So the house sold on Thursday at tender. Do you have tenders where you live? I ask because my sister in London didn’t understand the tender process.
The process is a short, sharp, sweet marketing programme. We had a two week tender, that is two open homes and then the tenders closed four days after the second. The process calls for anybody interested to make their offer on a given date, tender closing date, and then all offers are opened at the same time giving everybody a fair chance. The vendor has the option then to accept one of the offers or none. As you can see from the photo, I chose to accept an offer and it was completely unconditional. In today’s market this is often not the case as people require builders’ reports (particularly as it is an old house), finance to be arranged, etc etc. So lucky lucky me!
Because it is winter here and subsequently no colour in the garden I went to the garden centre immediately before the first open home and purchased pots and pots of brightly coloured cyclamen. As you can see Bella came too and caused a stir as she sat patiently in the trundler while I wandered around and chose the plants I wanted. Unfortunately, very shortly after they were potted and placed strategically around the garden we had the storm to end all storms and now they are looking very bedraggled. But cyclamen will recover.
And now the real excitement begins. I can make plans for my adventure. First Bella has to be taken and introduced and left with her surrogate owner. My friend in Ohakune loves poodles and I just know she will love Bella. If you don’t know where Ohakune is, it’s the centre of skiing in the North Island of New Zealand. I wrote a couple of blogs about a visit there 2 years ago, goodness is it really that long – Mirth and Mayhem and Mirth, Mayhem & Mischief. It’s a magical place and I just know that Bella will love it. And she will love being totally spoiled by her “other mother”.
Then the excitement of planning with each of my sisters when I will arrive to visit and even further, planning my next few months in Europe.
So I am now off to browse places to stay and that will keep me happily busy for the next few hours on this cold but bright Saturday afternoon.
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
Terry Pratchett (Sir Terence David John “Terry” Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948) English author of fantasy novels.
Related articles
- Ohakune Mardi Gras organiser keen to quit while he’s well ahead (nzherald.co.nz)
- Why the North Island of NZ is worth a winter visit! (myclub.worldmarksp.com)
Ah, one day when I am “petless” I shall retrace all that English countryside and public pathways but for now I couldn’t leave the goldens. So glad your house sold so soon. Congratulations on your exciting next stop. Joy
Thanks Joy. I feel that if I don’t do it now I might never do it. Enjoy your goldens
Congratulations on selling the house so fast Judith! Now for the adventure. I am so excited for you.
Apologies – I dont know where the three weeks have gone since you made your comment. Packers are coming in next Monday and movers on Tuesday so it is a bit hectic. Will get back to blogging soon I hope.
Congratulations! How nice to have this over with so you can move on with your plans!
Nancy
It ages since you left this comment. Apologies. Very busy here but that’s no excuse. Packers are coming in next Monday and movers on Tuesday so it is a bit hectic. Will get back to blogging soon I hope.
Good luck on the great adventure. xx Hugs xx
Thanks David – exciting and a trifle scary. But what fun I shall have. Apologies for taking so long to respond to your comment. Slightly frenetic here at the moment.
Look like your plans are all working out well. Bets of luck. I envy your adventure but may have my own soon. Hugs to Bella.
Sorry to take so long to acknowledge your comment Darlene. Things are slightly hectic here. Looking forward to hearing of your adventure.
Congratulations on selling your home so quickly. This tender process seems to be a good way to sell a house. Now the real excitement can begin. I am sure everything is going to work out well for you. Enjoy this great adventure. Best wishes, Uta. 🙂
Thanks Uta. I am looking forward to the next step. Packers are coming in next Monday and movers on Tuesday so it is a bit hectic. Will get back to blogging soon I hope.
Best wishes, Judith, for all the new experiences. And do try to do a bit of blogging very soon! Looking forward to it. :-).
So brave, so exciting! Off to a good start, and I wish you a wonderful time, with only pleasant adventures. Looking forward to reading about them!
Thanks Cat. Exciting and a little scary but you only live once, so I have to do it now.
Yep – make hay while the sun shines!
Oh I am so excited for you! This is marvellous news. A big step forward towards this grand adventure of yours.
Thanks Joss and your adventure will start soon also.
Best wishes for a grand adventure!
Thanks Cindy. A trifle phrenetic here at present. Packers are coming in next Monday and movers on Tuesday so it is a bit hectic. Will get back to blogging soon I hope.
Everything is coming together for this adventure! I’m happy to hear that your house sold so quickly.
Good luck and I can’t wait to hear about the next step.
Well the house move is on next week so a trifle crazy here at present. Biggest problem is what to take with me for 5 months. So many clothes and so many decisions. Well it will come together soon I trust. Thanks for the good wishes Jackie.
Woo Hoo! That’s great news. Enjoying the planning and bringing your plans to fruition.
Thanks a bunch Nancy. Tickets booked. Leaving on 27 August so now I think it really is going to happen.
Yay, you! I hope you have an awesome and safe adventure!
