To sell or not to sell your home

A while back, I decided to get a grip on my finances. For me, money is as mysterious as a missing sock in the laundry: where does it go? And why doesn't my perception (enough socks/money) ever square with reality (constantly disappearing socks/money)?

After charting my outgoings (whoa!) and incomings (eep!), the final picture looked grim. I essentially had no bank-recognized assets except my house. So, caught up in the winds of economic change, I thought, Why not sell it? It's bigger than I need. It's so old that bits of it tend to fall off or fall apart. Even the kitchen drawers let in a draft. But it's also very pretty and sits on a pretty street. I figured I might be able to rake in big bucks, buy something smaller and end up almost debt-free.

The ins and outs of real estate
But I hesitated. First of all, in order to skate lightly over my house's minor eccentricities and make the aforementioned big bucks, I'd probably have to endure the Invasion of the Fluffers: professionals you pay to tart up your home by taking out everything you love (“Wait, that's a beautiful bowl! And how can anyone have too many books?”) and then bringing in ridiculously coloured couch pillows and floor lamps.

Making your house appealing to buyers
The idea is to make your house more appealing to buyers. But hang on a minute – my house still appealed to me, its owner, as much as, if not more than, when I bought it almost 20 years ago. It's embraced everything from grief, anger, confusion and fear to dance-till-you-drop parties and seat-wettingly funny conversations.

Over the years, I have constantly been astonished at the number and variety of people – from carpet-cleaners and Greenpeace Foundation campaigners to friends, acquaintances, neighbours and teenage boys (who aren't exactly famous for appreciating interior ambience) – who have walked through the front door, looked happy and announced that this was a great house.

My house has its own personality
I wish I could take credit for that, but I can't. My house has its own personality. And despite the fact that it's bricks and mortar (and crumbling, rather like my aging teeth), we have had a close, loving, long-term relationship during which I've changed it and it has changed me, which is as it should be.

In the end, that meant way more than big bucks and debt reduction. So no, I didn't sell. And yes, I'm still in debt. When my son leaves home, I'll think again. Meanwhile, my bank manager informed me that, financially speaking, I'm right to stay.

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