Fargo Photo Update

More photos from Fargo! The newest shots to land in my inbox featured freshly painted trim and new brushed nickel light fixtures in the two South bedrooms. Mom gave the Southeast room a coat of Provincial Cream paint, which she said turned out a little more yellow than she though it would be. It looks really bright and clean though, so I like it. I think the khaki color is the only paint in this house that has turned out as planned!

Here are the before-and-afters of the work:
Here's the new light fixture in the Southwest room. Same as the other bedrooms, but still thought I'd post it.The downstairs bathroom has not only new flooring, but also freshly painted walls and trim.

Before and after:
If there is enough time before listing, Mom wants to put in a new vanity in this bathroom. I'm starting to wonder who's going to be sadder when this place sells!

Dining Room: Complete!

This just in: dining room completed! I received an email from Mom this morning bearing photos of the cheap-o chandelier I bought on ebay dangling from the *ahem* near perfect ceiling in the dining room. It really pulls it all together. Let's view the progression of this room from grimy apartment bedroom (remember I found syringes in the carpet!) to glamorous dining room:

Before:

Demo of 80's closet addition:Demo completed, patching plaster:
Scraping loose paint from ceiling: (It's the best ceiling in the house now)
Walls are primed and painted:
Cheap replacement woodwork is sanded, primed, and painted:

Ceiling and walls painted, capstock on window trim, crown moulding in place, and dining-approved lighting:Finished dining room:
I always liked this room. There is so much natural light and the green of the trees in the backyard looks so nice. I bet you can see the new light fixture through the archway when you come in through the front door. It'll knock those house-buyers right on their butts the minute they come in!

The Realtor came over and had a few suggestions, but it doesn't sound like listing is too far off. The carpet needs to be removed from the stairs (done- Dad and my brother took care of it, my younger sisters pulled up staples), This fixture needed to be put up (done- thanks Dad) bathroom tiles need to be finished (my brother pulled up the old ones, new ones coming soon), and a broken window upstairs needs to have the glass replaced. Mom and my older sister painted the doors upstairs and started painting the trim in the South-East bedroom. It's really turned into a family project! Thanks for your help everyone, much love!

Whose House is THIS?

Mom emailed me more photos today. I was floored. Shocked. Stunned. My jaw literally dropped. Did she break into someone else's place and snap some photos? I wasn't prepared for the sight of completed projects. One word: KITCHEN!!! I'm going to do before and afters of the pictures so those of you joining in late (or who need a refresher) can see the extent of the changes. I'm still blown away.

The Realtor wasn't able to come today because she had to show 20 houses to someone from out of town. Yes, in one day. I gave her my sympathies. Mom didn't want to start painting in case she came, as there would be a big mess, so she and my sisters spent much of the day cleaning. I'm still not sure how she got the wood floors to look that good. They looked like garbage while I was there, but that most likely has more to do with my cleaning deficiencies. I think Mom said the Realtor will be coming tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be hearing back soon.

Mom mentioned in the end of her email, "It is going to be hard to see the house get sold...... I have become attached to it!" I didn't even need to read that because as soon as I saw that there were curtains hanging in the kitchen I knew. The house is similar in style and layout to Dad and Mom's first house after they got married. Their house was much cooler though with oak built-ins and it was in much better condition. I know, just get to the pictures, right?

The upstairs bathroom really just needed to have a good cleaning and accessories to get it market ready. I don't know where she found it, but that's the perfect shower curtain. Almost makes the stupid blue tiles look like they should be there!

Before:
After:Upstairs Hall: New paint, new wall on the West side with replacement doors and trim.

Before:
After:
Saved the best for last for you guys. The kitchen. Who wouldn't want this kitchen now? New appliances, new paint, new hardware, new faucet, new flooring. New curtains!?! (Mom's officially attached now!)

Before:
After:
It's so amazing. I wish I could just get the house picked up and dropped in Manhattan! I'm very excited for my next talk with my Realtor just to hear what she says. I think a listing isn't too far off! Again, hopefully up a few k's from her earlier estimate... still dreaming right?

Update Up North

Mom sent me some photos the other day of her progress painting in the house. She's been working on the upstairs hallway and, might I add, doing a fantastic job. The trim received a fresh coat of crisp white paint and the walls are now enjoying a seller-friendly khaki that extends up from the living room. She said that Dad's finishing up a little plaster work on the ceiling so that will get a coat of white in a little while. The white for the doors were on her agenda for today.

I thought, instead of just showing the most recent photos of the hallway, I would take us back to last summer. Wait! I've almost had this place a year now! That is so weird to think about.

At any rate, the West side of the hallway: a fairly big transformation I'd say.

before:framing in the wall between the bedroom and the hallway:
a little drywall:
doors and trim:and finally paint!Looks like that wall's been there for 80 years doesn't it?

Now the East side. All we really needed here was to take off the door to the stairway and paint.

before:
and after:
I hope you noticed in that last set of photos how the stairwell went from 70's paneling to plaster.

This was kind of fun to see. I might have to post some other progression photos from other projects.

I called my Realtor this morning and she is going to swing by the house this afternoon and take a look around. I really trust her judgment and I know she'll give it to me straight. She'll let me know what needs to be done still and what isn't worth the work for the sale. Last time she was in the house was back in the tail-end of April so I'm pretty sure that she will be shocked to see how it looks now. I can't wait to hear what she thinks and I'm even more excited to get the house on the market. Maybe it will even be looking better than she thought and we can bump up that listing price a little. Hey, a broke New Yorker can dream, can't he?

5 Questions Game

Well, it seems Jayne at Dainty Digs tagged me for this game. I never really feel like tagging anyone, but I'll answer the questions!

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.”

1) What were you doing 5 years ago?

I had just graduated high school and was getting ready to move to Fargo and go to NDSU for architecture.

2) What are 5 things on your to-do list for today?

Hmm... kind of a boring day. I'll check my email to see if I have any castings or go-sees tomorrow, call my friend who is moving to New York to make arrangements for him to move into a vacant room in our apartment, the roommates are having an apartment meeting (something about cleaning... sounds dumb but I'll go), go for a run (from my apt down through Central Park, around the reservoir, and back up = a great 6 mile run!), and I was planning on laying out in the park today to try and even out the remains of a farmer-tan, but it's getting a little late for that.

3) What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

If I'm on the run, a bagel is always nice. Orange juice, breakfast cereal, and if we're talking street vendors (I do live in NY!) the honey-roasted peanuts and salted pretzels are up there! I'm a sucker for chocolate/candy/ice cream but I don't let myself have it anymore. Skinniness is more important right now :S

4) What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?

Contract out finishing the house so nobody has to worry about it anymore, donate a new house to my Fraternity, buy a loft in New York filled with awesome furniture, clothes & shoes, travel the world, and start a real estate development company (after I finished school). Of course St. Judes, American Cancer Society, & the church would see some too. Did I forget pay off all of my debt? I guess that's kind of obvious right.

5) What are five jobs you’ve had?

Cashier/shelf stocker at a grocery store, front desk at Country Inn & Suites, front desk at the Hotel Donaldson, host at HoDo Restaurant, fashion model. (that last one still doesn't seem to fit!)

Well, thanks for the tag Jayne. Sorry to be a party-pooper and not pass it along.

FYI: Spell check doesn't like the word 'pooper'.