A Wonderful Woman

I was phoning past clients, as I often do during the holidays, and Mary was one of those with whom I was able to connect. We listed her home twice. The first time she and her husband Tom took it off the market, deciding not to sell. The second time it was listed, we procured an in-house buyer.

Adversity

Book ended between the two listing periods was an unfortunate set of circumstances. Tom had a severe stroke which resulted in slurred speech and life in a wheelchair. The stroke sure didn’t affect his personality, though, and he was as feisty as ever during the entire home selling process. We continued to have insightful and lively discussions about the value of his home compared to others in the neighborhood, from the day that it was listed until the day that it closed.

Anxiety

Very few real estate transactions occur without a certain level of anxiety; Tom and Mary’s was no different. While negotiating the highest price for our clients and navigating the bumps in the road was my primary focus, I couldn’t help but notice Mary’s calm demeanor and even handedness throughout. A slender, well reserved and caring person, I was struck by her determination, her ability to contain her emotions and maintain sight of the goal. Most impressive was her patience and attentiveness to Tom. She always took as much time as was required for him to understand the nuances of the entire process and achieve a comfort level with each decision that was made.

The Great Elixir

During yesterday’s conversation, Mary explained that she and Tom had further health challenges this year but everything is now fine. Our conversation lasted about thirty minutes as Mary did most of the talking and I listened with sustained admiration. Not a hint of pity in her voice. Not a trace of anything less than an interminable commitment to her family’s well-being. In today’s universe, when so many immerse themselves in an unending and fruitless search for the next great elixir or “perfect partner,” Mary’s selflessness is rare.

A Pleasure

I received an email today from Mary, thanking me for recommending an architect per her request during yesterday’s conversation. She wrote how great it was to hear from me and how happy Tom was that I phoned. It’s easy to forget, being in an industry whereby we touch so many people, how much of an impact we as Realtors have on the lives of others. Perhaps the holiday season is a great time to be mindful of that.

Actually Mary and Tom, the pleasure was mine!

Written by Al N. Filippone. For more information about the local real estate market, call our Darien office at 203.655.5358 or visit our website at afahomes.com.