MOVIN' ON
Many of you ask me why your neighbor is moving. Some of you, with an incredulous look, say, “How could anyone ever leave this sunny California weather?” So, I thought you’d enjoy a few interesting true stories about my clients who’ve moved on this last year, where they moved to and why. You will relate to some and think some are nuts but, hopefully; I’ll answer some of your questions. I will use fictitious names to protect their privacy.
First of all, it’s hard to call them just “clients” because we become friends as I get to protect them through this life changing process called selling their home. From the first call when they want to know what to do to present the house better, to staging their home, to hearing their family story, to negotiating the offer and saying good-bye, it is all very emotional for them. They seem relieved when I assure them that all their feelings are normal. (“Gee, are we doing the right thing, oh, my gosh, we’ve been here forever, oh, I’ll miss…... how do I get rid of all this stuff accumulated all these years?”). The truth is everyone goes through all this to some degree. It’s usually the biggest decision people make in their lives and often the biggest financial one. Mostly what motivates them is a hunger to have more free time with their family, less driving in the congestion, more land and a more affordable cost of living.
I call this scenario the drama of real estate and if I ever have time to write a book, my observations of some of these wonderful folks will be in it, watching them as they go through these big decisions. Let’s take Joe and Mary Smith for example. A professional couple, highly educated. They have lots of relatives in a small town in Ohio and go back part of each summer to fish, swim in the lakes, and be with family. They wanted their son, now entering junior college to be in the midst of “mid-western values” in those important years. Also college is less expensive in the mid west. The Dad was up to his neck with a mortgage here that would probably never be paid off. They had enough good old California equity to sell and buy cash there. After several trips back, and after we did the math, they made the big step. The found a home over 3000 square feet there so affordable that they could pay cash from the proceeds of the house here. Of course, to their delight, it backs a deer preserve and is on several acres. Anyway, this highly professional, charming man was so relieved the night I brought him a good offer on the home here, that he told me later it was the best night’s sleep he’d had in months knowing that from now on the financial pressure would be over. Forever. He hadn’t realized how much it had all been bothering him until then. When I called to see if they had arrived safely in Ohio, he was standing in the street as the moving van arrived in the small town. He sounded choked up. I thought, “Uh-oh, what’s wrong?” He said, “Ann, when the van pulled in, the neighbors began to stream out of their homes, bringing food to welcome us. They helped us unload, too.” Welcome to small town America. Since 9/11, by the way, lots of my seller’s have said, “We’re going home”. We need family for our kids to grow up near.
Indeed, adjusting your finances can really lift your spirits and your outlook on life. Take Bill and Suzy Jones. They’d only been in their home here 4-5 years but gained enough equity to pay cash for a gorgeous 3500 square foot, brand new home in Las Vegas. What, no state taxes? They can now afford to save, travel, and have more time together.
Two of my widowed clients last year chose to move out of state to be near friends rather than face the future alone here. They said they felt safer in a small town. A third one is retiring to a cozy one story condo in the Huntington Landmark retirement community…just blocks away where she’ll still be near her church and friends here. She also can pay cash with her proceeds. Another delightful family recently got rid of their large home and its huge mortgage and moved all the way to, well, downtown Huntington Beach where they are renting for awhile enjoying not having all the responsibility of home ownership and walking on the beach often. They’ll buy later after they decide where to downsize. And, for some happy reason, I’ve sold a slug of houses for firemen. It pleases me no end to be their realtor since they are my heroes. There’s nothing as much fun as hearing from the a couple who retired to Palm Springs area and are having a ball decorating their new home and playing golf to their hearts content.
But I digress. Another young couple is moving to Austin Texas to a newer home on 2 acres with a stream running through it. Their home here doubled in value the 4 years they’ve owned it. So we have down-sizing, up-sizing, whatever. Life is short, they tell me, and folks don’t want to be a slave to their mortgage or feel trapped by it. There are choices in life and they have chosen to be pro-active. It’s springtime in Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, wherever. “Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high.” And as the packing boxes arrive, these folks are movin’ on leaving behind the shackles of high mortgages. Free at last.
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“Use life to provide something that outlasts it.”
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this…you haven’t.”
“Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.” (Brendan Behan)
“Always remember that you’re unique. Just like everyone else.”
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.”
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
“Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield.”
“A closed mouth gathers no foot.”
“The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
First of all, it’s hard to call them just “clients” because we become friends as I get to protect them through this life changing process called selling their home. From the first call when they want to know what to do to present the house better, to staging their home, to hearing their family story, to negotiating the offer and saying good-bye, it is all very emotional for them. They seem relieved when I assure them that all their feelings are normal. (“Gee, are we doing the right thing, oh, my gosh, we’ve been here forever, oh, I’ll miss…... how do I get rid of all this stuff accumulated all these years?”). The truth is everyone goes through all this to some degree. It’s usually the biggest decision people make in their lives and often the biggest financial one. Mostly what motivates them is a hunger to have more free time with their family, less driving in the congestion, more land and a more affordable cost of living.
I call this scenario the drama of real estate and if I ever have time to write a book, my observations of some of these wonderful folks will be in it, watching them as they go through these big decisions. Let’s take Joe and Mary Smith for example. A professional couple, highly educated. They have lots of relatives in a small town in Ohio and go back part of each summer to fish, swim in the lakes, and be with family. They wanted their son, now entering junior college to be in the midst of “mid-western values” in those important years. Also college is less expensive in the mid west. The Dad was up to his neck with a mortgage here that would probably never be paid off. They had enough good old California equity to sell and buy cash there. After several trips back, and after we did the math, they made the big step. The found a home over 3000 square feet there so affordable that they could pay cash from the proceeds of the house here. Of course, to their delight, it backs a deer preserve and is on several acres. Anyway, this highly professional, charming man was so relieved the night I brought him a good offer on the home here, that he told me later it was the best night’s sleep he’d had in months knowing that from now on the financial pressure would be over. Forever. He hadn’t realized how much it had all been bothering him until then. When I called to see if they had arrived safely in Ohio, he was standing in the street as the moving van arrived in the small town. He sounded choked up. I thought, “Uh-oh, what’s wrong?” He said, “Ann, when the van pulled in, the neighbors began to stream out of their homes, bringing food to welcome us. They helped us unload, too.” Welcome to small town America. Since 9/11, by the way, lots of my seller’s have said, “We’re going home”. We need family for our kids to grow up near.
Indeed, adjusting your finances can really lift your spirits and your outlook on life. Take Bill and Suzy Jones. They’d only been in their home here 4-5 years but gained enough equity to pay cash for a gorgeous 3500 square foot, brand new home in Las Vegas. What, no state taxes? They can now afford to save, travel, and have more time together.
Two of my widowed clients last year chose to move out of state to be near friends rather than face the future alone here. They said they felt safer in a small town. A third one is retiring to a cozy one story condo in the Huntington Landmark retirement community…just blocks away where she’ll still be near her church and friends here. She also can pay cash with her proceeds. Another delightful family recently got rid of their large home and its huge mortgage and moved all the way to, well, downtown Huntington Beach where they are renting for awhile enjoying not having all the responsibility of home ownership and walking on the beach often. They’ll buy later after they decide where to downsize. And, for some happy reason, I’ve sold a slug of houses for firemen. It pleases me no end to be their realtor since they are my heroes. There’s nothing as much fun as hearing from the a couple who retired to Palm Springs area and are having a ball decorating their new home and playing golf to their hearts content.
But I digress. Another young couple is moving to Austin Texas to a newer home on 2 acres with a stream running through it. Their home here doubled in value the 4 years they’ve owned it. So we have down-sizing, up-sizing, whatever. Life is short, they tell me, and folks don’t want to be a slave to their mortgage or feel trapped by it. There are choices in life and they have chosen to be pro-active. It’s springtime in Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, wherever. “Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high.” And as the packing boxes arrive, these folks are movin’ on leaving behind the shackles of high mortgages. Free at last.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
“Use life to provide something that outlasts it.”
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this…you haven’t.”
“Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.” (Brendan Behan)
“Always remember that you’re unique. Just like everyone else.”
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.”
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
“Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield.”
“A closed mouth gathers no foot.”
“The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
posted by Ann Baker, Realtor at
6:38 PM
