Selling my happy place  

LCD
Lowest Common Demoninator of design = Bland
Here in the UK it used to be 'magnolia' walls for selling, they're probably slightly more grey toned these days?..but still the berber carpets
It is 'appeal to the most number of potential buyers'
I.e a 'dumbing down' of any Design
I kinda see their point, but it hard when you've loved a place, I agree- I guess it is how attached you are...
but in my experience, that attachment fades pretty quickly after moving out

The lack of vision usually...
The lack of vision usually lies with the buyers. But, as you said, your house is a far cry from your regular ol' McMansion or cookie cutter house. I think that whether you have carpet or not, or repaint or not, the house will still be sold to someone who "gets" it. It will be someone looking for just that. There's a good chance that person will come in and say, "I love it, but I'm going to have to tear out all that new carpet."
I think the responsible, and even green (if you're concerned with that) thing to do is leave it alone. If you were in a normal house I would agree with the realtor. If I were you I would rather take what I would spend on it and throw in an "allowance" to the buyer as incentive. That way they get to pick their own if they even want it.

What kind of flooring is in t...
What kind of flooring is in the bedroom? Concrete?
Why not get a large area rug that you can take with you, and at the same time it would give the buyers an idea for that option.

Grrrrr...
I can't stand the EMPIRE jingle song... It gets stuck in my head, so I have to cover my ears whenever I hear it coming.

Olive, why are you moving...
Olive, why are you moving may I ask? Are you moving to another state .... adopting 12 kids and need more room? Aren't you in Austin, or am I totally off here?

Subflooring...
Unfortunately there was carpet previously that was 20yrs old and decaying and it was causing my breathing problems. So we ripped it out and painted the subfloor a deep grey and have been living with that for 3 years. I actually kinda liked it, we had a big shag rug under/around the bed and you could only see the grey at the edges of the room. But can't sell with a painted subfloor, so carpeting was the best choice, both cost-effectiveness-wise and popularity-wise. the stuff is being put in as I type and I already hate the smell, good thing we're headed to New Mexico for 2 weeks so it can off gas! I chose low-VOC, recycled content carpet made of nylon and I still think it smell bad! Oh well...not my house much longer...sigh...

Boston, not Austin
I live about an hour north of Boston on the MA/NH line. And many reasons for the move, mostly to do with a career change into renewable energy and a desire to live a simpler life. I'm thinking about raising goats and making cheese in my later years. It's also for my health. I've developed a chronic lung disease, like the one that Bernie Mac had. I need to live in a drier climate. Humidity wreaks havoc on me. And finally because my hubby absolutely loves the Southwest. Just one of those things, life takes turns you don't expect.
Just took a look at what the guys are installing...bland, bland, bland...oh well at least it was cheap.

Moving always sucks . . .
because of the upheaval of your emotions and your stuff and your life, etc. I sympathize. We had to move around a bunch with my husband's job and some of the new places I quickly learned to love and others, not so much. You seem like such a highly developed, intelligent, informed, together person that I'm sure you will adapt with style, grace and aplomb.
As far as realtors' opinions, take them with a grain of salt. Is the outside of your house MCM? If it is, and it naturally dictates an inside decorated in that style, then leave your walls, decor, etc. because any buyer who is not interested in that type of home is not going to even come inside, once they see an outside that doesn't appeal to their aesthetic. They'll drive on by or come in just for curiosities' sake.
If the outside isn't MCM and is more traditional, then you probably should try to go more mainstream inside, just so the two identities meld more seamlessly, (as galling as that will be for you!)
Good luck, girl. Have a glass of wine and go peruse cowboy boot websites!

.
Good luck to you,Olive. New Mexico is a place to breathe easier,physically and in...dare I say it,spiritually.

