Re: [gardeners] re: Dumb Question now New House

Jill Fyffe (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 3 Oct 1998 00:00:35 -0400

Hi Rosemary,

> The most stressful thing is SELLING the house I live in now. It's up for
> sale - lots of lookers - no takers yet. Lex is a hot real estate market so
> I'm hopeful. But, it's TOUGH to keep it (and the gardens and yard!)
> constantly ready to show. Everyone - beware. Lots and LOTS of folks out
> there don't WANT perennial gardens in their yard. Too much maintenance. I
> think that having the rose and perennial gardens are making my house HARDER
> to sell. A shame.

Just a thought from a real estate agent in Ontario.  Do you have a 
Horticultural society or a Garden club in Lex.  Maybe someone in 
those groups would love and appreciate your garden.  I have sold a 
few "gardeners" houses and the one thing I will suggest you ask 
them or have their agent ask them is . . are they are going to keep 
your garden or grass over it.  If they are going to grass then you 
can dig up all you want to take or give to your Gardening buddies.

Nothing upsets me more than a lovely garden getting sprayed with 
roundup so they can lay sod!!! (Happened this spring to a house in 
our neighbourhood.  The entire backyard was garden and 
pathways, not just common plants but some really unusual ones as 
well.  The young family that had bought the house in the winter . . 
.yard covered in snow. . had young children and a dog and she 
wanted grass!!  She asked  us come in and dig up any of the plants 
we wanted)

Also you don't have to kill yourself keeping the house spotless.  
People know you have a life (even if you don't think so while your 
house is for sale).  . I tell my sellers to have the kitchen neat and 
clean and a sparkling bathroom and tidy bedrooms ie made beds.  
People aren't buying your housekeeping skills they are buying your 
house!!

Now if your area goes in for Open Houses than you pull all the stops 
and really do a clean and get rid of clutter and boxes and generally 
make it look and smell the best (bread maker cooking bread really 
brings in the aroma of home.)

Guess I'll get off my saop box and think about gardening.  We are 
suppose to have our first frost tonight.

Good Luck with your house.
Jill Fyffe
Ontario Canada
> 
> For those of you I correspond with, take note of my new email address ( in
> preparation for the move!). Thanks, Lucinda, for asking - how goes school?
> I'm drowning in papers to grade!
> 
> Rosemary in Lexington, KY
> zone 6a  
>