Holtz Realty

For the strangest of reason that’s yet to reveal itself, I found myself in debate today with a scholarly woman whom I fully admire and respect.  We were talking about several people we both know whom nearly everyone outside their circles have attempted to change the ways in which they conduct themselves in society.  She insisted they can be convinced by others.  When it was my turn to speak, I shared my full disagreement.

Unfortunately, we cannot change the choices of others simply because they’ve already hard-coded themselves in what they believe to be right and true. THERE IS NO CHANGING THEM! Of course you remember 9/11? The hard-coded choices those terrorist made were absolute. They’d already created their future and there was no going back.

The minds of fanatics are very scary. People believe fanatics are only religious, but fanaticism can infect even the most minor of ideas involving our daily lives. They convince themselves on a near daily basis that what they believe is true and there’s no educating them otherwise, because they’ve created their alternative beliefs years ago.

Look back in your own personal lives at how someone’s treated you with disdain for years because of something you did or didn’t do which in their eyes was the triggering of their fanaticism toward you.  It could’ve been some skewed memory of siblings, parents, or even friends and neighbors.  Unfortunately they’ll be grinding their axes for those “hated ones” until they draw their last breaths because they’ve branded those beliefs into their sub-conscious. Most of those you know will have similar “victim” stories to tell simply to aid in their convincing you that they’re right, and everyone else is wrong.

Unfortunately, they WILL NOT change unless there’s some great intervening circumstance in their lives that will cause their minds to shut down and re-boot. Look at how some use annoying “tag” nicknames when referring to someone whom they inwardly despise. They’re doing it because they know the injured party finds it insulting—even out in the un-suspecting public!

Is there hope for these people?  I believe there is, but only in a way they’d consider to be near sacrilegious to their beliefs.  The possible cure would be for them to start envisioning what the future outcomes would be if they’d start looking at the world thru someone else’s eyes while attempting to develop an understanding of them instead of passing blind judgements.  If they can actually see a better future for themselves by looking into their own futures, then perhaps there’d be a sort of retro-influencing taking place to where they’ve already “seen” a different outcome they freely and willing went back and changed, because their hard-coded fanaticism would’ve automatically continued on with business as usual.  That’s retro-influencing our futures. I do hope this makes sense to all of you.

In spite of there being a number of intervening circumstances on one of my listing/sales over this past month or so, it actually closed with a soft landing today.  I commend myself for keeping it moving forward as drama-free as possible as well as the agent on the other side who was working equally hard with his buyers.   Yes, I have to admit I did get a little cross during the process, but I believe those involved knew it was getting a bit much for even me to bear.  I can say without resign, I’m exceptionally pleased it came to a close as I watched everyone involved walking away happily.

Without realizing it was growing all the colder and windier this afternoon, I was out and about Downtown without my winter coat.  As I was walking into a bank, one of the tellers when seeing how I was dressed said, “It must be getting warmer out.”  I winked and said, “I’m just pretending Spring is around the corner and trying to hurry it a bit.”  She got a good giggle out of that one. Well, what else can we do but remain light about living on the tundra while being faced with another 30+ days of winter-like weather?

While visiting with an attorney yesterday regarding a great number of antics that’s been going on within one familiar these last six months, I said,  “It appears to me those creating these comical little dust storms are being punitive so to get their attention in bad ways.”   I’m sure he thought me be a bit too generalizing, but I did say as I was walking out, “You just wait a day or two, there’ll be a few more rings to watch in this Barnum and Bailey Circus which you’ve been forced to be a part of.”  I finally said, “It’ll be long before their tents come down and their caravans head off to other communities and dramas.”  I know he’s beginning to wonder how I manage to be right about my perceptions of today’s public as a whole.

I’m in hopes February will be as active as January, and it just may be the case having received an offer from another agent on one of my listings today.  I do hope we can get the buyers and sellerx together on price so we can call that one another done deal.  At a recent closing, one of the buyers mentioned how fortunate she was when being able to purchase one of my listings before someone else nabbed it.  I said to her, “Well, after doing this job for so many years, I’ve come to the conclusion that the hand of fate does have something to do with it.”  Speaking of which,  I showed a home on Monday that should’ve been sold right out of its gate, but after seeing how the buyers were reacting, it may very well be their new home.  Just what I know of them, they’ll be a perfect fit for the home and its surrounding neighborhood.

Oh did Mr. Chodur have a wicked laugh this morning.  While talking to one of my friends early this morning, we somehow got on the subject of childishly evil things we said and did as youngsters.  I shared one of my pre-pubescent things I did which was pushing my sister who was always tormenting me, into a grain wagon’s hub.” In turn he said, “I didn’t get along with my brother at all while at home simply because he was lazy and would always run off whenever there was work to be done, so I figured I’d say something really mean to him that would be my pressure relief valve for being so angry.”  He then went on to say, “I decided to call him “bulb nose” because of how round the end of his nose was which looked almost like those bulbs clowns stick on the end of their noses.  You can’t imagine how angry he’d get at me whenever I’d call him that.”  I laughed so hard while I was envisioning a bulb-nosed naughty little boy, as as I was nearly collapsing from laughter!

I’m sure everyone’s been delighted to see it above freezing these last several days which has been helping to get our recent heavy snow melted off.  Of course with these drastic temperature swings we had this month ranging from -20 below zero to nearing 40 above, the nasty byproduct of those variations are all the potholes appearing all over our City.

Just these last several days, the number of ruts seem to be multiplying exponentially.  Just today, I had to swerve to miss a line of them.  While crossing the railroad tracks on S. Carolina this afternoon, they were so deep, I thought they were going to damage my car’s suspension.  I feel sorry for all the people who’re driving low-slung vehicles in this weather.  I’m sure there’s been a number of “bottom-outs” while driving thru some of our angular residential intersections.  That railroad crossing at 9^th NW is like driving over a giant washboard.

Having been so terribly busy these past several days, I haven’t even had time to read the news.  Now that’s especially unusual for me due to my continued desire to stay plugged into our world events.  It’s probably a good thing to have a break from it considering all the sweeping changes we’ve been seeing since our new politicians have taken office.

Every year, there’s a bus trip that’s offered which drives interested Realtors to the State Legislature for the entire day.  With the exception of these last four or five years, I used to try to make it every year.  It’s interesting to see our State government in action as well as meet with some of our Senators and Representatives.  I’m hoping next year will offer me the time to take a day off and re-visit our Capital. As we all know, the most pressing things come first, and believe me, I’ve had a good dose of them this past year.  I’m eternally thankful to have some of the most dear and supportive friends.

I had an appointment late this morning with an attorney in Clear Lake which I was noticeably late for due an intervening circumstance that had to be addressed.  After the meeting, I decided to grab something quick at Cabin Coffee on Main Street.  That place always seems to be busy.  I ordered a white tea and a slice of coffee cake and to my surprise, it came to well over seven dollars.  Yes, the tea was good as well as the cake, but WOW, that was an unexpected price tag.  I don’t think I’ll be one of their regulars, but instead consider it a charming place to treat myself on rare occasions.

One of my dear clients forwarded me the above photo she took of an ancient red cedar that’s growing along the banks of the Shell Rock River on the Greenbelt trail.  As soon as I saw it, I was determined to share it with all of you.  Most have no idea how slowly our native red cedars grow.  Without question, that tree is well over a 100 years old.  She said something that really stuck with me about it and that was, “Can’t you just “feel” its texture?”  Yes, it’s a perfect shot to share on our last day of JanuAry.

This was certainly a day to remember after having discovered I had far more work ahead of me than I’d expected.  It was actually to the degree I had to later make a phone call to one of my ex-tenants who’s usually willing to help me if and when he’s available.  My initial text to him said, “Have you got time to help me today?” He later replied, “What time do you need me?”  My most urgent reply was, “ASAP”. When he arrived he said laughingly, “I figured it must’ve been something urgent because you’ve never said ASAP before.” As the old saying goes, “Many hands make little work.” and those words certainly befit today’s project.  I’m just glad we managed to get everything done.  I was hoping for the temps to be above freezing today, but we just didn’t quite get there.

There are too many mounds of snow around our City which are not to my liking. If any of you were out driving in the country yesterday, you’d agree the roads were very much on the dangerous side with the wind blowing snow across the highway and creating slick spots.  As I was driving back from Garner on Hwy 122 late yesterday afternoon, I noticed flashing red lights in the distance.  As I grew closer, I could see there must’ve been an accident.  There were ambulances and police cars at the scene of what looked like a three or four car pile-up.  The Highway Patrol was waving us to turn off on a gravel road before I could get a good look at the scene.  From the other direction I noticed at least a mile long stretch of vehicles waiting for the highway to be cleared.

Since I was so busy today, I didn’t have a chance to check the news to see if any of those involved were seriously injured.  Not but ten minutes before I saw those red lights, I thought how inconsiderate some highway drivers were by not driving more slowly over those patches of ice and snow.  What I think must’ve happened, was possibly the first car was braking to turn and lost control at that country intersection.  The other cars perhaps tried to miss the first car and found themselves loosing control as well.  Believe me, I’ve seen some nasty pile-ups over the years on Interstate 35 between here and Des Moines.  Moving vehicles don’t always take kindly to strong winds and blowing snow—especially when there are hills creating straight-line wind tunnels.

There was yet another sight on my drive back to Mason City which caused me to shake my head in disbelief.  There were ten or twelve snowmobilers driving the ditches parallel to the highway.  One of them even had a youngster hanging on his or her back.  “In this near darkness, along with the cold and blowing wind?” I said to myself as I watched them bouncing up and over the approaches to grain fields.  Since I’ve never ridden a snowmobile in my life and likely never will, one would think they’d find better days, along with times of the day to be riding those widow makers.

What irritates me the utmost, are the cavalier attitudes some of them have by flying across non-public lands—especially at night.  There’ve been many gruesome stories told about snowmobilers being seriously and sometimes fatally injured while out speeding thru groves and fields being privately owned.  Half hidden barbed wire fences and bent steel posts can do some real damage to those machines and their riders far faster than one can bat an eye.  All the warnings in the world seem to fall on deaf ears belonging to those who’re filled with snowmobile mania.

