Providence Rhode Island Real Estate ~ Rita's Blog

 

 “This is the one. We want to make an offer!”

 

As a real estate broker, it is of course not unusual for me to hear these words. And while I usually have a good sense of which properties my client’s will be attracted too, I have on more than one occasion been completely thrown by some of the properties that left my buyers weak in the knees. Like parents struggling to accept their teenagers tattooed boyfriend, these transactions are often the roughest for my “I know better than you what’s good for you,” realtor mentality to come to terms with.

 

The “one,” sometimes fails to satisfy every item on a buyer’s must-have checklist. It may even be a property I tried to convince them would be a waste of everyone’s time to see.  Or it may be overpriced with unrealistic and stubborn sellers.  Whatever the circumstances, their attachment to such a property always leaves me perplexed.

 

Sentimentality is often a clue, and it is simply impossible for a realtor to know what will trigger a happy childhood memory during a property tour. Is the faded wallpaper the same design that  covered your buyers childhood bedroom? Or does the house bear a striking resemblance to one that the buyer used to see in an old favorite picture book?

 

Much more often than sentimentality, however, I get this line: “This house just feels good,” or this one, “it just feels like home.” That’s it? It “feels good?” What feels good? But I have, on more than one occasion, felt that way myself, pulling up into a drive, or stepping through a threshold of a surprising place. So how, I propose, to we explain or define that?

 

My current temporary residence in Italy has given me, among the countless wonderful things the Tuscan countryside holds for anyone passing through, a fresh perspective on this notion. During ancient Roman times, the Romans were painstakingly careful when selecting the locations where they built their homes. They would, and I will keep this brief as it is a bit gruesome, pay attention to their animal herds and keep them divided over all prospective home sites for a long period of time. They would then slaughter and dissect animals from all divided sections of the land, and look for evidence of ailing health in each animal. The section with the healthiest swine would then become the building site.

 

Other philosophies address this same concept of the earth’s energies having an effect on people in less gory ways. Anyone familiar with the timeless arts of Feng Shui or Vastu can appreciate the seriousness with which the placement of ourselves  and our possessions should be laid out to ensure harmonization with the earth’s polarities under each art’s principles. Countless cultures, both those lost and some still thriving, respect and pay attention to the power and the draw, or repellence, of the earth’s energy in any given location, and its’ influence on our actions, health, and day-to-day lives.

 

Those more science-minded can look to university departments of Geobiology (From USC and Stanford to Penn State and MIT – most affluent schools have one). Researchers have established long standing evidence of different locations possessing varying energy wavelengths, something which may explain a person’s draw to one place over another.

 

In Rhode Island, attention to the earth’s alchemy may seem to be far beyond the scope of most realtors and consumers awareness. But I propose that, in the very least, professionals, buyers and sellers should all consider a property’s organic “feel,” when making decisions about it. To pare it down to bare bones, if you are a seller and you have been told that you house gives someone the creeps, brighten it up. If you are a buyer, and a house just feels right and you are having trouble putting your attraction to it into words, make sure that you are working with a realtor who is willing to respect your feelings and work with them. And for those of you who would love to delve into a deeper discussion about Geomancy, biology, or alchemic principals, I would be happy to get you started.

 

~ Rita

 

"If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment-as well as the prison."
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

 

Today my office was yet again put in a position to draw a line between responsibility in disclosure, accountability, and our job description. Where the line should be drawn is still unclear.

 

As a full service brokerage, we oftentimes  represent lessors, matching and placing well-qualified tenants into their properties. Over the past few years, well-qualified has meant, at a minimum, job history and reference verification, credit check, and confirmation of rental/home history. Our clients have been impressed with both our thoroughness and dedication to finding tenants who will care for their homes as if they themselves were the owners.  

 

One red flag we have learned to catch along the way is hesitations over putting secondary renters on a lease. Once, a few months back, a local agent submitted an application for her client to rent one of our listings. While the application checked out, further “google” investigation told us that her client was a convicted repeat offender for grand theft. Upon confronting the agent and her broker, they both confirmed the crimes and admitted to withholding the fact from us in the hopes that we would not find out. Needless to say, we said no thanks to the tenant and have refused to work with the untrustworthy brokerage ever since.

