In the words of the late, great Mr. Rogers:
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you So, let's make the most of this beautiful day Since we're together, we might as well say Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor? Last week, we finally closed on a much-delayed escrow wherein the Sellers had agreed to clear their negative stucco test results before turning over the property to the Buyers. While an unexpected finding late in the game is NEVER a welcome discovery, the Sellers were more than fair, the Buyers were reasonable, the stucco contractor made himself immediately available, and the Agents stayed in solution throughout the three-week period it took to resolve the matter to everyone's satisfaction. In short, nearly anything IS surmountable when cooler heads prevail, and when our better angels lead the way . . . (This is also an argument for experienced representation.)
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It's been a busy week for our team and Jill, Sarah, Kate and I are each covering a lot of ground, not to mention a million and one loose ends. It's 9:00pm on Thursday evening and I'm just now sitting down to begin The Perspective (this may be a first). So forgive me if I forego the usual essay and just share my afternoon's work product instead . . . .
If April showers bring May flowers, we should expect magnificent blooms this spring. Once again, there's rain in the forecast . . .
Not that I'm complaining mind you, we need the rain, as well as the snow, to refill the streams, and the aquifers beneath our arid soil. Moreover, I'm not just a "Gardner" by marriage, but an avid gardener by choice, so bring it on; this may be my favorite time of year. Still, rain does have a tendency to get in the way as we prepare our listings for the marketplace, especially if any exterior work is required (which is almost always), not to mention those all important photographs! As I sit here pondering the weather and listening to the rain hit against my roof, it occurs to me that we've just entered the second quarter of our selling season, so now seems like a good time to drop a few numbers on you. Grab a cup of coffee or some hot cocoa and let's get to it. I didn't grow up with the concept of Easter as a religious holiday - admittedly, my family didn't attend church very regularly (or at all). Suffice it to say, that come April, the Shepherd clan was far more focused on the Easter egg hunt, the mashmallow peeps, and the chocolate bunnies scattered throughout the garden then we were on an Easter sermon or a morning mass . . . .
Last weekend, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the Magnolias were in full bloom. On Sunday, I hosted 533 Boulevard Way - a beautifully renovated classic that opens out to an extraordinary backyard, and I wasn't alone. There were several other fantastic Piedmont properties available for viewing. (Please visit me on Saturday if you haven't yet seen it.)
With longer, warmer days ahead, Spring has finally sprung (Ignore this weekend's forecast for more rain). As is typical for this time of year, we start to see many more houses come to market. Every top-producing Agent I know is running full speed to ride the wave. (Yes, I know it's a mixed metaphor; no need to write.) In Real Estate parlance, this is our own version of "March Madness." "Surf's Up, Dude." Sarah, Jill, Kate, and I are working on a bevy of homes that are headed to the market over the next several months (We're grateful for the business, thank you), and in nearly every case, the Seller has one OVERRIDING concern.
"How much does my house sell for? (Good question.) I wish I knew. I spent the first half of my childhood in a track house, a post WWII development in Sacramento full of cookie-cutter homes and large families teeming with children of all ages. Title Nine hadn't yet been established, so the concept of organized sports for girls didn't exist. Aside from little league for boys, there weren't the choices there are today. Instead, our folks threw us out of the house in the morning with the understanding that we weren't returning until dinnertime.
Congratulations to me; I've moved up to the intermediate class in my Monday night salsa lessons. That doesn't mean; however, that I've stopped attending the beginning class that proceeds it. Having roped in a willing friend to join me (once Cliff decided he was NEVER returning), it wouldn't exactly be polite to leave her dangling on her own. (She may be my best partner.)
This is the toughest time of the year for me with respect to my garden. Except for the daffodils, nothing's yet in bloom. The trees are bare, and the ground cover that died back last fall has yet to return. My impatient inclination is to run to the nursery and fill in the holes, forgetting that what lies beneath the topsoil has yet to emerge (but soon will. . . . ).
"This will be fun," the Seller's email said. "I'm manifesting good things."
Wow. (Thank you.) While I think everyone would agree that "manifesting good things" is the goal not only for our business transactions but for life in general, it's much harder to adopt that attitude in the face of the unknown. It's difficult to establish trust when fear, stress, and anxiety are the prevailing emotions. For all of us, no matter the journey, the future is a GREAT BIG question mark?!? (You only need to turn on your TV to confront a veritable %^& storm at every turn. Prozac anyone?) |
AuthorJulie Gardner, has been writing The Perspective for 18 years and has published more than 750 humorous but always informative, essays on life and real estate. Categories
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