FRANKENSTEIN

If "bad news comes in threes," I've paid my bill. On the heels of Jill leaving, and my mother passing away (thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers), I managed to blow out my right knee last week while at a listing appointment, sending me to the emergency room in searing pain. (That lovely Homeowner insisted on delivering me to Kaiser when it became clear that I couldn't drive myself. Then he stayed with me while I waited nearly two hours to see the doctor in the emergency room.)

"I'm going to order an X-ray just to make sure nothing's broken," Dr. J said. "but what we really need is an MRI." (Duh.) "Unfortunately, we don't schedule those in this department; radiology will give you a call in the next few days. In the meantime," he added, "try not to put any weight on it and keep that knee elevated as much as possible."

At which point he sent in a friendly, young technician with a large soft-shell brace that spans from thigh to ankle to show me how to properly wear it. True to form,"the immobolizer," has kept me "immobolized" for the last week. (Down and out isn't my best state of being.)

When radiology finally phoned, they informed me that the first available appointment would be Monday, October 28. In the meantime, I'm to keep the brace on and be extra careful. So, with crutches in hand, and an incredibly stiff gait, I present as a cross between Frankenstein and Tiny Tim. (Luckily, either work as a Halloween Costume.) I'm both a little unsteady and extremely frightening to those watching me go up or down the stairs hoping I won't catch my foot and trip!

"Frightening" is the word that Realtors® are most often trying to avoid when conducting real estate transactions. With the understanding that the unknown is alway a little spooky, we prefer our Buyers and Sellers to be as well-prepared and knowledgable as possible before signing on the dotted line. Because once having done so, once having ratified a contract, and once having established a meeting of the minds, there is NO going back. In other words, you need to be sure in the face of insecurity, and admittedly, that's a tough ask - especially in the go, Go, GO pace of our East Bay marketplace.

Twenty plus years ago, when I started in the business, it was incredibly rare to receive a contract that had waived the loan and appraisal contingencies, let alone the inspections. In fact, those new findings often laid the groundwork for renegotiations during the escrow period. That's in stark contrast to today's landscape, where it's incredibly rare to see ANY contingencies as a condition of the sale. As a consequence, conscientious Agents do their best to make sure homes are fully inspected before bringing them to market with the intention of informing potential Buyers BEFORE they make an offer. From where we sit, the more educated the general public, the better. (BTW, that's a Northern California practice; it's not common to pre-inspect in other parts of the country or the state.)

While Sellers and their Agents use to wait with baited breath for the results of inspections conducted WHILE in escrow, today we worry about other more prominent issues; primarily, Buyers' remorse. Whether you're on the buy or sell side of the equation, no one likes it when Buyers start to waiver. Thus, if you are at all on the fence, wait for the home you're willing to fight for and let this one go.

In a world where properties move quickly, and Buyers are often in heavy competition, the entire process can feel downright scary. Decide what the property is worth to you, understand that you're working within a blind competition, set a price at which your willing to walk away, proceed with good intentions, and prepare yourself for some unknowns along the way. (There are always going to be unknowns.) That's the sanest approach to moving forward.

As for me? I'm moving forward with a pronounced limp! Happy Halloween.

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