 

This happened to us again right before Christmas when a woman, selling her local single family home, applied to rent a short term apartment from us. 

 

Her application was impeccable. Perfect job, perfect credit, wonderful references, and a home owner. I had in fact showed another client her lovely home prior to its’ sale, and it was gorgeous and perfectly maintained. Her selling agent spoke the world of her, as did all her references.

 

My associate who was working with her discovered that she was married in the process and insisted that her husband also be on the lease. At that point, the wife told her that she had hesitated to mention him because he was on parole. The crime? According to the wife, marijuana possession. My associate met the husband and confirmed that he seemed like a great tenant as well. The property owner was not concerned, and the tenants moved in.

 

A few days later the wife contacted us again to say that the parole officer needed a letter from us stating that notice of her husband’s parole status had been given. No problem, happy to help, we said, and I called the parole office to confirm the language she wanted on the letter.

 

Nice enough conversation, except one minor detail that the lessee’s had left out. In addition to possession, the husband was also convicted of murder. That’s right. Murder. Not involuntary manslaughter any other awful charge that we perhaps could have stomached, but murder.

 

Needless to say, we are now dealing with tenants that, as wealthy and clean and quiet as they may be, made a gross misrepresentation and are about to be evicted unless our lessor surprises us and is ok with this new development. Of course, we are, in hindsight, kicking ourselves for not better checking the husband’s record. It was easy to “google” the minor charge and his name and confirm it. But what more should we have done? Should we have run a full scale criminal background check? In hindsight, I unequivocally say, yes, we should have at least recommended that the lessor had one done. I also wish that we had not trusted the tenant’s own agent, an agent that is very well respected in our small community. But hindsight is always 20/20.

 

So my question, to both consumers and other agents is, what level of inquiry do you expect from a realtor in terms of tenant verification? Is it better to always expect the absolute worst of people? Is it no longer ok to trust other professionals representations? Should criminal background checks become the norm with high end rentals? Should realtors ever “vouch” for tenants  that have a bad past? Should anyone? He served his time, and the State has declared him a free man again. But to quote my beloved Dostoevsky one more time:  “Why am I to be pitied, you say? Yes! There's nothing to pity me for! I ought to be crucified, crucified on a cross, not pitied! Crucify me, oh judge, crucify me but pity me?”

Everyone agrees that the I-195 land is one of the City’s, and the State’s, greatest opportunities for growth and economic stimulation. Are we up for the task?

 

 

“Providence is so beautiful,” my sister-in-law Irene gushed as we sat down to lunch overlooking Waterplace Park at Jacky’s, one of Providence’s newest hotspots.

 

Like Irene, other newcomers to the city are usually entirely unaware of the city center’s horridly dull “before” landscape. As Irene and I walked along the riverfront  back to my car, I told her about the Capital Center Commission’s efforts 30 years ago to rebuild the city’s core. Their ambitious undertaking included unearthing the river that 150 years ago served as Providence’s hub.

 

In the late 1800’s the river’s peak at Salt Pond Cove, or “the Cove,” was a busy port for merchant trading and transportation. For those of you struggling to visualize the city as it was, picture tall ships docked where Smith Street is today.

 

The industrial age, for better or worse, transformed our city. The rise of railroads and manufacturing gave Providence the means to accessibility and profitability that had been previously reserved for open ocean ports like Newport.   In an attempt to keep my historical meanderings to a minimum, the city’s growth spurt and poor planning resulted in the Cove’s deterioration into a congealing mass of “silt.” (Again, for readers with a penchant for detail, picture a squalid waterfront dyed magenta from clothing manufacturer waste, that boasted a combined mass of direct slaughter house disposal and human excrement. And to think that we get squeamish over the thought of our ancestors neglecting to wear deodorant).

 

The solution to the city’s loss of its former Promenade was decided by further imprudence and poor planning. The decision makers resolved to fill in the entire Cove and deck over it. Once the decision was made however, the parties involved wasted years bickering to determine who should be responsible for paying for the fill (the railroad company eventually did).

