Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, I appreciate your honesty, even if the truth hurts a little.

I just spent good part of a day with the loveliest buyers from a  Northern state with cold, gray winters.  They were looking for a place to purchase for their upcoming retirement in a few years. Both were looking for a milder climate. They had seen several episodes of HGTV showing the beautiful coastal Southern cities of Savannah, Charleston, and my lovely town of Wilmington, NC. They decided to check out these cities on a week long road trip.  After a month or two of phone conversations and emails, I lined up an itinerary of beautiful homes that fit their criteria.  They had all their finances in order.  We were both excited to meet and search for their dream retirement home.

We piled into the car and toured 5 beautiful properites.  I had an opportunity to play "real-tour" and show them a few sights...the beautiful beaches, our grand lifestyle mall, some historical sites, our museums and gardens.  During the course of the day, the couple revealed that they skipped a tour of one of the cities and had called the realtor to tell him to cancel their showing appointments.  They knew from the get-go that this particular city wasn't the place for them.

At the end of the day, we recapped the homes I'd shown.  Sheepishly, they admitted that the South just wasn't what they expected.  They confessed to their terror of hurricanes. They expected the scenery to be just like the episodes of HGTV.  Unfortunately,just like every city including their own, there are pockets that just aren't all that pretty.  It was much more humid than they were prepared for.  Our southern cities just didn't have the scenery they hoped for.  It just wasn't their paradise.

Thankfully, they were honest and said they were going to continue to look for the locale that best suited them.  Some would be upset.  I was grateful.  How many times have we made phone call after phone call, sent numerous emails and personal notes, only to get no response or a vague tempting promise for the future?  I, for one, would much rather know the truth.  Wasting time is a luxury I just don't have.  So, thank you Mr. and Mrs. Buyer for not wasting my time and telling me the truth.  I hope all of my buyers feel as comfortable as you did.  I can handle the truth, I promise.  My time is a valuable asset and I appreciate your respect.