Whatever happened to Spring? Here it’s the 6th of May and we’re nearly sweltering with this sudden jump in temperatures. It was 87 degrees Downtown this afternoon. Don’t get me wrong about the warm weather, because I do enjoy Summer—especially the mornings and evenings. With my being busier than normal these days, I haven’t had too much time to enjoy the outdoors as I would’ve liked, but we are all called to do our jobs when the busy times arrive. There’ve been a number of sales that have taken place out of our office these past 60 days and now with today’s sales, there’s two more being added to the sold list. I was supposed to list a home this afternoon, but the seller got behind on getting a few things done around the house so we had to schedule it for a later date. I was teasing one of my clients today about how I’ve been so very successful so far this year to where I’m back to the numbers I had when young and good looking. I said, “It looks like the home buying public is liking grey haired male Realtors this year.” In reality, I believe many in North Iowa have come to understand that Holtz Realty really does want the absolute best for them. No dramas, hidden agendas, or even popularity contests. Simply doing a good job without all the fanfare is what most people really want. I’m working with another agent on a transaction right now that has become nearly all what I’d expected—undue dramas. Nervously, I’m in great hopes it will get finalized. There’s little doubt I’ll be having a frank conversation with that agent after it’s all over and hopefully help with a learning curve.
Since I’ve been somewhat a collector of black and white photos over the years, I decided to start sharing them with the general public. I like photos that invoke thought while looking at them. When viewing at a given photo long enough, you sort of find yourself carried back to the time and place and want to ask the person or persons in the photo, “Why was this photo taken?” The above photo is one with a bit of mystery about it. I wondered why was a photo of this man taken out at the edge of a cornfield? The cornstalks look dry and already picked. He’s not wearing work clothes but rather looking more ready to take a drive into town to see what’s playing at the theatre. Standing behind barbed wire instead of in front of it causes me to wonder if he was visiting a neighbor and had crossed a field to get there. The way he’s holding his cigarette gives a clue of being a bit dramatic and sure of himself. The clothes he’s wearing look of the 1930’s or 1940’s vintage. They certainly didn’t have drop crotch slacks or hip huggers back then. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was his girlfriend taking the photo due to the way he’s standing in an attempt be all the more impressive. From the angle of the shot, it looks like he was standing on a small rise. Yes, the old black and white photos can be quite the visual conversation pieces.
I’ve been spending a number of hours showing homes in Forest City to a customer this past week and I’m almost to the point of begging every person who’s thinking of selling to just give me a one-time showing for a possible quick sale. It’s not that my buyer is so picky; it’s just that the right “fit” isn’t on the market right now. Holtz Realty is putting Forest City on high alert for a potential quick sale. I’ll be waiting for calls tomorrow.
