Three Hundred And Sixty-Four Days
It was a delightful Saturday morning with the cooler temps and slightly overcast skies which afforded me time to get some much-needed outdoor work done which entailed pulling and cutting weeds, trimming branches and picking a half dozen ripened red bell peppers. My gosh I can't believe how large they'd become in such a short period of time. I've actually come to the conclusion that peppers and tomatoes really do enjoy the heat, and especially if the nights are warm. They're still blossoming away, so if we didn't have the inevitable killing frosts, they'd likely be bearing thru Christmas.
As the Noon hour was in sight, I called it quits and went back to office to change my clothes and head out and take some new photos of my listing at 1715 N. Delaware, and only because the owner went ahead and did some additional decorating and tidying up. Once I had those replaced, it was the hour for me to head over to a home and meet with a relative who was referred to me, just so I could give him some ideas on what needs to be done before the home is listed.
Once I had everything looked at, I proceeded to go over a few things which I considered problematic, which he was receptive to having remedied. Of course once I realized his family connections, I couldn't help going down memory lane with him. Oh my goodness! Isn't it interesting how we can remember things we thought were long forgotten, and then 'wham', the old news reels start turning and it all comes rushing forward in technicolor. Since I've known one of his family members for a very long time, I promised to give the absolute best service possible.
If the home is priced within its range, I'm relatively confident the home will sell quickly, and only because of its quality of construction and higher-end updates. For sure, there'd likely be nothing a person would have to do with it, other than possibly changing paint colors, just so a buyer can feel like it's his or her 'home'. Over these many years, I've always found it interesting when later hearing many of the new owners had rooms re-painted that had already been given fresh coats of something neutral prior to listing.
When I arrived back at office, I proceeded to email the seller all the comparable sales I'd found while researching late yesterday, just so he could see for himself the reason I'd given him a ballpark range of pricing. Since there's really not that much to be done before it's listed, I'm confident it'll most likely hit the market in the next week or two. Yes, it's one heck of a well-built and exceptionally well-cared for home.
My next appointment was to meet up with the new buyer of the home I just sold, just so she could have her extended family see it who happened to be in town for the day. Since I've worked with a number of them over the years, I felt as though I was in the midst of a family reunion with me included. I was not surprised to find all of her relatives liking it, which put the buyer more at ease.
The last appointment/meeting for the day, was to catch up with an old client who'd asked if I'd have time this weekend to meet over a cup of coffee, so I plugged her in for a five-thirty over at the dining area of Hy-Vee West where we both ordered Starbucks from their kiosk and then went and found a more private table where we could visit more freely. Since we've shared many joys and sorrows over these many years, I figured she wanted talk to me in person about something that required my honest opinion. Of course I already knew some of the bits and pieces of what she was telling me, but today I got the whole package laid out in a chronological order which deeply saddened me.
First off, until today, I didn't know the results and subsequent impacts that were created for her when one of her siblings so mean-spiritedly went behind her back and purposely destroyed a generational legacy which her parents had worked so hard to create. For some time I'd been aware of the deep jealousies that lingered between her siblings, but never would I have thought one of them would be that callous.
To my surprise, in an emotionless tone, she announced that for the first time in her life, she now deeply hates her sibling along with several other non-relatives who were involved, and so much so, she's hoping they all die soon, just so she can stop hating them because it's already been 364 days since it all began. Having known how loving and forgiving she's been, those words hit me as if I were a ship being fully broad-sided.
Pretty much all I did was listen while learning more about the dark secrets of her family, until she finally finished and then poignantly asked, "Do you think I'm now on a fast-track to the gates of Hell because of my newly acquired deep hatreds of others?" After a short reflective pause, I proceed to tell her that considering the degree of hatred purposely directed at her by a number of her siblings and especially the one who destroyed a legacy, she's likely unknowingly absorbed some of it, and new she's redirecting it back on those responsible, so in my mind, she's basically holding up the 'mirror' and sending all what was un-deserved, right back upon them, so in the end, I assured her that the hatreds she feels were not created by her, so now she has to get it all channeled back, and perhaps after it's all out of her system, she'll be fine. After my soulful explanation of what likely caused her current condition, I could sense a great yoke being lifted from her shoulders. While walking out to our cars, I couldn't help adding, "You're the first hateful person I've come across who's told me a hatred would be extinguished once a hated person dies, which is one more confirmation the hate you feel, was created by a hater and sent in your direction." She now fully understands.
Tonight's One-liner is: Self-made people are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.