Unfortunately our weather was not being kind for my public open house today. At least there were two people that showed up. I was again reminded that it only takes one buyer to have a home sold. At least I kept myself busy with some reading I brought with me. I was actually about two minutes late getting there because I stopped by a home in the process of a re-model.
Since I hadn’t been out to see how much has done at that house in over a month, I was delightfully surprised how far the owners have come along with it. I was once again reminded how the owners are capable of doing really good work when they put their minds to it. Every time I see poor workmanship along with those flimsy praises people give their “do-it yourself” projects, I smile and think of those who can run circles around others with lesser capabilities. I was also reminded how much better a home appears after all the layers of cheesy updates have been removed. I’ll continue to praise them all the way thru completion because they deserve my encouragement.
I couldn’t believe someone stole one of my for sale signs out of a yard. That normally happens during the warmer months rather than in the dead of winter. I’ll continue to insist there are a great many youngsters running around with far too little to do. Just as I spoke last night about a retiree getting attention in a bad way, I believe many of the young are guilty of the very same thing; and it’s mostly all about not having more constructive things to do with their free time.
In today’s mail I received a note from a seller telling me because of the price I gave him, he’s decided to list his home with another agent. I spent a great deal of time researching recent sales before inspecting his home. This type of competition is considered the “buying of the listing” which is very much frowned upon by our Association. It’s been happening all the years I’ve sold real estate, and will likely continue on for decades to come. Personally, I always to wonder how those agents can sleep nights knowing what they’ve done to un-suspecting sellers. Not long after one of those “bought” homes are listed, there becomes a push on those sellers to reduce, and then end up selling for what was advised—many times even less because of their homes having grown shop-worn.
Not long ago I visited an old church containing beautiful stained glass windows. What surprised me the most, was one depicting St. George and the Dragon. Because I’d never seen him in any of our North Iowa churches before, I was compelled to go for my camera out in my car and snap a photo of it. There must have been an “inside” reason why that particular window was chosen by those long deceased family members who donated it. In these times, I consider it a most appropriate theme where good does battle against evil and light keeps darkness at bay. The above photo is the one I took of St. George and the Dragon. It’s not only a great work of art, but also inspirational.
