Community Chat

[Plaid Pants2]

It's weird. My parents bought a house in 1990, and this past April, my dad sold it, because he couldn't keep up with the all of the work that needed to be done to it.

The house was built in the mid 1950's, and is small. It has a teeny-tiny bathroom, a small kitchen, and the layout isn't the best. 

I have never lived there. But it was my parent's home.

The people who bought it were flippers, which is fine, because the house did need work.

So it's on the market again, and someone has put in an offer.

Even though I never really cared for the house itself, because it was so small, and the floor plan, it's still hard to know that someone else will be living there.

It's not a bad house, it's just not what I would choose for myself.

It's a good little house, but I couldn't live there, especially now. Too many memories of my parents having been there.

So, even though it's not my taste, not my style, and I never lived there, I still find myself oddly attached to the last house that my parents bought.

I'm finding that it's hard for me to let go emotionally of a house that I thought that I didn't like.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar way?

[debic]

I hear you, after my parents passed away I sold their house that they'd lived in for 40 years.   It was horrible for my sisters as well.

Luckily I don't even live in the same state, but when I go visit some friends they live just down the street.

[MaggieMack]

Just about every time I've sold a house, I have wept for the memories made in that house and the life being left behind. I don't think it's odd at all.

[Perkup]

Yes I have.  The home I grew up in during my teen age years is very special to me for so many reasons.  It's in another state. My high school boyfriend gave me my first kiss at that front door. He died very young. Later that's where I received my engagement ring from my first husband (also now deceased).The last time I was there it looked exactly the same outside as when I lived there. I've never seen the inside. But I would so love to go back and ask for a tour  - but what a nusiance that would be to the present owners.  

And the apartments I lived in right after I got married was recently torn down. There's a high rise there now. Yuck! More memories in the dust.

[OnlyShopsOnline]

I have learned that when you are faced with emotional life changes, you can never predict how you will react. I have frequently been taken off guard.

[qualitygal]

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@Plaid Pants2 wrote:

It's weird. My parents bought a house in 1990, and this past April, my dad sold it, because he couldn't keep up with the all of the work that needed to be done to it.

The house was built in the mid 1950's, and is small. It has a teeny-tiny bathroom, a small kitchen, and the layout isn't the best. 

I have never lived there. But it was my parent's home.

The people who bought it were flippers, which is fine, because the house did need work.

So it's on the market again, and someone has put in an offer.

Even though I never really cared for the house itself, because it was so small, and the floor plan, it's still hard to know that someone else will be living there.

It's not a bad house, it's just not what I would choose for myself.

It's a good little house, but I couldn't live there, especially now. Too many memories of my parents having been there.

So, even though it's not my taste, not my style, and I never lived there, I still find myself oddly attached to the last house that my parents bought.

I'm finding that it's hard for me to let go emotionally of a house that I thought that I didn't like.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar way?

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yes. We sold my folk's home this past spring, I totally understand your emotions on this. We 3 siblings all lived there for awhile too.

[Allegheny]

Your post tugs at my heart strings. I felt the same way when my Dad decided to sell the farm. My siblings and I grew up there and all had built homes within sight of it. He loved his farm.  But after Mom passed and his health started to fail, he knew he could no longer maintain it and reluctantly decided to sell it.

His achieved his goal by selling it to someone who wished to keep it as a farm, and we were thrilled when he sold it to a young woman and her parents who wanted relocated to the country to raise horses.

He was having cardiac issues and entered the hospital on March 1st., the new owners of the farm were taking possession on April 1st.  He had already rented an apartment, so while he was hospitalized, we prepared the apartment, painting, putting in carpeting, getting utilities established, moving in furniture, etc.

He never left the hospital. My Dad passed away on March 31st.  Even though its been over twenty years, it still brings tears to my eyes, that he died and still owned his beloved homestead.

[Tinkrbl44]

Last year my parents' former home was completely renovated, and my sister got a chance to walk through it when the painters were finishing up.   She emailed me in great detail what they did to "our" house.   

Time goes on ....   I feel a bit like that when driving through old neighborhoods.

[fourpaws56]

My Mother passed away in 1992, I had to sell her home to pay off her debt....sad.

[gidgetgh]

I'm kind of going through that now. My parents have lived in their condo since the early 80's. My mom passed away 4 1/2 years ago. 

My my dad had a stroke and while he's doing well, for now at least, he's in assisted living which is the right decision for right now. If he continues to improve, I think he'll be bored at assisted living. But.....while we've talked about him moving home again one day, the condo is on the 2nd floor and there are no elevators. So, that's a problem. 14 steep steps. 

Anyway, we've started to clean out the stuff that makes sense to clean out, regardless of the future. I'm only attached to a few family pieces in there. I've been ruthless going through the rest. 

But, while their condo was never my home, almost 40 years is a really long time. It kind of bothers me to be in there with my parents not in there and I get a little nostalgic when I think that we're probably going to sell it after the first of the year.  But it's the absolute right decision. But it's hard. It signals yet more change and I'm not the best with change.