Frank Lloyd Wright meets Buddhist Temple
My house is on a short cul de sac in the woods and has 7 houses all built by the same architect. He designed each one of them to reflect a different indigenous style from around the world. They have all kinds of experimental materials and finishes etc. that he played around with in each house. they were built all through the 1980's. Ours is the last one he put up and it was his own home for 5 years and I think it's the best one of the seven...and we are actually #7 on our address.
Number One is a pure New England center entrance colonial on the outside but really open and almost loft like inside. Number Three we call the Schoolhouse as it looks quite like and old prarie style school house but inside it's very clean and modern and uses radiant flooring, which in 1985 was unusual. Number Four(there is no number three)is a modern take on a ranch with much bigger rooms and a passive solar layout. Number Five is round and has a funky external treatment with shakes that makes it look like a bird. It's pretty cool outside, but I think the interior is weirdly laidout. Number Six is based on an African centerpole hut. It's got this funky electric heating in the walls!
Ours, Number Seven, looks very much like a Buddhist Temple on the outside with big long roof over hangs that drop down to form these arm-like extension at the ends like you'd see on a temple. Inside it's very clean and spare with gorgeous Doug-fir wood work and soaring 18ft ceilings. It has a lot of built ins and really feels very FLW. It's a passive solar design; there is a 50ft expanse of windows on the south-facing wall.. It's a beautiful place to live and I will miss it terribly. So it's hard to classify it, it's not MCM, but we have a lot of that period/type of furniture and it looks great here. You could also use Asian or Mission and it would look good too. It's certainly a very unusual house.
And AzC, oh you are so right. there is something out there, the light, the air, the colors, the culture, I don't really know what, but it's a place that nurtures the soul. I am smitten, and can't wait to get out there. I just wish I could bring this house with me. Most, certainly I will be bringing some of the design concepts that this house has taught me!

We've seen
peeps of your house, but I wonder if you would like to share more extensive photos, now that it's almost time to leave it ? I assume you'll want to take memories with you ?
I hadn't read of the exterior treatment til now. Sounds delightful. But I'm sure your new place wlll bring joy, too. It's been such a pleasure to get to know you here, Olive.

Olive I seem to recall that you had a blog when you
installed some type of concrete tub or something but I can't seem to find it. Has the house been sold? Your place sounds amazing and my wife and I have been thinking about moving to the greater Boston area for some time. Is it listed on some realtors website? Thanks

Nice words from you all
It *is* an awesome house, we feel very priveleged to have lived here. I have regular panic attacks when I remember that we are going to sell it. We've not officially listed it yet and probably won't do until the late spring. There are a couple of things we want/need to do to it first to make it unquestionably worth what we plan to list it at. Some infrastructure improvements like replacement windows and such. All the time we have lived here, we had the mindset that we would go outta here feet first, so we have always put in the very best things we can afford. When we did the remobel that included the concrete tub, we actually hired the original architect on retainer for a couple of visits so that we would do things properly. So we really don't want to sell until all is perfectly up to date.
I just arrived in Santa Fe (in time for a totally sensual, glorious sunset) and I'm a bit fried from travel. We'll be here for the next two weeks job-hunting, apartment hunting and probably land hunting as well. However, SDR and BTM I really like your ideas to put up more pix. I really should to that as part of the marketing of the house anyway. I will expand on what I've got when I get back. However, here's a peek. The guys that created my tuib have a awesome website take a look at their work! On their home page the fist image with the litle plant is my house too. And ther eare several shots in their portfolio. My kitchen is the one called Armour Kitchen.
http://www.stonesoupconcrete.com/index.php

blank canvas for the buyer
Realtors do for you what you can't do yourself - sell it without emotion. You have personalised your home to your taste which the realtor recognises may not be every one else's taste so he suggests you 'neutralise' your home some someone new can have the vision or dream to do it their way.
I've moved so many times I've wised up to the game. And it works. Best way to get top dollar for your home. No emotions!
On the other hand, sorry to hear about your other problems and it is hard leaving something that you have put a lot of love into. Hope things improve in your new home and location