Jim and Bonnie have lived in their home on Laird for 50 years. Yep. I’ll say it again, and I think I’ll shout it this time: 50 YEARS! In 2007 the US Census Bureau cited that the average American will move 11.7 times in their lifetime. Jim and Bonnie are remarkable in many ways, but they’ve sure set the bar high on setting down roots, contributing to our community, and raising a beautiful family in one place. When they approached me about selling their home it felt very personal to me, every home sale is personal to me, but it felt more emotional than usual: how do I sell a home which has been the heart of a family for 50 years?
Jim and Bonnie had some very clear expectations for how they wanted to sell their home. Transitioning into a retirement community was something they wanted to do while they had their full capacities. They wanted to decide where they would live, what would happen to their belongings, what would happen to their house, andwhowould live in their house.
Jim and Bonnie prioritized a smooth transition and choosing someone theylikedto move into their family home; someone they would feel comfortable knocking on their door and visiting when they got the chance.
With our goal of a simplified, no-hassle sell in mind we set about selling their home with a May 17th move date in mind. Staging was minimal and they left most of their personal effects up; they weren’t interested in turning their life upside down to present a sterile, anonymous home. We set the price at a level that would meet their post-retirement needs, but would create enough demand that they could sell on time and be picky about who bought the house.
Jim and Bonnie’s plan worked brilliantly! Come May 17th they’ll be moving gracefully into their next phase of life leaving their home to a friend of the family. They’ll be able to visit when they like and leave their home on their terms and at their pace. Thank you Jim and Bonnie for honoring me and allowing me to play a small part in your well-laid, well-thought out and wise plans. You’ve given me food for thought about how I want to handle the twilight years of my life and reminded all of us that selling a home is more than must a financial transaction. Home is where the heart is.