 

It should be noted that the City ironically commenced the construction of its’ municipal sewage system only a year after the filling. (And yes, the sewer system would probably have saved the Cove).

 

So here we are again, generations later, facing another important city transformation opportunity. We have inherited countless foolhardy decisions and hasty executions to guide us as we determine the best new uses for the former I-195 land. But before we groan over our apprehensive contemplations of what crazy idea our dear State and City officials will come up with next, we can look to our one saving grace.

 

Thirty years ago the Capital Center Commission worked together to recreate our downtown into the renowned destination that it is today. Attend one Waterfire event if you need to affirm that they got it right.

 

A few weeks ago, in partial celebration of the Capital Center Commission’s achievements, the Providence Preservation Society put on a three-day symposium entitled “Make no Little Plans: A Symposium on Visions for Providence.”  The Symposium also served as a opportunity for the cities best and brightest to share their aspirations for the I-195 land redevelopment.

 

Symposium attendees also had the honor of meeting the now confirmed newly elected I-195 Redevelopment Commission.  Lincoln Chafee (Who chose the nominees with recommendations made by Angel Taveras and House Speaker Gordon Fox), nailed it with the commission selection. The seven-member Commission is headed by Colin Kane, principal of Peregrine Group, as chairman; Barrett Bready, president and CEO of NABsys Inc.; Barbara Hunger, a registered nurse with Women and Infants Hospital; Diana Johnson, renowned art consultant; John Kelly, president and CEO of Meeting Street School; Mark Ryan, principal of Moses and Afonso; and Michael Van Leesten, CEO of nonprofit OIC of Rhode Island. All upstanding contributors to our community, my first reaction to the Commission member selections was “dream team.”

 

Everyone agrees that the I-195 land is one of the City’s, and the State’s, greatest opportunities for growth and economic stimulation. Are we up for the task? After attending the Symposium I wholeheartedly say that yes we are. What I have witnessed so far is collaboration over mutual aspirations, and substantial aforethought and prudency paired with imagination and boldness. I am confident that the Commission’s leadership, like that of the Capital Center’s Commission,  will result in a better City for the next generations.

 

If you are skeptical about the promise of what we Rhode Islanders are capable of creating, think about this: The catalyst for the entire Capital Center redevelopment was a single wine-stained sketch on a napkin, ideas scribbled by a few young friends over cocktails. So before you criticize or succumb to your usual  jibes about our shortcomings, go get that forgotten napkin, post-it, or candy wrapper out of your trash basket, and get involved. If you can see opportunity in a 41-acre dirt pile, you can contribute to its fruition.

 

For more information on the Symposium and the new Commission, visit:

http://www.gcpvd.org/category/features/195-relocation-project/

Realtors today are often faced with this line of questioning from sellers: "Will you accept a lower commission?" It's not that the seller asking wants to undercut their realtor. The seller is asking because realtor commissions are hard to understand. In order to get a good sense of how the commission system works, let's start with the basics.

The industry norm for realtor sales commissions is 5-6% of a property sales price. With a commission-based system, the person being compensated for his or her services takes a high risk in exchange for a "high" reward. For realtors, the risk is not making a sale and earning nothing, no matter how much time, money, or effort a realtor puts into the transaction. The seller is therefore paying a "high" reward in exchange for the high risk the realtor takes on for a guaranteed outcome. The assurance to the sellers is that if the desired outcome is not received, the seller pays nothing.

As most Geo friends know by now, in a former life I was a practicing attorney. As a lawyer I was paid, depending on the case or client, in three different ways (well, 4 different ways, if you include the occasional free drinks and apple pies as a means of compensation from my nearest and dearest). The first was by commission. Personal injury, wrongful termination, discrimination cases and the like would be paid by commission upon a successful settlement or trial. We would take 30% of any monies paid to our client. On a good case, that 30% would be obtained after a few months of settlement negotiation. On a more complicated case, it would be received (maybe) after years of litigation.

