As the thermometer approached 90 degrees again today, I happened to look across the parking lot towards the Courthouse and noticed a light blueish haze which most certainly was a condensed layer of humidity. As much as I worked to keep from perspiring, it had to happen every time I was outdoors for longer than ten minutes. For sure I’ll have to dress more casual tomorrow since it’s supposed to be in the 90’s.
I showed several homes which were the “narrowing down” second viewings. No matter what anyone says, a second showing of a home to a prospective buyer looks either better or worse, but never the same. There’ve been more times than I want to remember when after a second showing, the buyers will move on to something else. And on the flip side, a second showing solidifies the belief that it’s the one to buy. But then there’s one more scenario. There’ve been times when I’ve nearly begged a buyer to take another look at a home which I believed to be the best fit, but continue resisting while moving on to something else.
Just last year, I showed at least 20 homes to a young couple, and one of the first five I showed them was what I thought to be a good fit. Over the course of showings, I would sometimes bring that house back up in conversation. Their answer was always, “Not interested.” While showing them a home in a district which they believed to be the one, in my mind I began comparing features and price to the one they refused to look at again. It ended up becoming an argument over room sizes, and as chance would have it, I had a copy of the listing with me. Room by room I began comparing sizes, and don’t you know, the livable square footage was the same, but the price on the one they fell in “like” with, was over $20K more. After a little more prodding, I did manage to get them to go back for a second look. All I can say, is that to this day they’re continuing to enjoy living in the home they were “not interested” in, and very glad they came to their senses.
The reason I speak of this, is that if a first showing happens be when buyers are having a bad day, or the home isn’t as showable as it should be, then it’s in everyone’s best interest to wait for another more suitable time for both the buyers and sellers. As I’ve said for years, “A bad showing is worse than a no showing.”
Another case which I’ll never forget, was my having worked on and off with a young couple for nearly three years, and showing them only the homes of their choice. Every time I’d make a suggestion about another, they’d drive by and later tell me it was nixed. Of all the homes they looked at, and/or refused to view, they ended up buying a home from another Realtor which I would’ve never envisioned them living in. As cautious they were about being “taken” by a slick salesperson, they walked blindly into a money pit. After all these rains and flooding in our City, I’ll wager they had some major issues with water in the home of “their” choice.
Months later I had a little chat with the agent who sold it to them, and not to my surprise, they’d also run that agent ragged looking at homes, so it appeared they were two-timing the both of us for many months. It’s always pleasant when you can go to the water, but a nightmare when the water comes to you.
A well known of mine sent me a photo of one of her chickens that’s about three months old, and I thought it to be so charming, I decided to use it for tonight’s article. One of my long overdue “to do’s”, is to create my own little flock of chickens. I’ve helped raise enough of them to where I think I’d be pretty good at it. It comes as no surprise when finding buyers talk about having a few chickens and organic vegetable gardens. I think it’s wonderful all the more of our residents are getting back to the basics. I can hear it now, “Here chickie, chickie, chick, chick!”
Tonight’s one-liner is: It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
