After arrival at office, my first duty of the morning was to place a call to a dear friend of mine whom I’ve not seen in many months and all due to this pandemic. When I pulled up to her house, I was wowed by the number of exterior improvements she’d made since I was last there. Yes, I’ve driven by several times, but the real impression didn’t hit until walking up her sidewalk. What a charming home!
I’d taken along a small well-deserved gift for her which I knew she’d put to good use. We must’ve been visiting for close to an hour before I finally had to bid my leave, because it was approaching the hour of nine. Some Thursdays can be quiet, while others a firestorm of calls, emails and last minute appointments to be made. Whatever she’s been doing to keep herself healthy has been working because she looked much better than the last time we got together. She is a dear soul who always manages to stay under the radar of the daily dramas taking place in our River City.
Since my closing was at Noon, I went out to my listing and pulled my for sale and sold signs, along with removing the lockbox from the door. As always with vacant homes, I did my own final walk-thru on it before heading back to office. When seeing the junk that’s been selling of late, that young couple got an exceptionally good buy on it because it’s built like a fortress, and only needing some updating along with the replacement of the “octopus” gravity furnace in its basement.
While driving away, I happened to notice some roofers replacing the shingles on a house, and as I was driving by, there stood the owner of the company in the middle of the street, sidewalk-supervising his workers. I always have to laugh to myself whenever seeing physically capable owners of contracting companies, standing aside while doing next to nothing. I guess that’s OK because they can’t fire themselves for their own laziness.
My closing went very well today, and since the Executor was there with his wife, they had the opportunity to tell the buyers a little history about the long-term ownership of that home. I was quite impressed with the buyers to the point where I said before leaving, “A much as I didn’t want to see that home becoming a rental, I’m pretty sure you’re going to make it a “top drawer” residence for its new tenant.” Because of how well-built and attractively designed it is, it wouldn’t surprise me if they get close to $800.00 per month for it. I wished them all the best with that gem.
After grabbing a quick bite, I headed over to the church I’ll be playing at on Sunday, just to spend additional time familiarizing myself with their organ, as well as practicing those six hymns I have to play. I kept wondering why I wan’t comfortable with its pedalboard because I was finding myself pressing down on the wrong ones once in a while. Well, when I finally looked, I noticed the bench was too far over to one side, which is why I wasn’t centered with that pedalboard. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed it until today. After a good hour of practice, I called it quits and headed back to office.
While out, I stopped over to 213 – 13th St. NE to check on its basement, and only because our City Assessor has it classified as a block basement which I questioned from the moment I walked down there. Since the basement is fully finished, I did manage to find a small opening to the outside wall, and from what I could see, it appeared to be a poured basement which is far more popular in North Iowa. That won’t be the first or last time I’ve found glaring mistakes posted by our City Assessor. Of course such bodies of government don’t realize that such mistakes can create an un-necessary devaluation when their owners go to sell them. What’s the most unfortunate, is most of our Realtors consider the Assessor’s information 100% accurate. How unfortunate.
Well, I’m sure you’ve all seen the numbers on our latest census. This continued drop in the population of our City should be a wake-up call for our current residents to where they should start looking at what the “powers that be” in our City is doing to drive them out. According to the census, we now have 1,600 fewer residents living here.
I just recently heard from a reputable source, that building a home or opening a new business in Clear Lake, is a cake walk compared to all the hoops our own government bodies have set in place for them to jump thru. Oh how well I know the minds of many who get their jollies out of making mountains out of mole hills. Since I’ve been in this business for so many years, I’ve learned to look for character flaws and weaknesses with those holding such positions of power, and whenever I find distinct patterns emerging, it’s my signal to walk very far away, because it all becomes an exercise in futility.
If they only knew how many in the general public that’ve interacted with them, can’t wait for the day when they either retire, or go sailing permanently off into the sunset. I’ve learned long ago, to stay as far away from any and all of their dramas, because making enemies of the likes, just creates a back-wash. Yes, there are always those “preferred favorites” that get what they want and when they want, while those out of their circles are left wanting. Now if you don’t think there’s such circles, then you’ve not yet learned to connect the dots.
As I mentioned to a professional several days ago, my having been a supervisor in a bank back in ancient history, and at that time, I had no favorites and rules were to be followed with no exception. The greatest compliment I was given years later, was one of the workers telling me it was the best job she ever had because there was no special treatment given, and absolutely no back-stabbing or axe grinding allowed.
Tonight’s One-liner is: The smallest of deeds, is far better than the greatest of intentions.
