Quite early this morning I had an appointment to meet a painter at a home that has painting requirements due to an FHA appraiser’s requirements. I was afraid that he forgot about the appointment and made a call to him on my cell. He answered saying he was only 1 block away.
I have known this gentleman for a number of years and of course we sort of picked up where we left off from the last time I saw him. His first reaction to the home was a “WOW”! I gave him a tour of the home from top to bottom and showed him what painting needed to be done. Among the things that are striking about his home is that it has a grand foyer with pillars and an open oak staircase. He was amazed at the quality of the oak used when it was built as well as the soundness of the home. “Yes” I said, “Most people really have no clue when it comes to the quality of materials that were used when these homes were built back around the turn of the century.” He wasn’t as familiar with that particular district as I am because he was all ears when I told him that most of the homes in this area were built and owned by business and professional people. I asked him, “Where do you think the people of substance lived prior to the newer subdivisions being developed?” “You know, I never thought about it,” he replied. Well I said, “This is but one of a few districts where they moved from.” He was quite taken by this short history of this particular subdivision. His final comments as he was getting his last over-all look of the foyer before he walked out was, “These older homes have a character that can’t be copied.” I smiled and said, “These homes were designed and built to endure the test of time.” As we were walking down the front steps I said, “I really think I have some sort of psychic tie to this neighborhood because I have sold at least 75% of the homes in this six block area over the years that I have been a Realtor.” I know when he looked back at me he thought I was kidding—but I wasn’t. I want to see everyone in Mason City attempt to create something that will endure the test of time because I believe if that would happen, we would be living in a city where people would flock here by the buss-loads.
