The third transaction that I loved was with a young school teacher. Her friends had bought a home with me, and they recommended me to her. She was so nervous, she seemed to be shaking when we met up.
The very first house she looked at was a great deal and she immediately put an offer on it. It 
received multiple offers and she was outbid. We went right back into the market and looked a handful of houses. Her famiy was in another state, so I was her only resource for buying a house. No relatives were close enough to give her advice along the way. The longer we worked together, the more comfortable we got with each other, and we soon became good friends.
More than once, I told her, "This is not the house for you," and she said, "OK," and we moved on. Being a young single woman, I tried to protect her from homes that had issues that would be more expensive than her budget could sustain. She was very comfortable with our relationship and she trusted my judgment. I guess I became a surrogate dad.
Finally, I found a great house for her. It was listed by a good friend whom I had done a favor for a few years before. When I called, she said an offer was coming in, but her sellers would entertain another offer. I explained the challenge she was having finding a home she could afford and that she had made numerous offers on other properties, only to be outbid each time.
The listing agent said if my client wanted the house, she would see to it that she got it. That's exactly what happened. She had a great offer anyway, but it was nice to know that a colleague would make things happen if we needed it. The sellers had also been in the market to buy and had been outbid multiple times. That gave them a great deal of sympathy for my client's challenge.
I helped my young buyer have a few things done to the house prior to moving in. For about a year, I was on her speed-dial for issues that came up with the home. Her mother had asked me if I would keep an eye on her, and I promised that I would. I kept a lockbox with a key to her house on the door for nearly a year. I'm sure I was in her home a dozen times over the first year checking on things, and I didn't mind at all. She was, and is, one of my favorite clients and we continue to get together. I receive texts and emails throughout the year and an occasional call. This really was one of my favorite deals.
This post is part of the It's February and Love is in the air! contest. Post #3.
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