Sometimes the winds of fate and choice blow us in directions that cast us upon shores of lands where we find ourselves stuck in loops of seemingly never getting any farther ahead than the day before, and the day before that, and so on and so forth. There are times when I have encountered people who are in this mode and subsequently become clients. Working with them takes a bit more time and energy because they have resigned themselves to the gerbil-mill mentality as far as the condition of their home as well as the outlook they have regarding the sale of their property.
Not but a few days ago, I was snapped at on the phone by a client when mentioning some suggested improvements in regards to selling his home. Last year, I nearly walked away from a listing because the wife and husband thought I was being overly demanding in preparing their home for sale even to the point of what rooms I could photograph and which ones I couldn’t. I can’t even imagine how many times I’ve told sellers and buyers that I really do want the best for everyone in a transaction. Yes, there are the horror stories of agents who cross boundaries, but for me, it’s just making sure that the buyers and sellers have been alerted to all the important aspects of a real estate transaction.
I’ve been helping a dear client whose family has given me a large amount of business over the years, so I felt it was my turn to do a little paying back. Sorting through, packing, storing, and throwing away years of accumulation can indeed be a daunting task. He was a bit resistive at first about getting the home ready, but now he’s in the swing of getting the property ready for sale. After spending about four hours there today, I’ve learned to appreciate all the finer points of being a minimalist. We all seem to find ourselves surrounded by the “stuff” that miraculously grows to great mounds over the years.
Some like to save correspondence, while others like to save magazines and other memorabilia of a certain era. I can’t remember the last time I was at a garage sale or flea market. After helping others a few times over the years, I find excess a bit scary. Perhaps I’m afraid it too will starting growing into dusty mounds in bulging closets. Hopefully very soon, the home will be ready for sale and will be sold to a young buyer where new memories will be created. At least the seller now knows that the home will be presented with the best foot forward.
