For Over 65 Years

Thank goodness the wind changed to the north today because the heat and humidity level was really getting to be a bit too much. They said possibilities of rain last night, but when I walked outside this morning, I could see we didn’t even get a drop. It looks like I’ll be back watering my garden again before the weekend, just to keep them healthy up to their time of harvest.

While doing some additional research on listings, I stopped to see how many were under contract in our MLS, and to my shock, there were exactly 90, and of those ninety, thirty of them were priced at a quarter million or more. I positively can not fathom such a steep increase because we do not have that many high-paying jobs in North Iowa, so what it’s telling me, the buyers are relying on two-income households. Let’s hope neither one of them are out of a job for very long because that’s all it takes is a financial bump in the road to create a domino effect. There’s no doubt the bulk of today’s buyers are living in the now.

Having all my office chores done, and no appointments the rest of the morning, I grabbed those six pieces of music and drove over to the church I’ll be playing for this Sunday. Their organ is a grand pipe in need of a few tweaks, but for the most part, it’s in pretty darned good shape considering how long it’s been sitting idle. Since I wasn’t familiar with their order of Service, I went and asked for the something to help guide me, for which I was thankful after seeing how different their Services are.

I must’ve been practicing for a good two hours because when I looked at the clock, it was half past Noon. By the time I jumped off the bench, I was pretty much up to speed with those six hymns, but two of them I may not be able to get up to their normal speed, and only due to how fast-paced they are, along with one of them being in a minor key which one doesn’t find very often. Whether I want to or not, I’ll have to go over there again tomorrow or Friday, just to run thru them a few more times before Sunday. I’m hoping their small choir will be well-heard and easy to follow, because if they are, my job will be that much easier.

Before I left, I was informed that I’ll have to find several other pieces of my choice to be used for the prelude, offertory and postlude. I certainly have enough of a selection of preludes and postludes, but I will have to go digging for an appropriate offertory. The melody of one came to mind today, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t remember the name of it. I’m now so determined to find it, I’ll likely be digging for it early tomorrow morning. Don’t you just hate it when you can hear a tune in your mind, but can’t remember the words or even the name of it? Yes, it’s happened too many times.

The highlight of my day, was the listing of 213 – 13th Place NE this afternoon. As chance would have it, the owner and I’ve crossed paths before, so at least it wasn’t so much of a cold call. With her being familiar with the listing of a home, it didn’t take as long as it normally does.

That home is one I had listed many years ago, and for the most part, it’s in the same condition it was. Yes, there’s yard and garden clean-up, cleaning and painting to do, and possibly some cosmetic updates, but other than that, it’s ready to go.

My target buyer, will likely be a single male or female, and the reason being, it having only one bedroom on the main floor. The current owner used the finished area in the basement as a bedroom, but without it having a “legal” egress window, it can’t be classified as such.

Anyone that’s into outdoor activities and gardening, would have plenty of space to do whatever they want. There are currently a great number of perennials in need of care, and we all know how expensive those are if you’d go to buy them. What I can already see in my mind, is that entire lot being surrounded with a privacy fence, and since there are no sidewalks to contend with, the only shoveling would be the driveway and front walk. Like I said, it’s small, but there’s a charming compact unity with it, so if you know anyone that’s a minimalist, along with being a nature lover with it so close to the new “nature trail”, please let them know about it. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if we had multiple offers on it? I’ll not be surprised because that home has caught my eye for years.

I have a closing late tomorrow morning, and at this time, I’m about as prepared as I can be, so I’m looking for another soft landing with that charming little home. It make me a little sad it’s going to be turned into a rental instead of owner-occupied because that particular residence had been in the same family for over 65 years. Now that’s one heck of a long time. I’d shown it to several buyers prior to it selling, and at the time, they thought it needed too many updates, and unfortunately after it had already sold, it was being reconsidered by them. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?

Every single day, and whenever time permits, I’m catching and killing two or three Japanese Beetles that’d been eating on the plants at the back of my office. When knowing they’re in our Downtown, you can bet our residential areas are thick with them. It’s too bad they can’t find a natural predator for them.

When in conversation with one of my colleagues today, I had to bring her up to speed on the mystery of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem which has been fought over for thousands of years. They claim it has a secret chamber beneath its underground cave/well. I piqued her interest enough to where she’s likely now searching the internet.

Tonight’s One-liner is: I think we all have a need to know, what we don’t need to know.

Related Property:
213 13th Place NE Mason City
Joe Chodur

About the Author | Joe Chodur

First of all....Joe Chodur really doesn't like talking about himself but this is what we have found out about him. Joe Chodur began his real estate career in 1981 during the height of the savings and loan crisis. It's hard to imagine how difficult it was to sell homes when…

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