Why Doesn’t It Sell?

Amy and I have had our house on the market for a while now and it perplexes us that it has not sold. To be perfectly correct, it has actually been sold a couple times but we never made it to the closing.

The first time, we sold it to an acquaintance that we had known for some time and he offered to buy it. As we got closer to the closing he and his lawyer kept reassuring us that the closing would happen. A few days before the closing we pressed him for a copy of the closing documents at which time he notified us he did not have any money.

The second time was even weirder though we did not know it at the time. A couple from the states began corresponding with us and expresssed interest in the house. Though she was the dominant one, she sent her husband to Nicaragua to look around at various homes. He liked our home very much and they made an offer and we eventually agreed on a price. A sales contract was written and they signed it along with a 10% deposit. There were so many emails about their excitement in moving to Nicaragua, asking questions and going over what furniture we would leave with the house. They flew down a few days before the closing to visit us, finalize the furniture inventory and have a few friendly drinks. We agreed to have lunch two days before the closing. We had packed up all of our belongings since we had to move out right after the closing.

That evening we got an email that stated they were not going to buy the house without saying why. We spent the next day trying to get with them to find out what had happened but they refused and started freaking us out with rantings and ravings about how we were pressuring them to do something they did not want to do. It got really nasty and I thought my passive and reserved Amy was going to rip their heads off. Suffice it to say, the closing never happened and they bought another house but could not get along with people in Granada and eventually left. We get a lot of weird expats down here with less than honorable intentions. As Elmer Fudd said to Bugs Bunny “Be vewy, vewy careful!”

So why hasn’t this house sold?

Basics

4,400 sf colonial home with three bedrooms and four full baths. There is a cuidador loft in the large garage so you could say 3 1/2 bedrooms. Ten massive wooden double doors and soaring ceelings.

Great Price

We are asking $239,000 but that is negotiable depending on terms. That comes to less than $50 a sq ft for a corner property.

True Colonial

The walls are the original adobe walls. Imagine over three foot thick walls throughout the home which is one of the reasons it stays so cool inside. Only the back bedroom is all new construction using concrete. Massive amounts of wood used in the construction throughout the home.

Good Air Flow

This should be your first consideration in buying a home in Granada. Though there is air conditioning in the bedrooms we have not needed to use A/C in over six years. This is due to the great air flow and we always install an industrial fan over each bed. Having a corner property with massive doors facing the lake winds certainly helps.

A Real Garage

Very few Granada homes have real garages. Many have what are called zaguáns which means hallway or vestibule. Remember when these homes were built there were no automobiles so these entrances were either the servants’ entrance or where a horse cart could be brought in to unload. I can’t imagine a home without a garage and this home has a massive garage with a cuidador loft and a full bathroom. Unlike many Granada homes, there is plenty of storage space for ladders, paint, tools, work benches, etc.

Location, Location, Location

Where is the perfect location? It all depends on what you are looking for. Most buyers want a home within six blocks of the central park since many of the expats wish to walk to all of the activities, restaurants and bars. Our home is about five blocks from the park and from the main drag, Calle Calzada. Santa Lucia is one of the widest streets in Granada so it also means we have a lot of traffic. It is a family street with many of our neighbors being related to each other. Since there are a lot of families, there are a lot of children. The other side of our home is on a cul-de-sac which we had paved. It is an area where the children like to play without being run over by a taxi or bus. We have great neighbors and in eight years we have never been robbed or had our home entered.

Rental Possibilities

Our front bedroom is actually a suite with its own kitchen with its own entrance to the street and two other large doors to other rooms. It rents for $450 a month and has been solidly rented most of the time. The present renter has been there for 15 months. This provides some nice income. The front sala also has a full bath, loft and small kitchen area so you could rent that out also for $600 or more. So you could have rental income of over $1,000 a month and still have a large home to yourself with a pool and garage.

Living-Working Options

It is a very nice colonial home but there are other options. The front sala is very large with a large loft, full bathroom, small kitchen area, access to the garage and three massive double doors to the street. You could easily use the front sala for a business such as a bakery, a service business, a school, etc. and still have plenty of living space with your own access to the street. Being on a cul-de-sac you have plenty of room for parking. Or rent it to a business.

Furnishings

The home comes fully furnished ready to move into including a stocked kitchen. The kitchen is very large with a lot of cabinets since Amy loves to cook and entertain. While not a large pool, the deep end is seven foot deep meaning the water stays cool.

Well Maintained

When something breaks we immediately have it repaired. We have had three of the four bathrooms updated even though the home was first restored in 2002. The home is built well and everything works. It is a house made for living and entertaining.

So….. Why Are You Moving?

We were vagabonds in the states also, moving every few years. We have lived the colonial life for eight years and we are ready for a change. We have purchased some land just outside of Granada where we will build our new home. I want to look out the bedroom window and see a grand vista. I want to open the front door and let the dogs run free on the property.

Final Pitch

So, if you won’t buy our home to help us then please, do it for our dogs, George and Gracie. They want more space to live more active lives.

Amy and Darrell Bushnell 011-505-8616-7310 [email protected]

George – Dad has promised I could run free in the fields every day. Please help my dream come true.

Gracie – I’m more mature than George and understand the complexities of selling a home but Mom and Dad said we would live in the country soon. Please help us!