What was the strangest thing I ever included to make a sale?

Years ago my late friend, Hubert Williams and I sold a used $15,000.00 sail boat for $400,000.00, but we threw in a large cottage over looking Lake Michigan!

After a four hour drive we arrived at the cottage a few minutes after our client. We found her overlooking the dock and boat 200 feet below. Hubert explained that the dock and parking area below were part of the property and asked if she'd like to see them first. We drove our car down to the lake. The lady loved the sail boat tied to the dock, I asked her if she wanted the cottage if the seller would include the boat. Hubert and I stopped talking. We waited, then she said yes! I wrote up a full price offer and included the boat by it's registration number. I passed the one page form to our lady in the back seat she read every word then handed it back unsigned. Before I could say something stupid she said put in the boat's name, I did. She signed the offer and a very large deposit check to my trust account.

We very nervously drove back to show the cottage. While Hubert was retrieving the keys from his brief case our lady climbed into the back of her limo and left.

A week after the closing she called Hubert from her car. She found the dock and her sail boat, but didn't know which cottage she'd bought.

(The story is part of Chapter 39 of my book "One House At A Time / Finding And Buying Single Family Rentals")

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute