I'm Glad it Was Only a Dream

At 3:53 this morning, I woke in a sweat from a disturbing dream akin to a combination of the television show, “Shark Tank,” and the children’s movie, “Alice in Wonderland.”

At the dream's beginning, I was with a couple I have worked with off and on over the years.  In real life, I had sold them their first home, they had moved up twice, and they also had bought rental homes.

In the dream, they had driven by a house with a For Sale sign.  They were interested!  The home was not listed in the MLS.  When I called the number on the sign, I reached an agent, who was unwilling to share whether the home was a conventional seller, a foreclosure, or a short-sale.  And she would not provide a price.  When I inquired about showing instructions, I was told there was no lockbox, and that a one-hour time period had been calendared for all interested buyers to view the property with their agents at once.

My clients and I attended the calendared viewing of the home.  I noted there were two other sets of buyers also present with their agents. 

The house was clean.  It appeared occupied with furniture and a few telltale signs.  There were clothes in the closets, a tube of toothpaste and toothbrush on a bathroom counter.   I was taking notes during the viewing on a yellow legal pad, a practice, in the awaken world, I have never done.  At least not during an initial showing.  But in the dream, another agent asked to borrow my pencil.  After the loss of the pencil, I set to memory the home was vintage, 1890s or so.  Originally it had been given a delightful design.  However, over the years it had endured additions and alterations.  These changes had been carried out in a quirky dysfunctional way. 

During the viewing, my Mrs. Client kept saying she was hungry. 

As we neared the end of viewing session, the listing team began shuttling the three sets of buyers and their agents, out the back door, into a canvas tunnel and on into a tent.  There were chairs, but not enough for everyone to sit.  Once everyone had either found a chair or at least found standing ground, the leader of the listing team addressed each homebuyer, “Are you buying?”  The tone of the question, coupled with the unusual marketing methods of this property, had my clients and I wondering exactly what was meant.  I spoke up, and said, “Are you asking if we are still interested in buying this house?”  The response, “No, we want to know if you are buying it!”

All other buyers quickly said, “Yes.”  I deduced from the fact that they couldn’t ALL buy the house, then we could safely say “Yes” at that stage also, since nothing was on written contract.  I hoped to keep us in the game until more answers about the property would be revealed.

It was about that time, my Mrs. Client informs she has ordered a sandwich at the café next door.  She asks if I will go pick it up.

Although I was uncomfortable leaving my clients behind at the house while picking up a sandwich, I did so.  The line at the café was long.  Finally, with the sandwich in hand, I returned to the house and worked my way around trying to again find my clients.  All to no avail! 

The listing team approached me, handed me my pencil back, and informed me they had found new representation for my clients.   I was strangely relieved because the bazaar happenings made me feel like I had fallen down a rabbit hole. 

After I woke, I realized the listing team was similar to individuals who show up on “Shark Tank.”  They have a product.  At first we know little about the product.  But the potential “buyers” (potential investors) of the product on “Shark Tank” are the panel.  They begin to ask questions.  They want to know how much can be made from the product.  They’re interested in determining its performance and real value.  They’re interested in risk.  They dissect the product to ponder if it is where they want to put their money as business investment and enterprise. 

Home buying is similar to that!  We want to know the cost of the home.  Is it valued properly?  Is it structurally sound?  How are the schools?  Is it a neighborhood likely to sustain value and build equity?   Homebuyers usually want to know the answers to these questions and often more, before acknowledging they will buy.

Fortunately, I have not ever encountered the scenario laid out in my dream.  But, it had me wondering if such a scene could be lurking out there on the horizon.  Real estate professionals have experienced many unusual circumstances these past few years.  These things were never dreamed of in the marketplace even a decade ago.  The real estate arena is an ever evolving canvas.

As I sit here this morning, in front of my keyboard typing this blog, I think there must be a reason I feel a compulsion to visit the costume shop in Old Sacramento, to pick up a Mad Hatter’s hat!  And, perhaps a rubber shark for my desk too!  But first I will be signing up for my continuing education classes.  I wonder if a course is offered in “Shark Tank” and “Alice in Wonderland.”