Brooke got up Wednesday morning in a particularly good mood. She was going to show property all day to a couple who had just three weeks to buy, which meant they were serious and would probably make a quick decision. She had emailed them listings to consider in advance, and they had told her which ones they wanted to see. She had a List B, just in case none of those worked out.
She met them at Starbucks and reviewed the game plan for the day. After a real estate primer, they began the tour. Everywhere they went, Brooke saw other agents she knew and they hugged and wished each other Happy Mardi Gras. The feeling of community was palpable. They were all happy to be out and working again. It had been so slow for so long since the storm.
But while the day was going well, it quickly became apparent that the couple were not falling in love with any of the properties they had picked. Brooke listened to them carefully and weighed their comments, and after several unsuccessful showings, she decided to take them to a place she felt sure would be perfect for their needs. She was right. They loved it. It was unlike anything they had ever seen, it was large and beautiful, full of character, and in the right location. And the price was amazing — a real “steal.”
As she saw them falling in love, Brooke knew as their agent that she had to tell them what she knew about the place… that it had been caught in the mortgage disaster after the storm, that the owner had to give it back to the bank because the bank wouldn’t restructure the loan, and the condo assessments after Ike had been just too high. She had to tell them that it was their great good luck that the banks had refused to work with self-employed owners in the early months after the storm, so now that the property was foreclosed and had been empty for a year, the price was $130,000 less than the previous owner had owed on it.
Then Brooke had to tell them that this beautiful building had been her home, the place she loved and had expected to live in the rest of her life.
Maybe a low-ball offer and a small commission check will make it feel a little better.
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Copyright © 2010 Alice Melott
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Galveston After Ike 
#1 by J Roy Hall on February 12, 2010 - 5:42 pm
OMG, Brooke, now THAT one made me cry…..
#2 by Cindy Krauss on February 13, 2010 - 8:32 am
Ooooor maybe not. Poor Brooke