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A Cup For Every Saucer

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA

A cup for every saucer. A home for every buyer.Erica Ramus' post Who's the Buyer, reminding us that buyers may like a property even when we don't - and that's OK, reminded me of the first time I was a homebuyer.

My first house had been owned by only one family before me - and it was built in 1865.  It was sweet as can be and hadn't been updated.  It was everything I wanted in a house.

The owner of the house, an absolute dear, was in her 80s and lived alone.  It seemed that her nephews had been responsible for upkeep, etc.  and since they didn't live nearby I think they were tired of dealing with the house.

One day before I closed I went over to the house. One of the nephews was sitting on the front steps. "So," he asked, "what are you going to do with the house? Renovate?" "Oh no" I replied, "I like it just the way it is."

He looked at me skeptically and said "Well, I guess there's a cup for every saucer."

And he was right.  That house was the cup for my saucer - and that saying became one of my favorite ways to sum up home buying when I moved back to Cambridge and became a real estate agent.

It's a wonderful thing that there is a buyer for every house. As I tell sellers, your house won't be right for every buyer, but it will be perfect for one buyer.

And what fun our job is - to help find that cup for their saucer. 

 

 _________________________________________________

 Elizabeth Bolton, a Cambridge real estate agent, helps home buyers and sellers make that perfect match in the Massachusetts communities of Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Medford, Belmont, Watertown and nearby. 

 

Photo courtesy of: http://www.angelfire.com/art/catteacorner

Comments (11)

Renee L. Norton
Birmingham, AL

What a great analogy.  I'll have to remember this one.

Mar 24, 2009 02:47 PM
Connie Lou Barnett
Real Living/Home Realty - Owensboro, KY
GRI,CRS,CRB,SRMM,ARA,PRS,SFR,QSC

I had never heard that one before but it is so true. I'll share that one with my friends.

Mar 24, 2009 02:51 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Wonderful metaphor!  And pretty cup and saucer, by the way!

Mar 24, 2009 03:10 PM
Elizabeth Bolton
RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA
Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Renee & Connie ~ It always stuck in my mind - I really thinks it sums things up perfectly.

Hi Pat! I looked long and hard for a pretty cup and saucer photo actually - thanks!

Mar 24, 2009 03:21 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

LIz - what a great analogy to remember. But I think it is so true. I had had a number of buyers that decided on a home that they really like that was a total surprise. You just never know, and we should stear clear of making assumptions.

Jeff

Mar 24, 2009 04:27 PM
John Mayer
Oikos Realty, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach Florida - Cocoa Beach, FL
Your Beach Area Expert

Liz - Thanks for sharing a wonderful story and contributing to my group "Stories, People and Photos".

Mar 24, 2009 05:02 PM
Andrea Swiedler
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties - New Milford, CT
Realtor, Southern Litchfield County CT

That is wonderful! Better than the expression that I have always used, which, I won't post here and will now borrow your phrase!

Thank you.

Mar 24, 2009 11:28 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

What a nice blog.  I've said before that we need to keep our mouths shut when showing houses.  We may hate the purple bedroom but the people we are showing may love it!!  I have to remind myself of this often!

Mar 26, 2009 02:07 AM
Russel Ray, San Diego Business & Marketing Consultant & Photographer
Russel Ray - San Diego State University, CA

My wise old grandmother used to say that. It's a great phrase but one that is not used much since everyone seems to get their coffee at Starbucks nowadays. This up-and-coming generation probably doesn't have any idea what a cup and saucer is. When my wise old grandmother died, we each got something from her priceless China. I chose a cup and saucer. I really should get it out of its box and put it somewhere.

Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories.

Mar 27, 2009 10:44 AM
Elizabeth Bolton
RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA
Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Jeff ~ And I'm one of them! I bought a condo that was the antithesis of everything I  love about houses. But it worked at the time.

You bet John! I think "Stories, People and Photos" is a great topic for a group.

Hi Andrea ~ Oh you've got to tell me what your expression is!

Mar 31, 2009 05:29 PM
Elizabeth Bolton
RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA
Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Barbara ~ Me too! Funny - I can remember years ago (as a looky-loo) wondering why the agent had so little to say about the houses we were in - now I know!

Hi Russel ~ I love all of your stories about your wise old grandmother.  I also love old fashioned words and phrases.  I try to continue all of my family's favorites. I have a colleague who's the same way and we get a real charge out of discovering new oldies but goodies that we hadn't heard before.

Mar 31, 2009 05:32 PM