First House Sale Viewing – Emotions Enough for a Whole Year!

I did put a lot of thought in arranging the garden, even if I don't have little children!

Yesterday we had our very first house viewing!

And honestly – I got so emotional, I can’t even find a good comparison.

The call came completely unexpected. My mind was elsewhere, busy with a conversation about selling a camera lens. The house has been listed for about a month and a half, but since it’s been holiday season and the back-to-school rush, I was convinced people would only start looking seriously by the end of September.

And yet, there it was – the phone call.

Even though I was “ready”, when the gentleman asked if the house could be viewed, the little girl in me (raised with the belief that every stranger stepping through the door is basically a “sanitary inspection”) just blurted out:

“Please give me two hours to clean!” 🤣

The lovely open space kitchen

Oh boy… in those two hours, my son David and our dog Jack were terrorized.

I turned the house upside down and back again, vacuumed a second time (even though the robot had already done it in the morning), cleaned both bathrooms (again!), checked every corner for spiders, dusted, tidied up the garden, hid Jack’s toys (he did NOT appreciate that, and later, after the visit, he furiously dug them back out, as if to scold me).

And a hundred other things.

So yes, you can imagine the scene – David and Jack standing at attention like little soldiers by the time I was done!

And as always, I attract the nicest people.

At the exact scheduled time, the family arrived.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a little car seat… with a 2-year-old blondie, fresh from daycare, glued to her dad as if she hadn’t seen him in forever.

And the mom – a lovely little baby bump promising a baby boy coming soon.

How could it be any other way? Children always find their way to me.

Our quiet corner for slow mornings

Knowing that I set up this space with children in mind, I was as happy as a kid myself.

And when I’m emotional, I talk. A lot.

This couple reminded me so much of my first experience with Anca and her playful George – a family that, over the years, turned into a beautiful friendship. After our very first photo session back when I lived in Stânca/Comarna (Anca wore the most delicate sandals with tiny gemstones, and I took them out into a field!), they barely said a word at the time.

I didn’t know if they liked the photo session or not – and I only found out two or three years later when they came back for baby number two, then baby number three… and now we see each other every single year (not just for photos!), even though they moved away from Iași.

Yesterday was exactly the same – poker face.

But beneath their quietness, kindness and shyness – I just know they are good people.

They didn’t ask any questions, and of course my overthinking brain later replayed the entire visit:

“Did I talk too much? Did I share all the right details? Did I say too little? Too much?”

The listing itself is very detailed, but I’m curious:

What are YOUR priorities when buying a home?

I grew up in the countryside, working the fields, so I like small gardens – easy to maintain.

In today’s fast-paced world, who has the time for endless chores?

Maybe for people coming from apartments, a big yard or even a detached house is a must.

I prefer a functional, airy space with low maintenance costs.

Others may want more furniture, more décor, to follow the latest trends.

I prefer peace and quiet – but close to everything I need.

Others might want to be right in the city center.

With all the new developments popping up in the last few years, my house – which is only 4 years old – might look a bit “too simple” by comparison.

But when is the moment when you can simply say:

“This is enough. I’m happy. I can just enjoy life now”?

Because if you keep chasing the “new”, you’ll never stop.

Here’s something most people don’t realize: all those houses that look so beautifully lit at night?

They also attract every insect imaginable.

I learned this from David’s father (a PhD in Entomology), which is exactly why I chose not to install wall lights.

Otherwise, every time you open the door at night – you’re under attack 🤣.

Sure, it looks fancy – but no, thank you!

So tell me – what would you choose?

A house that has “settled in” and shows you it has no hidden cracks, or one finished in record time?

Or maybe a house “under construction” where you wait and invest more until it’s just right?

When we decided to sell, we were advised not to repaint the walls (even though we already bought the paint) – because whoever buys will likely want to personalize it anyway.

And it’s actually a good thing – you can clearly see that the walls are dry, no hidden issues, no cracks.

Owning a house always means there’s something to fix, maintain, or improve. That’s part of the deal.

To wrap it up…

I put all my energy into yesterday’s visit. I was exhausted afterwards.

But when my thoughts settled – lying in bed at 1 AM staring at the ceiling – regardless of whether this family is interested in buying or not, I am just happy that our very first viewing was with REAL PEOPLE.

Even though we have mutual friends on Facebook and have crossed paths in traffic before (my visual memory never fails me!), I genuinely wish them the best – that they find exactly what they need.

And I was left grateful, thoughtful, and with a beautiful calm feeling.

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