It was another chilly one this morning with it hovering around 20 degrees, but of course we are now in the month of December and soon on a downward spiral towards hard winter. I’m still not acclimated to this cold which is likely due to the warmer than normal days we’ve had these past weeks. As long as we can get past the last week in December and first week in January without having any bitterly cold weather, we shouldn’t have to endure those blistering cold two weeks like we did in past years because I can remember them arriving like clockwork in my younger years and them being our longest-lasting cold spells.
Upon my arrival at work this morning, I found I had more than enough to keep me busied the entire time. My first project was to get all my seller’s closing numbers put together and emailed over to a lender so we can get it closed earlier than it was agreed upon. I’ll have to send a “thank you” email to the title attorney for getting all of its title work completed in lightening speed. I did have to run over to the seller’s home to drop off a form that needed to be completed, and once that was returned along with another required document, everything was readied a good week ahead of time.
I then proceeded on to get additional changes made to a purchase agreement a certain persnickety corporate lender was wanting which caused me to bristle because that meant one more trip out to the seller’s home to get signatures, along with not blaming her for thinking such requests being beyond silly. Oh well, if an underwriter wants something, an underwriter gets it. I’m still confident it will close, and you can be certain after it is, I’ll be sending out a stinging email to that bank’s loan originator because for the first time in my career, his bank wanted my seller’s email address. Now what could that possibly have to do with a buyer being approved for a loan? I couldn’t help adding in a teasing sort of way, “They must’ve wanted it so they could more easily solicit your banking business.” No doubt, my comment wasn’t considered the least bit funny.
Since our reported cases of the China-virus are still on the rise in our County, I’m becoming all the more pro-active by wiping down with alcohol as many publicly used things possible that I can before touching them. For example, when I went to get gas today, I got a paper towel and doused it with alcohol, and then wiped down the grab-handle of the gas pump, along with rubbing its touchscreen. Even at the bank, I wipe down their air-tube canisters before inserting my banking business. I’m sure the tellers think I’m a bit on the eccentric side, but I’ll continue believing it best to do so when considering how many others have handled such things prior to my having touched them.
I did manage to get an investment home belonging to one of my clients rented today which put my office back to zero units available. The gentleman who’s going to be renting it, is coming here from one of our Western States, and after having a good chat with him, I’m confident he’ll be a welcome addition to our community. He’s finishing up on his last courses at university, so Mason City will be where he starts his first real post-college job. Knowing the type of weather he’s been accustomed to in the city where he currently resides, our windy city will feel like home. I’m sure he was internally surprised when discovering I knew more than the average person about their weather patterns. Of course I neglected to tell him that I worked with a woman some years ago who grew up in the area he’s from, and my remembering the windy tales she had to tell.
I had a meeting with the seller of 114 – 11th St NE today to talk about what the plan of action should be to get that home under contract. I strongly suggested making it more presentable along with focusing on getting some resolution on what’s truly owed on it. When I first listed it, I was confident it would sell right away, but later finding it rapidly turning into my “problem child” listing. In spite of it needing cosmetics, at it’s current price, I still consider it a true diamond in the rough, and whomever does end up getting it purchased, is going to have some instant equity going forward in time. I’m glad the weather’s holding out which will offer more of an opportunity for me to get it sold. It’ll be open this Saturday, so tell everyone you know about it.
Later this afternoon, I received a call from a well-known, and while on the phone with him, we somehow got on the subject of a given individual we both know. He asked if I’d crossed paths with her which prompted me to share several happenings which took place some months ago. It all centered around an un-answered message I left, and then later an email which was never acknowledged which pretty much closed my door on having any sort of interaction with that thoughtless person.
What really touched a chord with me, was when he said, “It’s pretty bad when a person can’t even acknowledge another’s worth.” As many times I get exceptionally frustrated with the self-centeredness of others, I’ve never stepped back far enough to realize that they’re not even acknowledging the worth of another by treating them nothing more than feeling-less entities. I couldn’t have thanked him enough for triggering that sudden, and certainly much-needed, illumination within me.
After hanging up, I began thinking back on just recent happenings in my life where I selflessly did what I could for others; be it the accumulated hours of my professional opinions, numerous far-away showings, failed offers due to there being multiple ones on the table, sellers miraculously having buyers showing up at their doors wanting to buy without a Realtor’s involvement, and my list goes on. With that said, the thrust of my deep disappointment with such persons, is that they didn’t even bother to say, “Thanks for all the work you did for nothing.” Now that’s how a person’s self-worth can be quickly eroded if there isn’t a hardcore understanding in place when knowing without a doubt, we do have worth and them in possession of far less.
I was lucky to get the above shot of two high-flying jets “chasing tail” in tonight’s sky. I’ve sure been seeing a whole lot more jet streams in the sky these past several days. What’s up?
Tonight’s One-liner is: The best thinking has been done in solitude, and the worst in turmoil.
