Buying and Selling Houses, Australia

Or how to exhaust yourself and start yelling at your family.

So my life has all been about the house, or rather houses, lately. The good news is we found a bigger, cheaper house in the nearby town of Gawler. The bad news, to secure the loan we had to get our house on the market immediately.

Our plan to take our time and get everything painted and primped and finessed over a few months was out the window. Also kiboshed was the clever idea we had that we would move out before any opens, meaning that the cats, dogs and kids would just be happily settled and making a mess in the other house. Instead, we were now doing everything in two weeks and then managing 6 cats, two dogs, two teens and the mess they make for each open. All while getting the extensive to do list, done.

We had our first open on Saturday. We worked our arses off and we got there; the house was looking beautiful, and the sun was out. Partner, dog and kids at the park. All our cats had been caught and put in carriers in the car. Our real estate agent arrived. I went to drive out of the driveway with moments to go. The car wouldn’t start.

Panic. We aren’t meant to be there when people come through; the car isn’t meant to be in the drive and certainly not with six cats in it!