It looks like we may be getting a light frost in the lowlands these next two nights, so let’s hope they’re only going to be isolated in the really low areas because I’d hate to see all the Fall flowers getting nipped as well as our late gardens. If we can get past these two nights, we should have a good five days before another cold spell arrives.
With a great deal of desk work waiting for me, I arrived at office about an hour earlier than normal, just so I would have enough un-interrupted quiet time to get those things done before the phones started ringing. Fortunately, I managed to get what I needed accomplished before the hour of eight arrived.
My first showing was at 2802 S. Jefferson to a woman who I believe would be a perfect fit for it, and after giving it a good looking over, we talked about the options of getting an area designated for a stackable washer and dryer on the main floor. She was relieved when I stepped it off and showed her what small changes would have to be made to get it accomplished. I have a feeling I’ll be hearing from her on Monday.
I’m a bit surprised we haven’t had much activity on my new listing at 1125 W. State St. which is one heck of a beauty, and my only guess is, that we’re in a bit of a dead zone for the time being in that particular price range. As always, I’m wanting all of my listings to sell right out of the gates.
Hopefully the people I showed 207 N. Hampshire, will step up to the plate and get it purchased because that would be another “good fit” due to several close relatives living nearby. When that home does sell, and the new owner gets a single garage built on the property, there’s no question there’ll be people who’d looked at it when it was on the market, later saying they should’ve and could’ve had it bought.
My afternoon appointment over at the last unit at Prairie Place went very well, and after having spent extra time going over all the particulars with them, I’m having a good feeling it’ll be their new home. Fortunately they know a number of residents living there which always makes for a softer landing when moving out of a home they’ve lived in for a number of years. Once that last unit is sold, I’ll be placing sold riders on my signs, just so the general public will know that if they should be interested in living there, they’ll have to put themselves on a waiting list. I mentioned once again today how certain I am all those units would’ve been filled by now if this darned pandemic hadn’t hit back in December of 2019. Just think, it’ll soon be two years since it all started.
My day tomorrow was already pre-planned, but I have a feeling I’ll be doing some real estate work in either the forenoon or after, but that’ll be no problem because business comes first, and since we’re barreling towards the freezing months, it’s best I keep it rolling in.
While at Fareway late this afternoon, I noticed they’re stocked up again with frozen ducks, so I purchased one since I haven’t had duck in a number of months. It’s always good to have a change of meat once in a while, and the ones they have are quite good when prepared correctly. I do enjoy my short little chats with their meat manager, and since he was raised on a working farm, we always seem to have something funny from our past lives to share.
We finally have those two fixer-uppers in Nora Springs under contract, and one person being the buyer of both. I was a little sad the younger couple I showed the bigger one to last week didn’t have their financing in order because that would’ve been a good long-term investment for them. I can’t believe how many people are struggling to get out from under the yokes of their landlords. If they’d be willing to move to Mason City, I may have another diamond in the rough coming on the market. I’ll be sure to give them a call the day it gets listed.
It looks like I’ll be having a little hard chat with a contractor this weekend who’s attempting to bill me extra from something that was already included in his estimate. Oh how I hate it when people do that, and I’m seeing it happening more and more. It’s again another example of what I spoke about before, where if they think they can bill it and get paid, they’ll do it. Shame on them. It’s unfortunate for them because I’ll never use them again, or give any good referrals. They keep forgetting we live in a small community where people freely share such experiences with each other.
I’m still in shock over what happened in Norway with that lone archer killing those innocent people with a bow and arrow. It sort of makes people think twice before leaving their homes in fear they may not return. It’s beyond my understanding how the human mind can be radicalized to the point of intentionally killing another person, let alone groups of them like yesterday’s suicide bombing at a mosque in Afghanistan. I read somewhere a year or so ago that there are drugs they feed those bombers which gives them a sense of fearlessness. I’ll have to do a little digging in my free time and find out what it is they’re giving them.
It looks like the wind is going down with the sun, so prepare yourselves for a temperature drop. On the positive side, that nasty locust tree outside the front door of my office has almost all of its leaves gone, and glad for it because my broom is about half-worn from sweeping them every day, which seemed at times an exercise in futility.
Tonight’s One-liner is: You don’t have to fear defeat if you believe it may reveal powers which you didn’t know you possessed.
