Dear Reader Column 11-10-08

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Dear Reader,

My husband and I live in a historical home, built in 1926. I remember the first day we saw it. A realtor was driving us around Sarasota showing us prospective homes and when we pulled into the driveway, three other couples were wandering around the property. Click, click, click, one woman couldn't hide her enthusiasm; she was taking so many photos that it made our realtor extremely nervous and he pulled my husband and me aside. "If you're at all interested in this house, we should act on it immediately. This many people roaming around a property that's only been listed one day--and see that woman over there snapping photos like crazy--someone's going to make an offer quickly."

Our realtor was right, someone did. Later that day I made an offer at full price, so I assumed the house was ours. But then my realtor phoned informing me that a little bird told him another offer was probably coming in, so I might want to up my own offer. And thankfully I did, because later that evening someone did make an offer, higher than my original, which meant I would have lost the house. Never in my life had I been involved in such a crazy situation, but it was worth the stress and anxiety because my husband and I absolutely love our home. We fell in love with it the minute we saw it, and obviously the same thing has happened to other people, too.

On several occasions in the last 15 years strangers have stopped by our house wondering, "Could we come in and look around? We used to live here." Amazingly even friends of friends, who used to live in our home, have been drawn back because of the memories. Everyone has a heart-felt story to tell.

My favorite is about the couple in the theatre who used to own our home. A baby grand piano in the living room, frequent parties and rehearsing, people were constantly coming and going. "The house inspired creativity," one visitor told me, "the folks that used to live in your home were kind of strange, but very artistic."

Hmm, kind of strange, yet very artistic--sounds like the "folks" who live here today.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

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