JULIE GARDNER
  • HOME
  • COMPASS
    • WHY COMPASS?
    • COMPASS CONCIERGE
    • COMPASS BRIDGE LOANS
  • LISTINGS
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT JULIE
    • A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP
    • CONTACT
    • PROCESS
    • TESTIMONIALS
    • PRESS
  • PROJECTS
    • BEFORE & AFTER
    • GARDENS
    • OUR TEAM
    • VIDEOS
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • UTILITIES
    • SCHOOLS

Vol. 265 - The Key to My Heart

2/22/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Last week marked Valentine's Day - a Hallmark Holiday if there ever was one.  In spite of that, I can't help but appreciate the concept of 'love' in all its many forms. 

With respect to my own Valentine's Day (and my own long-suffering Valentine) my husband and I have enjoyed an 'inside joke' for the last several years that comes in the form of a extra large case of stone wheat crackers (yes, crackers) that Cliff proudly presents to me with a tidy bow come February 14 - an annual gift from a client of HIS each January.    

Really?  A re-gift? Honey, this might work better if your client owned the Shane Company or 1-800- FLOWERS. (I'm just saying . . .)  

"Your special Valentine crackers have arrived," Cliff jokingly proclaims as he hands me a BIG box that he believes contains the key to my heart. (It doesn't, but it does make me laugh.)  While love and laughter go hand-in-hand in our marriage, I think it's safe to assume that not everybody feels the same where matters of the heart are concerned.  Some people actually have expectations.

Which is why I thought it important to set our son, Tristan, on a different course of action now that he's 16 and in a steady relationship for the first time (before he develops some very questionable habits, courtesy of his father).   

"Tristan," I said, "Have you given any thought to what you might give Claire for Valentine's Day?"   

"Don't worry mom, I've got a 'plan'," he quickly responded, brushing away my motherly inquiry while punching numbers on the remote control in search of a "Heroes" episode. (Not everything is so easily controlled.) 

 "Just so long as it doesn't involve CRACKERS!" I politely warned. 

 "Damn, there went that plan!" (Humor evidently lies on the Y chromosome in our family.)  

What's that John Steinbeck said about "the best laid plans of mice and men?" (My plan was to marry a man who enjoyed giving diamonds!)  No matter how well we coordinate, organize, and execute what we believe to be the "perfect plan," chances are we still won't be able to completely control the outcome - or how others respond to it.  In short, life can be incredibly unpredictable (and that's both good and bad).  

So too, can markets.  As such, it's important to understand that everything might not go exactly according to plan. Certainly, there are stand-out properties we expect to secure many offers or garner higher-than-average returns, BUT the ones that surprise, are the properties that should attract good attention, but return less than desirable results, OR the listings that mysteriously get more attention than they legitimately deserve . 

Go figure!?! 

Welcome to the uneven, but exciting world of Real Estate.   Which is why I'm often forced to raise my shoulders when prospective Sellers ask "How much is my house worth?"  OR, "Should I sell it this year or wait until next? "  

 The answers: "Value is a moving target," and "Yes, you should sell it now" (demand has never been greater.)  Still,when speaking to numbers and to "value," we can only ever guide you based on today's current marketplace (not tomorrow's) and even then, "market value" is an educated guess at best. 
Which isn't to say that as an industry, Realtors don't, "steer" the market, "drive" the market, and "shape" the market to the best of our abilities (we certainly do) BUT, that we don't control it in the end (although we sincerely wish we did!)

Still, I'm not above a little retraining and control with respect to my own sweet, fledgling offspring, which is why Tristan very smartly sprang for the Piedmont High School Troubadours to make a surprise visit to his girlfriend's classroom on Valentine's Day, rose in hand (nicely done, son).    

​Clearly the BRAINS of this operation reside on the X chromosome. (You're welcome Claire.)  

Isn't it nice to know that someone benefited on Valentine's Day by way of my years of experience?  (Anyone who doles out crackers on V-Day better at least cover them in chocolate!)


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe

    Author

    Julie Gardner, has been writing The Perspective for 18 years and has published more than 775 humorous but always informative, essays on life and real estate. 

    Picture

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008

    Categories

    All
    Business
    Design
    Drought
    Holiday
    Home Maintenance
    Homes For Sale
    Life
    Market
    Politics
    Renovation

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Piedmont · Oakland · Berkeley
 510.326.0840
[email protected]
DRE# 01431765
​COMPASS

  • HOME
  • COMPASS
    • WHY COMPASS?
    • COMPASS CONCIERGE
    • COMPASS BRIDGE LOANS
  • LISTINGS
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT JULIE
    • A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP
    • CONTACT
    • PROCESS
    • TESTIMONIALS
    • PRESS
  • PROJECTS
    • BEFORE & AFTER
    • GARDENS
    • OUR TEAM
    • VIDEOS
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • UTILITIES
    • SCHOOLS