The second way I was paid was by an hourly fee. With certain clients, such as contested divorces and custody disputes, amongst many other cases, I would keep meticulous record of how my time was spent in 6 minute increments. I would then bill my clients for every minute of my time on their case, including every phone conversation, email response, and meeting time. On top of that, they would usually be responsible for reimbursement of all filing fees and other expenses incurred.

The third way I was paid was by flat fee. This form of payment was well-suited for standard document preparation, contract review, or non-adversarial work such as basic real estate closing title work.

The point is that, depending on the client and the services being rendered, a different fee structure would present itself as most appropriate. There were options. I was not a "salesman," of a product; I was a consultant and a representative of my client.  It was my responsibility to zealously advocate on for my clients best interests every time. Today, as an agent, I expect the same standard of care of both myself and of everyone else here at Geo.

So back to the problem. The problem with a commission-based payment system is that in today's market, cookie cutter services and uniform commission rates no longer satisfy sellers OR realtors. Let me explain why.

Commissions are not always the right fit for a seller. Let's say Jane Doe is thinking about selling her home, but given her personal circumstances and the market it may be best for her to stay put and make improvements or maybe even rent. She needs professional advice, not only to establish her home's value as is, and if improvements are made, but also to help her decide what she should do. How can she trust a listing agent, one who is pushing for a quick sale of the house, to be acting in her best interests when they only benefit financially if a sale is made?

Let's take another example. John Roe just purchased a bank owned property. The city's assessed value for the home is astronomical, 100K over what he paid for the house. He wants to get his taxes lowered but has no idea who to talk to. He would love to continue working with his realtor, but he does not want to take up the agent's time without figuring out a way to compensate them for continued representation after the purchase transaction has closed.

Most realtors, at least the good ones, are always going to act in their clients best interests, regardless of whether or not that means they end up doing a lot of work for free. But the above two examples, out of countless other scenarios we have been faced with in recent months, highlight a deficiency in the one-option-only payment system that is currently the norm in our industry.

Commissions don't always make sense for the realtor either. Back in the "old" days (not that I am old enough to have experienced it myself!), realtors put their sign up and started their wheeling and dealing with prospective buyers. Nowadays realtor responsibilities are drastically different. Online marketing alone is both time consuming and expensive. Technology has considerably increased the time invested into each listing. To give you an idea, today my assistant was creating a QR code for one listing, discussing website format changes with our web designer, posting rental ads to craigslist and about 10 other rental sites, and resizing digital photos for online publication. And that was just within the last twenty minutes. By the end of the day, hours will have been invested into marketing our properties in dozens of ways that did not exist 30 years ago. And that is before we even get face to face with consumers! There are endless other services, such as property staging, that are provided nowadays as well. For a home in a higher price point, the final payday seems worthwhile. But what about affordable condos and starter homes? Well, we provide the exact same full service to those sellers as we do to million dollar listings. Needless to say, small paydays are less rewarding after the endless hours are expended. Sometimes, in my head, the attorney side of me can't help calculating my hourly wage earned. It is not uncommon for that number to come out to below minimum wage.

Without a doubt, the commission or nothing realtor compensation system has become archaic. And if you ask around about why such a system is still in place, the answer you are likely to get is, "well, that is the way we have always done it." Not good enough for me. Probably not good enough for you either.

We understand that every seller in today's market has different needs. And paying for exactly what you need can be a preferred, straightforward solution to many sellers' hesitations about paying convoluted percentages of their homes' eventual sales price to an agent.

As professional consultants collectively experienced in all aspects of real estate, our team is always committed to providing a thorough needs analysis to all clientele, and only afterward offering responsible options to address those needs. Unlike the industry norm, persuasive tactics have no place at our company. Our mission is to provide expert advice and to serve your best interests. It is never simply to "sell." In order to share our services with a broader pool of consumers, and to reach those of you who don't like the current system (yes even you, FSBO's), we are making some changes..n daysntteh  with teh notice to the Buyer  expiration or, finding suitable housing and ble options to addres sthose s a high re

Over the next several months Geo Properties will be launching a new system of consultation services and compensation alternatives for its sellers. Our commission-based approach will remain intact. If, upon discussing all your options you decide that a traditional commission is the best choice for you that is perfectly fine. But we want our sellers to make that choice because it is the right one for their circumstances, not because it is their only option.

