I took the lead following reading Ardell's Seattle Real Estate Blog: http://www.searchingseattleblog.com/
To tell you a story, just one of many, about how "we" are deeply moved by our clients, and their lives and families.
The story begins with a spry beautiful lady contacting me thru e-mail. Full of humor, she lets me know she and her husband are in their 80's are are ready to move closer to their son in my hometown. They had a 2 story house on acreage out in the country, and just wanted to be close to family as they get older.
We go out looking at houses one day. Mrs. L was absolutely wonderful, found good in every house we entered. Each one would work she said, until we got to the next house and she liked that better. Mr. L was ready to please Mrs, and willing to do whatever she wanted. I witnessed a wonderful love between the two of them. Married over 60 years is a feat all by itself, but to be so kind and still loving to eachother, that was a true gift to witness. Their grown son was with us and they joked and laughed all the way thru our house hunting trip.
By chance we were driving by a house that wasn't on my list. It had just gone on the MLS that morning and I just hadn't pulled it off during my late night tour print-out. But its near their son's home. We must see it. It was on broker tour. The agent greeted us at the door by saying "sorry we already have 2 offers and I'm not even sure why I'm holding it open." (yes in the day of multiple offers within hours!) We looked around anyway, if nothing else I thought, to show them what homes in this area look like, and how much they cost. It was within their price range and I could tell by the looks on both of their faces as we left, that this WAS the house. They said too bad it has 2 offers. I said to heck with it, let's write it up.
We did. We got the house. I negotiated a new roof and several small repairs to make it easy for them to move in and not worry about a thing. They moved in. Mr. L loved gardening and loved birds and in the first two months created his nirvana in that backyard. I would hear the stories about how mad his family would get at him when at 86 he was still going on the roof to inspect it, to install a chimney cap, and single handedly built a garden shed. Boy was he active, much to the chagrin of his family who always told him to slow down. I don't "slow" was in Mr. L's vocabulary. In fact, he still worked his day job - as a traveling salesman.
Within 4 months of them living there, one night Mr. L got up, and unexpectedly died. That was it. Fine one minute, gone the next. I offered to take care of the grandkids during the arrangements they needed to make. I offered whatever I could. In spite of her grief, Mrs. L never stopped saying how grateful she was they found me, that I found them this house (even though it was more like fate that found us this house), etc. The whole family was grateful they were nearby, and now mom was near enough to be looked after. Thankful she was now in a smaller, single level home where she could stay for a long time.
That is just one of many stories, Ardell is right, we don't just SELL homes.
The very touching twist to this, is that Mrs. L has now reunited with her high school sweetheart! Can you imagine, more than 60 years later? The word is that she's living happily ever after.
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