Many of us reach a stage in life where we've had enough of the big house, and are looking forward to living life on a smaller scale. For those people, the change can be exciting --- less work to do often means more free time to have the fun we've been missing. But, this isn't true for everyone.
For many families, downsizing isn't a choice. Whether it's the loss of a job, illness or some other lighning bolt life throws at us, it's never good, and coping with it in front of our children is painful. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you're making other plans." All the platitudes in the world --- "think positively; this may be really good for you," or "God never gives us more than we can handle..." --- don't change the sadness and fear a family feels when the one thing they thought they could always count on is taken out from under them.
For me, being a Realtor isn't just about listing and selling homes, but about understanding the feelings and needs of a family about to embark on an experience that isn't always easy. Having strangers going through your home, day and night, while making less than flattering comments about it, can be unnerving. But, add to that the fear of where you go from here, and worse, will you be able to afford it, and, of course, worrying about your kids, and the stress can become overwhelming.
I'm always surprised and saddened by how little sympathy people seem to have for those who are losing their big luxury home. Losing a home is painful, and it shouldn't matter how big it is. A family has experienced all its joys and pain in those homes, and now they're faced with not just its loss, but an uncertain future.
Times like these make it harder to do what we do.
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