My husband received an odd letter in the mail today.
A slim little envelope showed up, bearing a (local) return address that we’d never seen before.
In it was a very polite, handwritten request to buy our house.
Photo by dulcie and used under Creative Commons
The reason this is odd is that our house is not listed for sale, and we moved in barely over a year and a half ago.
Side note: Gosh, have we been in this house for a year and a half now? Where did the time go?
I’m not really too sure what to make of this letter. We Googled the guy, and it appears to be a local doctor, so at least it’s an actual person. The handwriting is a nice touch, nicer than a typed form letter.
Still, the thought of moving makes me almost queasy. I’m finally making progress in this house! I’m getting organized (slowly but surely), and getting rid of junk, and I’m learning ways to prevent my home from getting filled up with crap all over again.
What would you do if something like this happened to you? If you randomly got a letter from someone wanting to buy your house?
Would you follow it up, and perhaps end up selling and using it as an opportunity to make a clean start in a new home, applying all the decluttering and organizational skills you’ve acquired (why not start fresh)? Would you turn it down and continue working on decluttering your current home (it’s not like it was your idea to move)?
At the very least, this unexpected letter has caused me to try to see my house through a stranger’s eyes. When I came home from work today, I tried to pretend I’d never seen the inside of my house before. I looked around, and saw more clearly that some of my stuff was just clutter.
Look around your own home and try to see through the eyes of a stranger. What do you spot that you don’t love and don’t use? That’s clutter, so you can get rid of it. If it’s usable, donate it or sell it on Kijiji or CraigsList, if it is broken or useless, recycle it or toss it into the garbage.
So will I be selling my house and tossing all my belonging into boxes again soon?
I certainly hope not. I still have a few boxes left to unpack from when we moved in! 
You may also enjoy these posts:
Twitter Updates
That really is bizarre! Houses near me are not being sold so depending on your local market, maybe it is a good thing? But, considering you just moved in a year and a half ago I doubt you’re very anxious to repeat the arduous process of moving.
This story reminds me of the time I was sitting in the drive-thru of a McDonald’s in my 1989 Plymouth Reliant K-Car and the guy in front of me in line got out, came over to my driver’s side window, and offered to buy my car from me. Evidently he really liked K-Cars but I was so unprepared and taken aback I turned him down– without even asking how much he was willing to pay!
Sam´s last blog ..the essentials of simplicity, part 2: purging
Weird!
Part of me is tempted to call this guy back and see what he’s offering, but I wouldn’t want to give him the wrong idea; I don’t want to go through all the hassle and annoyance of moving again without it being financially “worth it” – and considering how much we still owe on the place, he’d have to pay a fair bit over market value for it.
I think my response would depend on a few things. I’d be a bit curious how much they’d want to pay for the home. Would it be enough to get me into another place? My home is currently paid off right now and my triplets are still babies so I wouldn’t mind uprooting and starting a new. There are a number of things I don’t like about my house and I’ve only been here a year.
It sounds like you’re comfortable where you are, so I wouldn’t do it if I were you..
Regards,
Charley
Charley´s last blog ..100 Things Challenge – A Mental Exercise
I think if I had the house paid off, or at least significantly more than a single year’s worth of mortgage payments, I’d be in a much better position to contemplate something like this.
I would be tempted to call him and see what he is offering. But I would be clear that I am not sure if I really want to sell.
I think it’s a wonderful sign that you are doing BEAUTIFUL things with your home to get an unsolicited offer.
It means he appreciates your eye for beauty and design, and thinks your house is perfect
Everyday Minimalist´s last blog ..The American Tourist and Mexican Fisherman 
You know what, that’s a wonderful way to look at it! Instead of being ever so slightly creeped out, I’ll take it as a compliment.
Thank you for the thought!
(Heh heh, maybe he saw my last post and liked the living room?
)
If you can pay off your mortgage and buy a new house with the money he’s offering you should maybe sell.