If you’ve been curious about the financial side of selling three houses to buy one smaller home, this update answers the most common questions we’ve received. We also share some unexpected renovation hiccups that pushed our move-in date back (including a few bizarre toilet-related mishaps we never anticipated). Plus, we describe the surprising reaction to our house tour video and why one part of this process has left so many people in tears.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app—search for the show title in your preferred player.
If you prefer to read, there’s a full transcript available for this episode in our archives.
What’s New
- Below is a photo of the hardwood floors in the Florida house after sanding. See that darker stripe across the middle? That’s a patch of different wood that was installed long ago. It looked worse before, but sanding didn’t fully hide the mismatch.
- In hindsight, the patched areas were visible in the original before photos, but we were so focused on damaged or missing boards that we assumed sanding would solve everything. Even our flooring contractor was surprised the difference remained.
- Here’s a look at some of the toilet drama we ran into. We ordered our usual model, but the delivery included mismatched pieces: the seat didn’t match the elongated bowl and the porcelain tone was slightly cream rather than white. The contractor didn’t realize until he tried installing the correct seat and noticed the color difference. Thankfully we were able to uninstall the wrong unit and replace it quickly. At last there’s a working toilet in the house, which is a major milestone after months without running water.
- If you missed the final video house tours we posted recently, they show how much fuller the finished rooms look compared with the current packed-up state during renovations.
Crying During Homeselling
- It turns out selling a home can be unexpectedly emotional. National survey data showed that more than a third of people admitted to crying during the process of selling their house. Let that sink in—it’s not unusual to feel sentimental or overwhelmed during major life transitions like moving.
- If you’re interested in personal accounts, we documented our experience selling our first house privately and shared lessons learned about what worked and what didn’t. Those posts and episodes include practical tips and the emotional side of parting with a long-term home.
- We’ve also talked on the podcast about the pitfalls we encountered when we sold a house by owner and what we would do differently in retrospect.
The Money Question
- Many readers have asked how selling three properties in Virginia translated into the purchase of a smaller home in Florida. We addressed the most common financial questions in a recent episode and provided a transcript for anyone who prefers reading the details. The core takeaways focus on timing, taxes, mortgage strategy, and how we prioritized simplicity over size.
- We’ve previously discussed paying off a mortgage and strategies for meeting big financial goals—those episodes and writeups provide useful background on the steps we took to reduce debt and simplify our housing situation.
We’re Digging
- One small change that’s made a daily difference: using a vitamin organizer has streamlined Sherry’s morning routine and helped me be more consistent with supplements. Little efficiency upgrades like that can add up over time.
- We also enjoy uplifting media picks that brighten the day—short, feel-good videos and series can be a nice reset in the middle of a busy renovation schedule.
If there’s something we mentioned in a past episode that you want to revisit but you don’t remember which show notes to open, we keep a master list of topics and items we’ve covered. That makes it easier to find books we’ve recommended, past interviews, and deeper dives on specific projects.
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