Our house is sold, pending an inspection. For more than we asked for it. After one day on the market.

It all seems too easy, somehow. I guess our realtor wasn't kidding when she said that the property market in our area is hot.

We actually got two offers in, both for more than we were asking. But one offer was contingent on an appraisal, and the other wasn't, so we went with the no-strings offer.

The papers are all signed, so the only way it could fall apart at this stage is if the home inspection reveals some hideous defect. This is unlikely, however, since we had the house inspected a mere nine months ago when we bought it.

We are both excited. Selling the house makes it all seem real. Up till now, the whole move thing has felt pretty much theoretical. It's all been "If we sell the house, then..." Now we move on to the "then" part.

So, this afternoon I went ahead and gave the movers a definite date. They will arrive on Thursday June 17, pack that day, load the container on the Friday, and we'll have the weekend to get the house properly clean before the closing on Monday June 20. I am looking forward to having them pack for me, it's going to be a real luxury. We've moved thirteen times in fifteen years, and this will be the first time we haven't had to box everything up ourselves and lug it out to the truck.