Blow the house down?
I am not a typical real estate agent. The thing that sets me apart more than anything else is that I do not subscribe to the tactic of selling homes. I work with people who buy houses. There is a lot to this distinction.
People who own (or rent) houses (or apartments) make them into homes. People sell the homes they have made out of condos and houses. Buyers walk into someone else’s home and want to buy it. On closing day, that home has reverted to its natural state; it is a house or condo. Then, the new owner has the job of making it a home, or not. I have seen million-dollar houses that are not homes and small apartments that are homes.
The bottom line is that a house is a box where you keep your stuff and live your life. There are many houses that will work for a buyer. There is no perfect house or dream house. Even if you have a romantic notion about a particular house, you could find the same utility elsewhere. If you are inclined to make a home, you can make it in any private dwelling. Being in love with a house is a choice.
A home is a place integrated into your life. The physical house becomes the backdrop for your sense of self and memories. I frequently hear buyers say that their current apartment will always be “the place where my daughter was a baby,” or “the first place we lived together.” Sellers are often even more attached to their house than a renter to their apartment, since owners tend to live in the house longer and made more physical changes to it.
Mother Nature has been busy reminding us that a house is a box where you keep your stuff and live your life. A house is vulnerable. If the house gets destroyed, you can lose your home.
This week, the East Coast has had an usual spate of threats. Tuesday, the mid-Atlantic felt an earthquake and by Wednesday, there was talk of a hurricane that was likely to make it north into New England.
I have family and friends throughout the mid-Atlantic. I spent a lot of time on the phone and FaceBook checking in with them on Tuesday afternoon and evening. For the most part, the earthquake was a curiosity. It was a non-event. The infrastructure was not affected and damage to houses was limited. A line of thunderstorms could destroy more property.
As we prepare for Hurricane Irene, I share what our Attorney Vetstein published yesterday. Being an attorney, he sees the legal issues that arise from storm damage. He has instructions for taking care of our property. He also is a nice guy, and reminds us that we need to protect ourselves and our pets if the storm hits.
Are you protecting your house in anticipation of this storm?