Thanks SuziCate. Excitement and a little trepidation here but I just know I am going to love it.
Fantastic. Looking forward to hearing how it all goes.
Been a bit caught up here recently so have taken so long to respond. I shall certainly be back to blogging again once the adventure begins. So watch this space.
I had never heard of a “tender.” But congrats on you quick sale. Pretty cool, isn’t it? Our house sold much more quickly than we EVER anticipated and sped up our move to Ecuador. I’m so happy to hear you’re able to start your adventure!!!!
Hugs,
Kathy
Thanks Kathy. I hope your adventure is only getting better daily. Once the movers have gone and the house is empty I shall believe it is happening – oh and of course, once I pick up the tickets next Wednesday it will be all on. Love to you both from the other side of the world.
“Tender” was new to me, too. I can only imagine the excitement bubbling inside you as you plan your travels. I do hope Bella enjoys her new home.
Hi Patti. I apologise for the long delay in responding to your comment. Bella has been in her new home since last Monday – so one week – and is settling in well. She’s being totally spoiled and I know that my friend Elaine will love her as I do.
Congratulations! Best of luck as your adventures unfold.
Thanks Thomas. As we say Watch this space for tales of adventure.
I never heard of ‘tender” but what a great idea! How exciting, too, that it sold so quickly. Onward to the next chapter!
Hi Monica. A little bit hectic here at present. But hey ho the adventure is about to begin. I shall get back to blogging very soon I hope so watch this space.
This is exciting! I’m glad your adventure is all set to begin. It seems like it all happened so fast 🙂
Well yes Janna it has been fast. It was early June when I first mooted the idea and here we are some six weeks later ready to pack up and leave. A bit of a whirl but it will settle soon.
Congratulations, Judith! Now I see what you meant when you commented about all of the changes we’re going through lately. I have never heard of a tender. I learned something new today. 🙂
It’s exciting and a trifle scary. I have traveled extensively and on my own since my Dashing Young Scotsman died but this time I am going to be in a foreign country for several months. Busily learning the language and only hope I can make myself understood. But I am looking forward to it.
Congratulations! My first thought was what a cute little dog! She’s going to be absolutely fine.
Good for you. Well done you.
Julie
Thanks for the comment Julie. Yes Bella is really cute and is settling in well in her new home. Of course, my friend is spoiling her rotten but I don’t care so long as they are both happy.
What wonderful for you to have sold your house so quickly! We don’t have tenders here but it seems a civilized process. Congratulations on the sale of your house which offers freedom and adventure for you.
Thanks for taking time to like one of my posts!
Freedom, adventre and excitement coming up here. Thanks for commenting and as we say watch this space for some of the adventures.
You were indeed lucky to have sold so quickly and with no conditions. Yay! I am excited for you and impressed by your bravery, Judith. I’m looking forward to hearing where your travels will take you and what thoughts they will bring about. I loved the quote at the end. I still have a deep longing to “go home” to New England after all these years away (we left in 1978), but I know it will not be the same as when I left it. We visit two or three times a year for very short visits, but I want more. I hope you find what you are looking for.
Hello again Susan.Yes very lucky. The new owners are in and I am out of the house. And now the real adventure begins
. Tickets to London have been purchased and my sister knows when to expect me. I shall be posting about my travels so as we say please watch this space.
Since I am very new to your blog I need some time to go back and read “the past”. For now – congratulations on the quick sale of your house, for Bella having settled into her new temp home so well. Have a safe journey and a wonderful time in ‘our’ London. Carina 🙂
Thank you Carina for taking the time to read and comment. I have been so busy over the past few weeks that I haven’t even looked at the comments. So apologies for the tardy response. I am in London now with my sister and catching up with family and friends. Very exciting.
Wow, movement going on in your life…
The tender process was interesting. We don’t have it in Australia.
It is simply the person who offers the most money that gets the place, I guess? The thing is, though, when people tender for a job they say why they are best for it, how they can be the best candidate for it – but tendering for a house, it would just be who has the most money, wouldn’t it?
Interesting indeed. I guess like an auction, but you only get one chance to bid.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I shall start blogging again as I am about to leave NZ for London and places further afield.
I’m very behind with my blog reading,but glad to hear things are okay with you and your changes are progressing. As for Bella’s new home, I was walking via the little man in Google Streetview, round Ohakune just a few weeks ago when I discovered its ‘big carrot’ sculpture!!
Hello again Val. I have been MIA for several weeks as all these exciting changes are taking place in my life. Ohakune is in the centre of the North Island and is the carrot centre. It’s high up and home to skiing enthusiasts. My girlfriend is one and hence she lives there. I wrote a few blogs a couple of years ago when Miss Lottie and I visited – https://growingyoungereachday.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/mirth. and-mayhem-at-the-mythical-mountain/.
I hope you are well and enjoying this amazing summer. I understand your winter was awful but this summer has surely made up for that.
Pingback: I Went For a Walk | I choose how I will spend the rest of my life