Lisa Von Domek is hosting our February challenge in ActiveRain “It’s February and love is in the air.” We are sharing some of our best-loved transactions which I find easy to do. This is my third entry into the contest.
Sometimes there are people that come along in life that you remember more than others for many reasons. In our business my role as a Realtor® is to serve others and help them either buy or sell their home. I take my profession seriously and think of myself as a good communicator and listener.
I met with a seller in 2013 whose husband had passed away a few years before and she made the decision to sell her home after much thought and consultation with her children. Her children did not live in Austin and she wanted to move to a new apartment complex that was under construction. She placed a deposit on a perfect place on the lower level backing to a lovely court yard. She was ready to downsize to a more manageable space. At 87 Geraldine was full of spunk, went out to lunch and dinner with friends, loved having her kids and grandkids visit and still volunteered downtown at the Dell’s Children Hospital one day a week! You couldn’t help but admire her sunny, witty disposition and intelligent conversation (she kept up with what was going on in the world).
It was time for the kids and grandkids come and take what they wanted because she had 50 years of accumulations! She did not use the computer so I knew I would be meeting with her for all paper work. I contacted her children and orchestrated times for them to come and make their selections which they were great about as they wanted her to get the home sold and move. After they took what they wanted there was still so much stuff! I came over several days and helped her sort things into piles taking away things to donate and packing things to take and her children made trips down to help too. Finally the house was ready to be cleaned and I brought things over to stage we could get on market.
I had an open house and the home sold! It was going to be perfect timing. Repairs were negotiated, appraisal completed and closing set. I had a call from her daughter..they had come down to celebrate Geraldine’s 88 birthday and she collapsed and they called 911. Geraldine had a heart attack! It set her back 5 weeks but she came through rehab beautifully, the buyers extended closing and we scheduled movers and cleaning people so she could be out in time for closing. I picked her up and drove her to closing and it was like she never just suffered a heart attack. She laughed and joked through closing and she couldn’t wait to get settled in her new 2 bedroom apartment!
I’ll always remember Geraldine, she passed away a few years ago and she was having fun right up to another heart attack that reunited her with her husband. I learned working with seniors can be so inspiring!
Life is a song – sing it
Life is a game – play it
Life is a challenge – meet it
Life is a dream – realize it
Life is a sacrifice – offer it
Life is love – enjoy it
………………………..SaiBaba
