Nadine Krasnow, CRS
The guy who started it all. Must be very rewarding for him to see the passion, commitment, guts and glory of the 12,000 runners in the Falmouth Road Race. We should name Tommy “Citizen of the Year” next year. Long overdue. He’s brought us fame and fortune, not to mention incredible good will.
Runners are streaming to Falmouth High School today and tomorrow to pick up their numbers, gift bag, and see what’s on display at the Expo. Forecast for the race is for a lower temperature and less humidity than today, which will be a welcome relief.
Forty or so years ago, when we were young married couples in Waban, I met Gail and John on a Charles River Wheelmen cycling Sunday trip. We became friends, close enough so that when Gail went into labor with her second child, the first one stayed with me. Over the years, Gail and John bought and sold a couple of homes with me; Gail and I went on photography trips together and supported each other’s interest and talent; and we biked, ran and walked – and talked – through the decades. The years flew by, and then, with a bit of disbelief, we were attending each other’s kids’ weddings, and sharing the joy of grandkids being born.
Tomorrow we close on Gail and John’s son and daughter-in-law’s new home – in Waban! Words fail as I try to describe the particular joy these past couple of months have brought me, as Gail, John and I did our real estate dance once more together. Since the “kids” are still in England, mom and dad did the looking, facetiming, inspecting, etc. All my buyers experience how protective I am of their interests as we move through the process, but in this case, I was Mama Bear.
Yesterday we did the walk through, and as I picture Caroline and Scott, Emma and the new baby in this home, settling in, it’s with a profound sense of pleasure. This is a happy home, for the nicest young family.
Full circle!
Last week, a buyer who appears once a year to look at homes and even usually makes a (low) offer that’s not accepted, showed up again. But this time he was on a mission to secure the house he, his wife and their kids had rented summers for more than 10 years, and has fed their memories and souls since. And make it a surprise for them. The house has been on the market for years, but the price was beyond his budget. Now the price had started to come down, and it was beginning to look possible. After much negotiation, we arrived at a number that was acceptable to both sides.
Then the fun started. The dad and kids created an elaborate ruse to get the mom here and to the house. Mom and Dad were walking around the property, Dad said, “Wonder if it’s the same, let’s peek in the windows”. When they did, there were their kids, grinning and waving. At first Mom started running away, saying “There’s people in there!” Until she realized that those people looked very familiar. Then she said, “What’s going on?” The reveal couldn’t have gone better. She said, “This is my dream, this has always been my dream…” Tears of joy, much hugging, and a whole lot of jumping up and down – followed by more hugging ensued. This photo captured just one of many hugs that day.
This is what keeps me going, through the long hours and 7 day weeks the work demands; and the difficulties and challenges when it doesn’t go well.There’s very little more rewarding than helping a family make a dream come true. How lucky am I, and all my Realtor® colleagues, to not only be present at moments like this, but to help make them happen.
