I dare not tell you how early it was this morning when I arrived at office other than saying it was well before dawn, and mostly because I had a huge plate of desk work that had to be completed before the phones started ringing.
When I looked at my appointment book and then over to the files needing my immediate attention, I quietly took a seat, settled myself down and then quietly said to myself, “You’ve not forgotten that the only way you can eat an elephant, is one bite at a time.” After hearing those words coming out of my mouth, I got up and went over to the first file and began.
A good three hours later, I found that all the immediate things were done, so I took a twenty minute break and drove over to a convenience store and picked up a small coffee which I took back to office and sipped on while I continued working.
After the last important file was readied, I placed a call to a client to see if it would be OK for me to pay her a visit to get some documents signed. I was given the green light, so I hopped in my car and drove a good forty minutes away to get those signatures I badly needed. Thank goodness I knew that town well enough to where I drove straight to her house.
I mentioned before I called that I had to be back in Mason City for a one o’clock appointment at office, so while there, I ran thru all the documents and got the initials and signatures I needed. Since I knew her from way back when I was in school, I promised to catch up the next time we’d be meeting. She fully understood, so I bid my farewells and headed back to the City.
Yes, I was speeding a little bit, and every time I’d come up over a hill, I’d say a little prayer that a Highway Patrol or Sheriff ‘s car wasn’t clocking me. What likely got me there and back faster, was my taking those less-traveled blacktops which kept me from following a slow-poke or two.
I’d just got everything readied for my appointment when my sellers arrived who happened to be the owners of 142 Lakeview Drive. Believe it or not, we had seven offers on their home since it was listed this past Sunday afternoon. Once we were all seated, I proceeded to present each offer to them in the order in which they were received, which has always been my procedure, and after they had a full understanding of the terms and conditions of each and every one of them, they made their choice and began signing. I personally had two of those offers, but unfortunately a Realtor from another office was the one who hit the home run. After it was all over and done, I couldn’t have been happier for them because they are the most delightful people.
After finishing up on 142 Lakeview Drive, I had to attend to another offer which came in on yesterday’s listing over at 666 – 9th St. NE which wasn’t even on the market a half day and agents were calling and sending me text messages wanting to show it. Well, by the time of quitting hours, there’d been two offers received on it which I’ll be presenting to the owner early tomorrow morning. My goodness this market is getting hotter by the day. Yes, it’s a good home, and yes it’s in a sought-after neighborhood, but to have showings and offers so fast, was quite remarkable.
We’ll see what tomorrow brings because I have an offer out on a property which I hope gets put together, and if it does, that’ll mean my office will have bagged three sales in two days. I will of course be all the thankful for it because I’ve been moving like greased lightening since yesterday morning.
I have a closing on one of my listings mid-morning tomorrow, and it looks like it’ll be a green light all the way to the end. That happened to be another one of my big-ticket listings which sold quickly. There was a great deal of waiting for that one on my part, but ever-grateful the seller stuck to her promise by listing it with me. She made me laugh one day when telling me I’m filterless and bossy in a good way.
My late afternoon appointment took me to another showing of a home which definitely needs some help, and if I were the listing agent, I would’ve insisted on it being tidied up before the photos were taken. As chance would have it, I sold that home a very many years ago and when the owner moved, I agreed to help her find a tenant who remained there for a good fifteen years. About four years into that collecting and depositing of rents, the owner and I ended up parting ways because she thought all those months of “management” was just something I was to freely do without compensation. Really?
When it did get listed, of course she called another Realtor to sell it. It did sell relatively quickly, but for some reason, that new owner decided to re-list it with yet another Realtor. It’s been on the market long enough, but still no offers. While waiting for the buyers to arrive, I had a nice chat with one of the back-alley neighbors who seemed quite surprised that I sold his home more than once over the years, and then began pointing out all those others within eye-sight that I’d also sold. He then asked, “Are you somehow tied to this neighborhood?” I smiled and said, “This neighborhood has been my bread and butter for years.” Too funny.
Before heading home, I grabbed a sold sign and mounted it a-top my yard sign over at 142 Lakeview Drive. While installing it, the neighbor hollered over, “That was fast!” I smiled and said, “What else could one expect for lakeshore properties in this town?”
Tonight’s One-liner is: It’s only to the happy that tears are a luxury.
