waiting, waiting, anticipating
My renewed writings will not only be about real estate and the selling of my property, however, but it has also been such a dominate factor in my life for the last 6 years I am compelled to write about it...
My renewed writings will not only be about real estate and the selling of my property, however, but it has also been such a dominate factor in my life for the last 6 years I am compelled to write about it...
As I am waiting for that one buyer to present themselves, I began to think about the emotional differences between buying and selling. Of course, there are no truly universal truths and there is euphoria when the sale closes, but that euphoria is different than the pleasure of buying as it is more akin to relief.
Buying real estate or, for that matter, buying anything is such an emotionally positive act. It is the ultimate culmination of your thoughts. This applies to even the simplest of purchases.
Not everyone is fortunate to buy a piece of real estate whether it be a home, building, land so let’s assume you are going to buy anything—maybe a shirt, a dress, a pair of shoes, food, etc. It is the culmination of positive thoughts and desires. Investing is a positive act that is a demonstration of one’s research and understanding of the possibilities of making something or someone better through one’s support, whether financial or emotional. But selling—now that is a different act altogether.
I have made my property available for sale for many years. The fact that it has not sold yet is a subject of future commentaries. What I was mostly struck with today was the waiting. A group looked at the property the other day. By all accounts, it is a property that fits their needs. So, now I sit and wait for their next step. They may never make another step or that next step may take weeks or months. What is personally challenging is the waiting and the lack of any substantive information.
Moving on to the subject of an Introduction to this blog….
A few years ago, I donated a weekend at my ranch to a charity in Marin County. The item was purchased by 6 women who used it as a weekend get-a-way. During the weekend I hosted a dinner for them to provide a forum for a discussion about their lives and life. I asked them to tell me what they felt was their greatest accomplishment other than their children.
This question gave them great pause as they searched their memory bank for the things they felt were accomplishments. I had a birthday last week. Since we are in a social lockdown during the pandemic, which baffles our inept government, my children sent me a video for my birthday. The basis of which was the edited version of the Dire Straits song Money for Nothing, followed by singular wishes for a happy birthday. I realized that my question to these women was really unfair. Money, titles, and awards of various sorts pile up in our lives and yet the truly memorable events revolve around our family.
I was filled with such pride as my children and relatives saluted me on my birthday. I have watched this video over and over. Each time it fills me with warmth and pride as on their own they have developed independent, productive lives and contribute to their communities. When I think of how I have approached parenting, I am pleased and proud of the outcome.
I apologize to my house guests as I eliminated from my question the answer that meant the most and felt the deepest. No meeting missed, deal done, or thing purchased will ever touch the heart and soul as deep as the first smile, the first words or the maturation of your relationship with your children as they move from dependency to consigliere. How fortunate am I to have these five individuals at my side? I did a disservice to my guests by eliminating what surely was their greatest accomplishment and that is their children. This blog is the collaboration of my youngest daughter with the support of the other four.
I grew up in what surely was an upper-middle-class family. My father was a brilliant attorney and my mother an education home engineer. In other words, a stay at home mom but she was more than that as she truly ran the household and our lives during the dependent stage. We were, as are my children, privileged. Not wealthy as in PJs and yachts but privileged in that I was supported in all important endeavors. As with my children, we were all expected to become educated and make our own way. To be clear, there was no trust fund.
During the months ahead I hope to share my observations on life, growing up and having children. I will also talk about selling and managing relationships. This part is somewhat self-promoting, as I give talks to groups on those two subjects. I am particularly effective for philanthropic and educational development.