Bittersweet involves feelings of happiness and sadness at the same time! When thinking of bittersweet, I only wish it could be related to chocolate!
I would like to think that each and every one of my transactions is a wonderful experience. Buyers get their beautiful new home. Sellers moving to a better home, a bigger home, a new baby needs their own room, a move for a job promotion, retiring to paradise or moving to be near children. Just like they have planned for many years!
Not every closing we go to is a happy one. Sometimes sellers come to the table due to a financial disaster, other times, an illness or loss of a spouse. and other times a loss of a job. Some settlements are bittersweet.
This is the case with a recent short sale. The buyers were getting a terrific home, a price they could afford and just perfect for their family situation. I wanted to be so happy for them and I was.
But on the other hand the sellers had just lost their home, their dreams, the home that they worked so hard for. Many years of love, sweat and tears went into their special home.
But now we were sitting at the closing table after many months of trying to sell in a declining market with numerous medical and personal problems including a family death.
Instead of tears of joy..there were just tears. It was bittersweet. Yes they were thankful (as thankful as one can be with a short sale) and took time to even write me a wonderful note of appreciation.
Reading one of Elizabeth Weintraub's blogs, she feels the same way:
"It's the last time I will see some of my sellers because maybe they live out of the area or are moving away. The closings are bittersweet. On the one hand, I'd say my sellers are grateful that I have performed a service for them that not every agent can do. My short sale closings are not like regular real estate closings." I am thankful for my real estate career!
Some settlements are bittersweet!
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