Here's a deal unlike any I've ever experienced in 20 years of real estate service, that still bring tears to my eyes and warms my soul like no other. The following story is true, and it happened on Veteran's Day!
On October 12th, 2009 my old Coast Guard shipmate, and long time friend Larry Howard said good-bye to this world following a long, noble battle with a rare intestinal cancer. But, before he passed he had two request of me: One - to stand up and speak for him at his memorial, and the other was to handle the sale of his home for his estate.
On the day of Larry's memorial, I honored Larry's life choking through the tears and insighting laughter while speaking to the 100 or so family and friends gathered at the Carlsbad Church Larry attended most Sundays. I recounted our 30-year friendship, how we went our separate ways, and how we reunited 15 years later. I also spoke about his home, where he frequently hosted family and friends for weekend BBQ's, and the emotional story of how it almost didn't come to be.
When Larry was ready to buy a home he asked for my help. Being a passionate, life long surfer, he wanted, no, needed to be closer to the coast. Specifically - Oceanside, CA. It didn't take long before we found, what was to ultimately be, his final resting place on Seafarer Drive. We weren't three steps into the property before he turned to me and said, "Let's make an offer!" So we did, and got it accepted that same day.
Two weeks before we were scheduled to close, the sellers said they wanted to cancel the deal, that they had changed their minds and were having seller's remorse. Their own Realtor couldn't talk them out of it, so Larry began to lose faith that the home he had fallen in love with, wasn't meant to be.
There was no way I would allow failure without a battle. I told Larry not to give up hope, and with the listing agent's approval, went directly to the sellers and effectively "persuaded them" that this was no longer their home. We closed escrow on time, and Larry was eternally home.
A few weeks after Larry passed, his family approached me to consult with them regarding the sale, at which point I designed an action plan to prepare the home. We were just finishing some of the final touches in preparation when the sign went up. I remember seeing the tears in Larry's mother's eyes when she first saw the for sale sign on her son's home - her home away from home.
It was a Tuesday, the day before Veteran's Day, and I had just finished editing the photos for the listing when I received a call from a local agent. She said that her clients had seen the sign down the street from their parents, and they had been targeting that area for quite some time. I told her it would be in the MLS that night, when she asked if they could see it right away? "The lock-box is on the front door, go right ahead", I replied.
Later that evening she called, and told me that they would have an offer to me the very next morning - Veteran's Day. The offer came in above full price with a touching, heart-felt letter from the buyers. It read, that he had heard the seller was a veteran, and that he too is a veteran. He and his wife immediately fell in love with the home, much like Larry did. They had been looking for just such a home near their parents for quite some time, submitting offers, but were always out-bid. He went on to say, that it would be a dream come true to have their offer accepted on Veteran's Day. There were even more remarkable factors that made this offer very special. You see, my friend Larry and I served in the Coast Guard together. The buyer is a veteran as well. The buyer's agent is the widow of a veteran, and, they were using a VA loan for an offer that was submitted & accepted on Veteran's Day!
Several more buyer calls came in that morning, but Larry's sister Cindy happily, and tearfully accepted the veteran's offer on behalf of Larry and the family by noon. We successfully closed 30 days later.
I felt a strong sense of faith that Larry and perhaps a divine power were working together to affect this most extraordinary outcome on that Veterans Day!
Robert Sizer & Larry Howard RIP (10/27/58 - 10/12/09)
P.S. Larry Howard was a good, generous man who had a strong sense of family & community, serving his country at the highest level in the United States Coast Guard ~ Semper Paratus my friend ~ Always Ready!
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