From the crack of dawn, our day was filled with gloomy gray skies, and when the predicted rain did arrive, I was beginning to feel as though I was suddenly transported onto a movie set created for one of those dark thrillers which were popular years ago. I was surprised to find it coming down so heavily for this time of year, but again, it’s just another sign of climate change. One of my customers whose birthday is tomorrow, mentioned today that if we don’t get snow tomorrow, it’ll be the first time in his life there’s not been any snow on or prior to his birthday. Since he’s well into his sixties, I’d say that’s one more testimonial for the case of global warming being a fact we can’t ignore.
Most of my day was centered around getting more documents to the right people on the closings that’ll be coming up next week. Thus far, I’d say everything’s on track with those sales, yet I still remain wary of something popping up the last day or two. Thank goodness I reminded one of my sellers to make sure he had the heat turned on in his vacated home, and wouldn’t you know, he announced he’d had everything shut off once he knew it was going to close. The few times such things have happened, I quickly remind sellers that they’re responsible for their home up to the moment their closings takes place and checks delivered. I nearly insisted he get them back on as soon as possible because the selling agent will be doing a final walk-thru with the buyer prior to closing, and if those utilities aren’t on, there’ll be “yell” to pay. I think he got my point.
It seems every time the weather is bad, the complaint calls start rolling in which can be unnerving at times because most often, the things they’re ragging on me about, I have absolutely no control over. One of the callers was concerned about a bicycle someone had left in her backyard over the night, and when I was questioned about what she should do with it, my only response was, “I’d steer it back to lot line for someone else to pick it up.” I guess that was a good enough suggestion which got her quieted.
Fortunately the contractor who’d agreed to finish shingling the front peaks of my listing at 207 N. Hampshire finally arrived, and when I stopped back over there just when it was beginning to sprinkle, the worker said they’d be done in 20 minutes. Now that was a close call because our weather isn’t going to be conducive for shingling a good week or more. Later this afternoon I did go back over and took a new photo of it, just so I could replace it with the one I’ve had posted online. We do have that home under contract, and if something should happen to the buyers financing, there’s no doubt that home will sell all the quicker due to my seller finally agreeing to have those worn-out shingles replaced.
We’ll see what kind of day it’ll be tomorrow with many of our government offices and banks being closed for Veterans Day, and if it is slow, I’ll be busy looking for something to fill those hours. I’m sure one of those quiet time slots will be used as a practice session on my office piano, just so I’m up to speed with those three unfamiliar hymns I was given to play for this coming Sunday’s Services over at St. Paul Lutheran. I continue to be humbled by the fact that I know far fewer hymns than I thought I did prior to playing for them. Once in a while I have to go looking for one on Youtube, and only for me to make sure I’m playing them at their appropriate speed.
While visiting with one of my colleagues today, we somehow got on the subject of that “ghost” hotel which was supposed to have been built by now, and in spite our City having handed well over a million dollars to that Minnesota developer, there’s not been one tangible item produced by him other than a pile of papers and artist renditions of what was to be. I’m still surprised there’s not been some government entity stepping forward and calling for an accountability of those public funds our City handed over to him. It’s becoming more and more curious as to why they’re allowing him to string them along. I’m not exactly sure why my colleague continues to insist that hotel will never get built.
I’m still on the look-out for a main floor condo or townhouse in our City which would be for a ready and willing buyer I’ve been working with these past several weeks. I made the assurance while on the phone with my buyer today, that I’m checking the new listings three and four times a day, as well as having put the word out with my colleagues. I’m going to remain confident there’ll be a “good fit” coming on the market in the near future.
In spite of having had at least five showings on my new listing at 683 – 16th St. SE, we still haven’t had an offer on it. Yes, we’re approaching the “dead zone” in our market, but with the shortage of inventory, one would think there’d be at least a buyer or two still out looking who’d be interested in it. I’m not going to worry about it until the showings start dropping off.
My listing over at 1125 W. State is still available, and when in conference with the sellers today, I assured them that I’d take new photos of their home once they’ve moved to their new residence. Unfortunately, today’s young buyers can’t see past the furnishings and decorating of others, which is why some Realtors are getting into what I call a dirty habit of staging, which in my book, borders on being deceptive.
Let’s hope our temps will be high enough tomorrow where we won’t be seeing a dusting of snow. I remember some years ago our having near-blizzard conditions on the 11th of November, which was the day I took a photo of the Veterans Memorial in our Central Park.
Tonight’s One-liner is: Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.
