The "Joy" of an Open House

I signed a lease for a house in March, if you all recall. This particular house is for sale. Every time I drop off my rent, my landlord tries to convince me to buy the house. I'd be tempted, if the house didn't need SO MUCH WORK.

Now, the situation I find myself in is better than the situation I left. My bills are way lower, my roommate (while not the ideal) is not a psychopath and we get along, the neighborhood is great and I live close to friends.

The complete and total, soul-sucking downside of this house is that at least once a month, some group of strangers walks through my space. That means I've had strangers looking at my stuff and judging. Because that is why they are there, to look at this house that I live in and decide if they themselves could live there. Judging. It's like a miasma that hangs in every room. Ok, so maybe that's a little dramatic. But, really? Who in their right mind just invites random people in to look at their shit.

Plus, after every one of these showings, I'm so nervous that something might have happened to the cats.

And my landlord just doesn't understand how mentally disruptive this "minor inconvenience" is. He just wants to sell the house. But here's the catch--I wonder if any of the Realtors that have been through the house have told their clients, up front, that the house is occupied and will continue to be occupied until February 28, 2010.

I'm just scared the closer that date looms, the more showings there will be. Damn! I can't believe I'm being forced to think about moving again, after only 3 months!