After "Sandy's wrath", a dream comes true
Just days after super storm Sandy hit the Jersey shore, my niece called regarding the plight of 2 married colleagues terribly affected by the storm. Their rental home was ravaged, and though they salvaged a few things, most was lost. They needed to relocate, and quickly.
As a result of this, Carrie and John were now living apart. Carrie was with friends nearby my office, while John stayed close to their rental home, in Brick NJ, hoping to reclaim whatever he could. It was a very depressing, stressful, and disruptive time in their lives. Their thought was to find another rental fast, as home ownership, their ultimate objective, was now a distant dream. When we first spoke, I mentioned to Carrie that in the current interest rate climate it was probably wise to get pre-qualified for a mortgage and determine whether they could actually avoid getting into another rental situation. She agreed. Though I was uneasy about their situation, I hated the idea of them renting again, just to buy a home down the road, when the interest rates might move upward. It worked out. They were qualified to buy a house! All we needed to do was locate something that was appropriate, and available quickly. The hunt was about to start! Carrie and I met early the following Monday morning. We needed to determine where she wanted to live, what might be available in her price range, and whether the commute to their job was workable. Since it was not clear yet exactly what would interest them, I selected a few homes in Hunterdon County to visit. |
On the third stop of the day we visited an 1851 historic colonial in North Lebanon Twp. It was a lovely grand home with a great deal of charm and history attached to it. More importantly, we learned the owner, a widow, was very motivated to sell. As we left, Carrie indicated at this very first visit …. “This was the type of home she dreamed of owning all her life”.
The next morning I presented an offer to the owner and listing agent Tracey Lutsky at the property. I expressed the plight of the buyers, and indicated the only way the deal could work was if the buyers could occupy the home while the mortgage was being processed (in essence: a ‘use and occupancy’ transaction). Carrie and John needed permanent shelter …. Now! The owner agreed to sell at the initial offer price, and I then negotiated a rental amount that was agreeable to both parties during their transition to ownership. Happily, Carrie and John just moved into their new home on Dec 1, just days after the offer was made, and less than 2 weeks before Carrie’s birthday. They now await closing in mid- January.
Sometimes the job of realtors has a very real expression of caring for the well-being of the customer. This was an example of what realtor’s can do to change lives for the better. It is all about empathy, compassion, trust, and the will to make things happen. Tracey and I teamed well to make this Holiday Season special for this family. Carrie and John love their new home and are nothing short of thrilled. They of course spent the Holidays with close family in their historic house, beginning a new life - far from the ocean..... |