Lighthearted, before anyone gets too excited.
We’ve (“we” being me and my husband) just sold a house that’s been in one of our families for four generations. We’re the fourth generation but have never lived there. All going well, we close tomorrow and the new owners get the keys. Very straightforward sale and buyers have acted really nicely throughout, and I like to think we have too (not in UK and very much a seller’s market where we are), so generally very positively disposed towards each other, though have never met.
Buyers are a young family (first time buyers) and it’s an area that really is a lovely community and very family-friendly. A few of the neighbours have been asking us throughout the sale about the prospective buyers and they’re all happy it’s a family rather than an investor/property flipper.
I went to the house today just to do a few little last minute things, and also left a card and a small gift for the new owners.
In the card I wrote-
Dear Ella and Matthew.
Congratulations on your new home!
Delighted to see this house has found its new family.
Wishing you many years of happiness here.
TH and Mr. TH
I didn’t want to say anything that would be too focused on how long it’s been in our family because it might come across as a bit passive aggressive and like we were deeming them worthy. Equally, I wrote it in a bit of a rush as I was heading out the door.
Got home, mentioned to my husband that I’d left the card and gift. He asked me what did I write and I told him. He’s now of the view that the idea of a house finding its new owners clearly means that it’s a sentient and haunted house and they’ll be sleeping with the lights on.
He’s wrong, isn’t he?