With the weather warming, I’ve noticed all the more activity in our real estate market and hopefully it’ll stay all the warmer so to make up for those below average temps we’ve had to endure these past weeks. Wasn’t it nice having the sun out today?
If you’d ask me where the hours of my morning went, I’d have to say it was another zig-zagging around by placing signs, removing others, and running errands. It’s surprising how much time is lost when driving from our Historic Downtown out to places like Menards or Fleet Farm and then back again. I wasn’t a happy camper when finding Fleet Farm being out of stock on a product only they sell, and making matters worse, an assistant manager had no clue when another shipment would be arriving. That was over an hour’s time completely wasted.
It looks like we’re on track to get more closings finished up before Thanksgiving arrives which is going to make for some very happy buyers. It seems this race to close early happens every year around this time, and you can be sure yours truly always has himself prepared for it.
I do hope we have a good turnout at tomorrow’s open house over at 415 – 1st St. SE because the weather should be favorable along with the sun shining. I’m going to do everything I can to get that home sold before hard winter arrives. Now that the leaves are off the trees, tomorrow’s lookers will be able to see Willow Creek from its back deck and 2nd floor windows. Whenever showing homes that have water views, there’s something all the more special about them.
In the old days, homes with water views sold for a great deal more than those that didn’t, but I’m afraid our younger crowd is more interested in what’s playing on their smartphones than what’s happening in the real world. Let’s hope those trends start reversing because there’s a great deal of natural beauty in North Iowa that getting over-looked.
Just today I was in a home offering spectacular views of Willow Creek, and while watching the water moving downstream, I said to the owners, “There’s something almost mesmerizing when watching the flow of water.” They fully agreed while also pointing out how the sun was reflecting off the ripples. I could’ve stood there for hours had it not been so chilly while standing out there. Having been so smitten by the views, I likely gave them all the more reason to stay in their home instead of selling it. Since they’ve lived there for so many years, they were shocked to hear how high their estimated sale price would be if they did decide to sell.
I’m sure many who live at the lakeside in Clear Lake would fully disagree with me when saying how much more I’d rather be living near or on the banks of moving water, than having a home on a small lake the size of Clear Lake. To me there’s not enough diversity with Clear Lake because it’s almost like living on the edge of a very large pond. On the other hand, when perched above a river or large creek, there’s always movement, and with that comes change. I personally believe the Shell Rock River being yet another over-looked natural gem in North Iowa because of its diversity. It comes as no surprise when seeing how the Navratil family capitalized on the real value of the land they own which is on the north bank of the Shell Rock River between Plymouth and Rock Falls. I laud them them for building a high-tech campground which they rent seasonal spots to campers. The last time I drove down that gravel road running parallel to their site, I was shocked when seeing the number of tricked-out campers parked along the shoreline.
A young couple stopped by my office this afternoon to sign some documents, and somehow we got on the subject as to what a seller’s responsibility is regarding a death in a home. I mentioned that it’s not a law where it must be disclosed, but if a buyer asks, then it must be told, and if the listing or selling agent is ignorant to it, then it’s their responsibility to find out and then relay that information to the questioning buyers.
Of course I had to tell one of my most recent creepy stories about a happening at an acreage with both myself and the wife of a buyer. I thought it beyond creepy that both she and myself experienced things out there that happened at separate times and places while we were there. After I finished the story, I asked if they had enough time to hear my “grand-daddy” of all creepy experiences which took place over 20 years ago at another acreage which I just happened to have listed. By the time I finished my newsreel recollection of what happened, the wife looked at her husband and said, “I’m not sure I’ll be sleeping very well for a few nights. I assured her that if there was something un-earthly going on in her home, she would’ve already experienced it.
Before heading home, I stopped at several places to get my car washed, and wouldn’t you know it, the bays were about five deep with drivers waiting to get theirs washed. Oh well, I’ll have to see if I can get to one early enough in the morning without having to wait so long. Car washes are a booming business here in North Iowa, and certainly due to our crazy weather patterns. I couldn’t believe how filthy my car got from driving on our streets after the snow began to melt. Welcome to another annoying by-product of living in the northland.
Tonight’s one-liner is: Does not the gratitude of a dog put to shame any man who is ungrateful to his benefactors?
