It was quite the downpour of rain this afternoon. Thank goodness I just finished up on my afternoon showings before it hit. It was certainly heavy, but at least it was short lived, and fortunately not like what we were getting in May and June.
One of my showings was at 40 Lakeview Drive today. The buyers wanted to see it again so to check out some things that they’d missed or forgotten about. Every time I’m there, I get this “grounded” feeling. It came as no surprise to find them having owned it for nearly 50 years.
While out at the shoreline of Lake Cona Toma, I discovered whatever non-toxic chemical they put in it this year, is doing a very good job of getting rid of the algae. I know they’d been working on ways of getting rid of it for years, and now it looks like they’ve finally got it under control, and possibly even eradicated. Being rid of that is going to make it all the more popular place for water sports and swimming. Since the drastic price reduction we had on it, we’ve been getting all the more showing. All I wish for, is whomever buys it will continue to take as good care of it as the current owners have over their long years of ownership.
There are a handful of my listings that have very interested buyers on them to where I’m left to wait until they make up their minds. I only hope they do get sold before we have multiple offer situations because it always seems to cause bad feelings with both the ones who end up owning, as well as the ones that don’t. I just recently told a buyer, “If you come to the decision that you want this property, don’t wait, because there may be someone else getting ready to buy it.”
We’ve been seeing more “subject-to sale” offers coming in on properties in North Iowa which I’ve never been keen on. I asked another out-of-town agent her take on them, and she agreed that they’re usually not in the best interest of the sellers because word always seems to get out that the property is sold, when indeed it isn’t until the people making the offer have theirs under contract. Unfortunately there are those agents who tell other agents what they want to hear, which isn’t always the truth. Some sellers forget that a buyer’s agent is working completely and exclusively for their buyers and absolutely no one else.
I recently read something in the newspaper which left me a bit disturbed. It was evidently from someone who’s not happy about having purchased a home here in North Iowa. Yes, North Iowa has its problems, but certainly not to the degree of other much larger communities–especially metro areas. I tell everyone who decides to move here that Mason City and North Iowa offers just about everything you’d want, but you have to become pro-active and find your own niche in our community. I sometimes wonder where people get off bashing communities simply because they’re evidently not getting the attention they were expecting. Perhaps they should look into joining our community theatre where if they work really hard at it, they’ll indeed have their center stage.
Most of us don’t go seeking out newbies to North Iowa with open arms, but rather leave the doors to relationships open. If you choose to burn all your bridges, you’ll soon find yourselves on islands. It’s no wonder we are seeing all these right-wing hate groups showing up at public events. Like attracts like, and if you find yourself in the middle of a radical group, make sure to look for the nearest exit and RUN!
It’s been said for years that Iowa is the pulse of our Nation’s heartbeat, and if we’re found to be moving away from being considered a centrist State, then that’s what’s happening with the rest of our Nation which concerns me a great deal. If we can’t get people of different political views to tables of discussion, then we’re going to have all the more radicalization on both sides of the political spectrum. I’m still very thankful for remaining about as non-partisan as you can get, and hopefully I’ll remain that way.
Tonight’s one-liner is: Jealousy is the worst of all faults because it makes a victim of both parties.
