I had a really special day today with some first-time buyer clients of mine that I've been working with for about 3 weeks.  They're a young couple, soon to be married, and they're alot of fun to work with.  She owns her own catering business, and also works as a chef in a restaurant in the area.  He's an accountant and does a bit of traveling for a large firm.  They both have really neat personalities and a great sense of humor.

I met them because they contacted me regarding one of my listings here in Portsmouth that they had found online.  I showed them the house I had listed, and at the end of that showing, they let me know that although my listing was very nice, it was a little smaller than they wanted.  I asked them some qualifying questions, and they looked at each other, and then almost simultaneously said, "we like you, can you help us find a home?"  And thus our client relationship began.

I did find them a house, and we put it under agreement.  It's a great house, in the same neighborhood as my listing that they contacted me on.  Unfortunately, the home inspection revealed too many issues for them, and they chose to terminate that agreement.  We met in my office about the inspection report, and as they followed me into the conference room, he said to me, "we have good news and we have bad news".  The bad news was that they didn't want to go forward with the purchase of that house, and the good news was that they wanted to increase their price range. 

They were really bummed about the first house having the issues that it did, she was in particular because she fell in love with the kitchen.  I told them that "things happen for a reason, and it just means that we're going to find you an even better house".  By the time they left my office, they were in better spirits than when they arrived, and I felt really good about that.

Today was the day we resumed the search for a new home for them.  We met at the first house we were seeing today, a beautiful home in Stratham.  When they pulled up, she came bouncing out of the car, carrying two brightly colored gifts.  As she came over to me, she held out the 2 gifts and said, "We were afraid we weren't going to see you again before Christmas, so we wanted to make sure we got these to you."  They know I'm leaving Thursday to spend Christmas down in Florida with my family.

Anyway, she was so cute when she handed the gifts to me, she just made me smile and want to hug her!  We looked at the house, decided it was a great house for them, and then headed out for our next showing.  As I got back in the car, I saw the gifts she had given me, having forgotten about them while we were looking at the house.  Just seeing them, and thinking about the joy she showed in handing them to me and saying they wanted to make sure they got it to me before I left for Christmas, really touched me.  I was driving, leading the way to our next showing, and my eyes started watering, just thinking about how special alot of people really are. 

I get thank you notes and emails, thank you letters, and gifts periodically, but today, this gesture from these 2  great people just really touched me.  They always thank me for everything I do, and these are just things I normally do, things I consider my job for those I work with and for.  I guess all those small efforts really do make a difference to people!     

I didn't peek at the gifts until I got home, and I found some really nice yummy goodies they had given me.  A nice bottle of wine, and some beautiful yummy-smelling homemade brownies and candies.  How nice was that?

THIS is what makes my job that much more special - to touch people that way and to have them touch me with such sweet gestures is one of the great rewards in this business.  I LOVE my job, and I so appreciate the clients I get the great opportunity to work with, clients like this make selling homes here in Portsmouth and the surrounding area such a great joy and pleasure!  

Ann Cummings