06/08/2026
This past Friday, we got to officially celebrate Sarah and Eric closing on their new home.
The Friday before, we got to celebrate closing on their former home. But, closing got delayed at the very last minute on the new one so those Sellers could work out a few lingering things.
Thankfully, they were allowed to go ahead and move in since all their stuff was on moving vans. (I’m not stressed, YOU’RE stressed! )
How these deals came together on both sides is awesome and crazy.
Before we listed Sarah and Eric’s former home, I had a number that I felt good about, but historic homes are hard to comp, and require owners willing to be stewards. And buyers agents who understand that they require a different lens throughout the process. They weren’t quite sure that even wanted to sell, and I sure didn’t want them to take all the steps, including managing two dogs and two kids, if the number wasn’t the right number, or the house needed more than I expected to look it’s best.
At the Sellers request, we invited a few agents to come put eyes on the home ahead of market to gut check our pricing, and give honest feedback on the extra steps to take to make it shine in the best light for buyers.
One of those agents walked in the door and said, “You aren’t going to believe this, but the former owners have been talking about this house ever since they sold it to your people. They have always wanted to buy it back, and told me to let them know immediately if it ever comes back to market.”
And that, as they say, was that.
Kismet.
So, we rather unexpectedly went under contract.
In considering whether or not to sell to begin with, my folks had described an ideal house, one that they had never seen, and that they weren’t even sure would exist. They wanted something special knowing what they were giving up.
I knew the house. It came to mind for me the minute they told me their ideal: house with great bones that they could still make their own, a pool, and a guest house, just in case her Mom decided to come live with them.
The very house they had described was out there, but it had sold the year before. I fell in love with it myself the first time I saw it. And nothing else we saw even came close to the one that I knew had gotten away.
I happened to have a local friend come to take a look at my Air BnB who is an Air BnB owner herself, and had offered to help me clean and manage ours when I was away or super busy.
I can’t even remember how we got on the subject, but she mentioned that she thought a house had sold on S Woodland last year, but she happened to see the former owner walking down the driveway one day, and learned that it had been under contract, but it fell through.
I think I stopped breathing. We hadn’t even been talking about my folks. It just happened to be in her neighborhood and she mentioned it.
Kismet.
It had been listed with Johnny Walker, so I called him. And he told me they were planning to list again soon, but a family member was coming THAT DAY to make an offer.
Without crying or sounding desperate, I asked, really, really nicely, whether they would allow us to see it, too.
And ever pragmatic, Johnny’s Sellers said we could.
And that, was that.
Okay, there was some hand wringing, and some worry over whether selling to family would win. But, in the end, kismet knew exactly what she was doing.
Sarah and Eric weren’t even sure they were ready to sell their home. They took a chance and a gamble that if they did, the right house could be out there.
And if ever a couple of deals were manifested through wishes and hopes on both sides, these are those deals.
And if ever a friend were the best mix of relieved and excited, it’s my beautiful friend, Sarah. (And yeah, that’s her real hair. And yeah, she owns yet another awesome home in town. And I SO hate that we didn’t get a picture with Eric before he had to bolt to work, looking like the best ever version of ‘70’s Kris Kristofferson in tight white jeans, a blue knit shirt, a brand new pool tan and his crazy cool hair😂)
It’s weird how things come together when they are supposed to come together.
And that was the rest of the story. 🎉
