If there’s one thing people know about me, it’s that I don’t like change (except for husbands apparently). Usually the things I use like perfume, make-up, shampoos etc are all eventually discontinued because after 10 years I’m the only consumer that hasn’t moved on to something new and improved. I’ve had the same hairstyle since middle school, I’ve taught at the same school for over 25 years, and I’ve lived in Massapequa, NY my entire life (except for 2 years when I lived in West Babylon which I refer to as the Dark Ages). As a matter of fact, most of my life I’ve lived on the very same block.
So when I announced on Facebook I was listing my house, you can imagine the shockwave that was sent throughout the internet. I could hear the collective gasp of my cyber-world friends. But not to worry, I was only planning to move to Southgate- the condominium complex right here in Massapequa. I hadn’t been totally possessed by aliens.
It was an excruciatingly hard decision to list my house, made with much apprehension and trepidation. But my youngest is leaving for college in the fall and it’s time to down size. Despite my anxiety I began the cleaning out process. Thirty black garbage bags and several panic attacks later I was ready for an open house. It was scheduled for Sunday, October 28, 2012… yes, the day before Super Storm Sandy. Yes, I live by the water. And yes I had to evacuate, as did half of Massapequa.
My real-estate agent suggested we go through with the open house. I had to start getting ready to evacuate so with my insurance papers, deed to the house, birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, irreplaceable photos and diamond jewelry, I headed to the local bagel place to hide out for 2 hours while my open house was taking place. I was all alone except for one other person in my neighborhood who also happened to be having an open house that day- my sister!! Crazy loves company. There the two of us sat , staring out the glass windows, watching people frantically prepare for the storm that the TV hanging above us was dubbing “Frankenstorm”. Needless to say, no one came to see our houses that day. And no one has come since.
I’m not going to lie, my neighborhood was hit hard. Not as bad as some communities, but the trailers, storage pods and construction crews are all still present even after all these months. However, MY house stayed dry- no water whatsoever! My sister was not as lucky, but her water was at least limited to her basement. Since the storm I’ve been asked if I’m going to lower the price of my house considering my neighborhood went from being “prestigious” to a flood zone. Are you kidding me? I STAYED DRY IN SANDY! I think that’s a major selling point!
That is if someone would only come see my house! It’s a sprawling 5 bedroom expanded ranch with an open floor plan and neutral palette with marina and beach club rights. (That last sentence was definitely a plug. Am I using my blog as a platform for shameless self promotion? You’re damn right I am!)
But I wouldn’t exactly call myself “unscathed”. In my haste to get home after the storm, anxious to see the potential damage to my house, I tried to drive through a “puddle” the size of Lake Erie. Of course my car went dead within 10 seconds and eventually was declared totaled. My brother in law witnessed the entire incident. The good news is, he was kind enough to wade into water waste deep and push my daughter and me off the road to safety. The bad news is, he will never let me forget the extent of my stupidity.
At this moment I am having an open house and am sitting in Starbucks writing this blog (the bagel place has bad Karma). Don’t buy my house if you don’t like it, but at least come to see it! Is that too much to ask?
Timing is everything, and mine couldn’t be any worse.
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