by Hope
After two months of constant work on purging, packing, cleaning, my house went on the market on 2/10. I listed it FSBO on Facebook and Zillow.
On the evening of 2/12, I fell into bed exhausted. Between house projects, applying for work, producing assets to meet client deadlines, I was over it. Just ready for an answer on what was next.
And I very deliberately said this prayer…
“God, this house is yours. If you want me to stay here, don’t let it sell. But if I’m really to go, can you please make it sell quickly because I am so tired and stressed.”
This was somewhere around 11pm at night. Very late for me, but I had made the mistake of a caffeinated drink late and that always keeps me up.
I went to check my FB messages one more time before laying it down. I had received a slew of “spammy” messages on the house listing. And a couple I thought were legitimate but no real interest as far as I could tell.
And there it was…
“Hello”
“Are you there?”
“I would like to see the house in the morning.”
I checked the FB profile for the basics – how long had it been existence, did it seem to have legitimate posts over years (not all in one day,) did people interact with this profile, etc. Seemed legit.
I responded.
We chatted for about 1/2 an hour and set a time for him to come look at the house the next morning.
The Next Day
He didn’t show up on time.
But he did message on time and said he was coming.
When he did show up, he spent an hour here. He didn’t speak any English. So it was an hour of texting back and forth standing in front of each other using Google Translate.
And at the end, he made an offer. I accepted.
The Lawyer Says
I called my family’s lawyer. Someone we trust implicitly. And let him know what had happened. He was very familiar with this new population of people, since a company from that country now has a plant here. And he’s processed several sales. He agreed that he thought it was a legit offer and will be handling the sale. (No realtor fees – yippee!)
I will keep you updated. But I believe my house is sold. And after 2 days on the market and 1 very clear God ask. I don’t know how it can be any more clear than that. And it’s just what I needed.
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
