before, so I was nervous about leaving him alone. I made all these excuses for my anxiety and discarded it.

Hattie and I drove out to the big city. First stop HEB, but, oh look, a Bed, Bath and Beyond right next door. We had to stop in. These 1st world stores are foreign to me. I’m used to limited options and when I want to open the door to more I go to on-line shopping. I can turn it off when I can’t decide. I ran my fingers over the display products as if i had never touched a cuisinart before, I sniffed all the scents of air fresheners and remembered I hadn’t checked my phone. Indeed there was a message from the real estate agent with an offer for my house. A pretty good offer.

“Accept it,” I messaged. I jumped up and down making the I scored fist. Then tears welled up. The Bed, Bath and Beyond employees stared at me. A strange gringa that had never seen appliances or bedding, holding, what would be my only purchase, a six pack of dish towels under my armpit and going through an emotional explotion. I looked for Hattie to share my news. I messaged my daughter, my son and called my mom. Hattie held my dish towels as I set up office on a soap display in the shower curtain section. I had to sign the contract accepting the offer with my pinky on my phone screen. Eventually I settled for the best that I could do.

I was elated as we wove through the crowd in HEB. I had often thought about what this moment would feel like after over a year of pouring money, time and energy into repairing the problems with the property. Which made it hard to commit to the idea of selling the house, I vacillated between selling and renting. But when I imagined having to contend with renters and the inevitable maintenece, I concluded that this would be an overload on my time and energy. Then came the touching up, clearing out and staging. When the rugs were rolled out, beds made and pillows fluffed I looked at my beautiful house with the most spectacular views of San Miguel and expected showings and offers to roll. But it was starting to feel like I wasn’t going to find the right buyer. After every showing the agents told me,

“They loved the house, but the location wasn’t the right fit.”

No, the house is not for someone that can’t walk hills or stairs. Yes, there are nicer areas, but it is in a part of town that many would consider “up and coming”. It is one neighborhood over from one of the most desirable locations in town. A year had gone by, my contract with the agency was up, but I told them I would give them a couple more months, since we were heading into high season and the house had only been staged for 5 months out of the year that they had the listing. I dropped the price a touch and an offer came in, a low offer, I didn’t accept it. We were waiting for the buyer who had flown down from California just to see the house to raise his bid. 2 weeks of a rollercoaster ride waiting to see if there was any word from him went by. When out of the blue a couple took a virtual tour and made an offer! Which, without a haggle, I could accept.

Now I just wait. And clear out the last of the odds and ends. And move furniture, again. And replace the gas tank, my final repair on this house. And sense completion, like inhaling the aroma of a stew its final hour on the stove.