Dear Joan,
I just want to thank you again for all the work, help and most importantly guidance in selling my house in Brentwood. It was a true pleasure and help having you as my partner. When I met you over 13 years ago as the seller’s agent for the Brentwood house I ended up buying, I remember being impressed with you even as the person from “the other team” as it were. I literally remember thinking during that initial transaction “Why does she seem so much more on top of things than my agent?” It turns out the answer was because that’s what you do. You stay on top of and often ahead of things! I saved your contact information in case I ever needed a realtor in the area. So my buying agent for that same house is still around, but I called and signed up with you. Why? As stated, you impressed me.
Now flash forward to the end of summer 2014 and I am on the fence about selling my house. It’s too big, traffic in Los Angeles is getting worse by the day and on an on were my reasons for even thinking about selling, all countered by my love of the house, the area and the neighbors. In our initial meeting then, you totally understood what I was saying and gave me the slack and advice I needed to decide whether to list the house. I decided it was time for a new adventure.
So buying and selling a house today is a LOT different than when I bought the Brentwood house in the early 2000s. The banks are cagey, the buyers even more so and it was a buyer’s market in my area despite media reports to the contrary. There were a few houses in the area listed. Some sold quickly, many sat for a while. You told me what I needed to have done to improve our selling chances and I took the advice.
You drew up the marketing plan and hit the ground running. The house was under contract very quickly. That deal went pretty far along but the buyers, a young unmarried couple who were absolutely solid candidates got cold feet. First time house buyer fears I guess.
You called and gave me that news as I was parking across the street from the escrow company office dropping off my signed docs. I was a bit bummed but the prospect of having to live in Los Angeles in Brentwood was hardly torture so I decided I didn’t really care one way or the other.
You said to me verbatim “onward and upward” and you got right back to work that day. That same night night you called me about showings over the next few days. Amazing. The house again went under a new contract very quickly with another couple who had kids. That deal finally went through but it wasn’t easy! The buyer had a crisis or two they had to deal with. One of them was out of town and had to have papers flown to them in NY to be signed, the bank wanted the appraisal done again even though it appraised perfectly fine and a dozen other things came up. The buyer’s agent was operating at minimal effort for some reason and you had to push to get updates.
I could go into more and more detail but I’ll say this, I ALWAYS felt you had my back and the skills, all the skills, to get it done. You did get it done. Nothing was more important to me than that feeling.
Joan, you are the bar every realtor I ever deal with again must meet. That won’t be easy. I hope 2015 is the best year ever for you in all ways.