Unfortunately our weather was not being kind for my public open house today. At least there were two people that showed up.  I was again reminded that it only takes one buyer to have a home sold.  At least I kept myself busy with some reading I brought with me. I was actually about two minutes late getting there because I stopped by a home in the process of a re-model.

Since I hadn’t been out to see how much has done at that house in over a month, I was delightfully surprised how far the owners have come along with it.  I was once again reminded how the owners are capable of doing really good work when they put their minds to it.  Every time I see poor workmanship along with those flimsy praises people give their “do-it yourself” projects, I smile and think of those who can run circles around others with lesser capabilities.  I was also reminded how much better a home appears after all the layers of cheesy updates have been removed.  I’ll continue to praise them all the way thru completion because they deserve my encouragement.

I couldn’t believe someone stole one of my for sale signs out of a yard.  That normally  happens during the warmer months rather than in the dead of winter.  I’ll continue to insist there are a great many youngsters running around with far too little to do.  Just as I spoke last night about a retiree getting attention in a bad way, I believe many of the young are guilty of the very same thing; and it’s mostly all about not having more constructive things to do with their free time.

In today’s mail I received a note from a seller telling me because of the price I gave him, he’s decided to list his home with another agent.  I spent a great deal of time researching recent sales before inspecting his home.  This type of competition is considered the “buying of the listing” which is very much frowned upon by our Association.  It’s been happening all the years I’ve sold real estate, and will likely continue on for decades to come.  Personally, I always to wonder how those agents can sleep nights knowing what they’ve done to un-suspecting sellers.  Not long after one of those “bought” homes are listed, there becomes a push on those sellers to reduce, and then end up selling for what was advised—many times even less because of their homes having grown shop-worn.

Not long ago I visited an old church containing beautiful stained glass windows. What surprised me the most, was one depicting St. George and the Dragon. Because I’d never seen him in any of our North Iowa churches before, I was compelled to go for my camera out in my car and snap a photo of it.   There must have been an “inside” reason why that particular window was chosen by those long deceased family members who donated it.   In these times, I consider it a most appropriate theme where good does battle against evil and light keeps darkness at bay. The above photo is the one I took of St. George and the Dragon.  It’s not only a great work of art, but also inspirational.

Alas our snow of several days ago is finally under control.  While pulling up to my back parking space at the office early this morning I found that someone with a very big blade pushed snow into my parking lot again.  How inconsiderate some people are while driving around town with their big blades dragging on the ground.  I decided not to drive over the hump of snow and park in the front.

After it grew lighter outside, I walked back with shovel in hand and started removing it.  Being oblivious to the world around me, I heard a woman’s voice say, “Could you please help me?”  I turned around and noticed one of the tenants next door standing there.  Almost pleading she said, “I got stuck in the snow and I’ve been trying to get out for the past half hour, but I can’t seem to budge my car and I’m already late for work”  I agreed and walked over, and after having a good look, I discovered her car was hung up on packed snow.  I grabbed her smaller shovel and started digging.

About 15 minutes later and thinking it was free enough, I said, “Just climb back in and drive slowly forward.”  She did and still no movement.  Getting down on my knees and getting a better look, I noticed the front carriage was what was being held fast by the packed snow. I worked a bit longer to where I believed I freed it up enough.  Distantly, I could hear her speaking on a cell, and when she hung up, she said, “I finally got ahold of my friend and he’s coming to get me out.”  I then said, “Let’s try it again, but this time, I’ll push from behind, but make sure you go slow and keep your wheels straight.”  She got in and did everything I asked while I pushed with all my strength from behind.  It actually worked!  She drove forward enough so she and I could get the packed snow out of her car’s path.

She couldn’t have thanked me enough and just as I was about to go back to what I was doing, her friend pulled up and climbed down from his “buck” pickup.  Taking one look at the size of him, I dare say he was brut enough to pick her car up and move it single- handedly. There’s always a bright note to every story, and my bright spot was finding that I could still dig someone out, and with a strong push, get a car out of a stuck position in spite of my ancient age.

Although there were few black spots in my day, there was a chance encounter with a young man who decided to tell me his short life story which brightened the remainder of my day.  It’s funny how simple public conversations, can in rare times, turn into deep philosophical debates.  After hearing a synopsis of his life’s journey, I was delighted to find a young man who’s barely turning thirty, beginning his backing away from all the must-haves that nearly everyone his age are insisting upon.  He announced his lack of ownership of a computer, a smart phone, a television, and above all, he enjoys reading and investigating.

He spoke about being lost and confused when younger until he finally realized what was important in his life.  He also mentioned a very bad relationship he was in for nearly a year with a woman who was draining him of his “life force”.  I finally interjected and said, “Those years were not years of being lost, but rather your times of darkness, and either you or someone else switched on you inner light by creating an illumination of your present world.”  He became a bit speechless and finally said, “You know, I’ve never looked at it that way, but you’re absolutely right.”  It was a conversation that was meant to take place.

My simple chat with him was what I’ll now consider to be the second time I’ve spoken about someone’s coming out of darkness and into the light.  Let’s all call it, Illumination Part II.