Why I might sell my house for less (and harder things)

 Even though my default position is to keep the house for the year (but with a built-in check-in with myself at 6 months), I'm still thinking about next steps.

If the right offer came along, namely one that would net me $50k, I would be very tempted. And I was thinking even at 6 months, I would still take that offer. Here's why.

I'm more aware that most of the townhomes in my neighborhood, especially the newly built ones, are renters. So the typical buyer in my neighborhood is likely an investor. And I just became aware of the 1% rule for real estate investments. Basically, the general rule is to buy a property that can rent for 1% of the purchase price.

My row of townhomes is renting for around $1200/mon so that would mean a good deal for an investor would be to get my house for about $120,000. To get the $50k net, I'm looking for, someone would have to buy my house for at least $130k. So the fact that Offerpad is offering me a little more than $120k is pretty good.

My guess is that these cash offers are coming from investors. I think for a fast sell, I need to be prepared that I might not get my full $50k net. To fully list and get something $130k or greater, I would probably need to wait for a home owner. Which given the average household income for my area is around $50k, it might be a long wait. And my neighbor even told me that she was only pre-approved for somewhere around $110k, so she wouldn't even be qualified to buy her own house. Weird, right! 

So I think armed with the movement of the neighborhood, I would be more comfortable moving forward with the numbers I've already received. Plus barring any major work, I still have 4 years of a maintenance fund. 

So it's all looking good. As much as FIRE teaches us optimization, this is definitely a good enough situation for me. Maybe I'll get more if I list and wait and go through the full process. But for me, fast and easy is a bigger priority than 'all the money.'

But let's be clear, this is all free money to me because the best I hoped for when I moved in is that I wouldn't be underwater when it was time to sell! So let's not get too entitled. And I'm pretty sure the only reason selling is even on the table for me is because home values increased! 

But for now, I still think waiting and seeing how the move goes is a wiser choice than jumping all in.

I was reminded today just how much more burdensome my life is compared to other members of my peer group. My white male therapist was describing a vacation he took recently with this 40 year old stepdaughter. I was thinking wow - how much support she has. Using the framework of mine of physical, emotional, and financial support... she has a partner and at least 3 parents and kids to offer her an abundance of emotional support...that's 3 generations of love and support! Then a partner for the day to day labor of raising one's self and the backup of parents. So in the case of me, if she needed to move, she has help packing and moving, and maybe even just input with logistics. And for financial support, that's 2 able-bodied adults that can get jobs. Where I have to financially support myself. If I move and sell a house, I have to do all the heavy lifting and carry the mental load, and manage any financial ramifications. Plus if she needed additional financial support, her parents could probably pitch in in a bind. 

Where I am having to carry every single load for every single task in my life. Every. Single. Task. 

So in the spirit of doling out grace, I need 3 extra helpings. I think it's underappreciated just how difficult living alone is as an adult. I have to keep myself alive, clothe, house, and feed myself. PLUS work a full time job. And manage my emotions and the suffering inflicted by the masses, big or small. Can I get a cookie?! 

Any little threat threatens to tumble this house of cards I call my life! The fact is there's just no one I can reliably call on for help if I needed it. Even just for the everyday stuff. This is ultimately where I feel God/Christianity let me down. I need physical (financial/emotional) help now, not spiritual help in eternity. 

I need a parade. Some kudos. How have I managed to stay alive at all for this long! Go, me! I mean geez louise! 

In other news, I decided to open the window in the bedroom eventhough it's 2a. It's just hot and miserable in here.  I just can't figure out this summer sleep! I'm thinking a timed fan might help.

Side note: still happy!

2a. As I re-read this, I think I figured out how this relates to The Incident of 2001. I was so bummed I didn't get to go to Top School. And spent about 3 years crying over it. I felt like my life ended.

It's 20 years later that I finally realized there were other paths.

In trying to speed up the 20 years it took to get over that situation, I think my most recent troubles with life is just that - I need help. I never envisioned having to do so much and live so much of my life alone and without support. It's one thing to be independent and free, but quite another to be alone. Trying to lean into it for the last 8 years or so just hasn't worked. That's just fact. 

I just don't know how much work I'm willing to put into rectifying the situation because I'm still unclear what I'm trying to achieve. I can't seem to verbalize what the endgame here is.