05/16/2025
THREE YEARS AGO I LISTED A HOME THAT WILL FOREVER STICK WITH ME...
It was a 3 bedroom back split with a great backyard- pool, patio and layout perfect of entertaining. The kids absolutely loved it.
My Client and her partner had purchased the home in early June, knowing it needed a lot of work, but it was in a great neighbourhood. They had moved a bit farther from family to be close to his job and they dove headfirst into renovations- ripping out ceilings, dated panelling etc, with plans on doing most of the grunt work themselves.
But just weeks into their new beginning, everything changed. A knock at the door brought heartbreaking news. Her partner had passed away in an auto accident, leaving her to face unimaginable grief while caring for the children in a torn apart house in a city that was not hers.
She and I talked about selling early on, but she decided to stay and see the renovations through. A group of us pitched in where we could. She has a great support system. My husband, a licensed electrician, rewired the basement and installed pot lights, we painted, cleaned moved the old and did what we could to help. But then we went home. She stayed, and kept going. Balancing full time work, sports schedules, grief and construction. Her determination was incredible.
The new kitchen went in, floors were laid. Touch ups and staging completed in the 11th hour. The sign went up.
And of course, the market had shifted. The height of the bidding wars were gone. Thankfully, we got the house SOLD for a good price. She found the perfect house, only to lose out with one competing offer. With no other options and the clock ticking on her ability to port her low mortgage rate, she made other living arrangements that were less than ideal.
THEN- like it was meant to be- the home she lost out on came available again. The previous deal had fallen through and with an angel watching over her (and me), we were able to not only close two days before her porting window closed, but she purchased it for tens of thousands less than her original offer. She and the kids moved in that Christmas- finally home, closer to the kids schools, friends and the support of her community.
This story is a reminder that we never truly know what life will hand us, but I believe it's through the toughest chapters that we grow the most.
I am SO proud of this client- for her strength, her heart, and her resilience. It was an honour to help her navigate this journey and help her find her way home.
**update
My Client has settled in, even renovating another kitchen, making the house her own. The kids can ride their bikes to friends and families houses and the commute is minimal. They remember and celebrate DC often.
She has also met a really nice guy :)