To learn more about how we can best serve you, contact a Geo Team member at 401.273.7777. We look forward to working with you.

I recently worked with a seller on a very tight budget who was hoping to receive top dollar for his home. He wanted to know what he could do to present his home in its' best light without any serious expenditures. Without any expense whatsoever, to be more accurate. It is easy to advise a seller when they are willing to dish out some money to get their home in tip-top-shape; it is harder to do so when the budget is zero.

To start him off, I gave him the following tips:

A home's curb appeal gets buyers in the door. Your goal for your home's exterior is to create a clean, polished look that says that your home is valuable and well-maintained. This means that despite the season, so long as there is no snow covering up the mess that is your yard, you need to get outside and rake last fall leaves away. The dead weeds growing out of the flower boxes? They need to go to.

No budget for landscaping? Flower planters like these create an elegant, finished look to any home's entrance or yard. Simple greens or branches can also have as much of an impact as flowers.
If you have a few dollars to spend, rent a power washer and power wash your decks. A little goes a long way and this clean up tool will instantly give your home a fresh clean look.

 

 

 

 

No budget for landscaping? Flower planters like these create an elegant, finished look to any home's entrance or yard. Simple greens or branches can also have as much of an impact as flowers.

 

 

 

 

Moving inside, it is time to pack up everything that you own that is not a necessity. Everywhere - every corner of your home, in and out, and yes this includes the basement and garage, should be CLEAN AND UNCLUTTERED! Leave behind only those items that compliment the home. If HGTV would approve the item (yes I know you are addicted to their shows) it can stay. If you hesitate over something and wonder if it should stay or go, it should go. Pack it.

Once you are packed up, have your home professionally cleaned. I know many of you, my best friend included, who is an absolute neat freak and cleans 24-7 around the house. But you will regardless need to get into all those nooks and crannies you never even notice anymore. The things you overlook in your home will surprise you. This is where your friends and realtor come in handy.

Don't forget the other senses - not just sight. People's sense of smell in your home plays a big role in their feelings about a house. If you have pets, this means that you have to get their smell out of your house. This could require as much as ripping up your carpets.  You may need to enlist your realtor and friends to help you with this too. You are used to all the smells in your home - you are not going to notice what odors are lingering like an outsider will. If your realtor wrinkles up her nose and attempts breathing through her mouth only are she tours your home you have some work to do.

These three items can do wonders to any home. And those friends I keep mentioning? If they owe you a favor now is a good time to give them a call. If you are good at playing up the guilt factor, the only thing you will need to buy in preparation for getting your house on the market is a pizza and a 6-pack.

Our team specializes in personalized assessments of your home's present-ability. While the above are some general words of advice from Rita, our staging consultant, maximizing the marketability of every home requires an individualized approach. Contact us today to walk with you through your own house. Our advice, as always, is both cost and obligation free. 

 

It is funny how one’s standards of living are lowered on the construction site. The morning was chilly and we were just beginning what was sure to be a long day. 4 layers of wool and I am still cold. Maybe I should eat more donuts. Put on some fat. Assuming that that would be more effective than the wool. Lenny surprises me by handing me a hot chocolate, his most recent obsession. I accept it gratefully and go back to work. “No Napkin?” I realize that Lenny is still standing next to me, staring at me quizzically. I also realize that he brought me a napkin and that he is offering it to me in his outstretched hand. Napkin? Isn’t that what my shirt is for? Granted, one month ago I was the one holding the napkins out to all the bewildered guys, much to everyone’s amusement. Now they’re lucky if I keep the bathroom stocked with toilet paper. Actually, a sawdust-free toilet is pretty exciting too. Later in the afternoon I am on my 3rd coffee when I realize that I have been absentmindedly stirring my cup with a dirty pencil. Apparently out of stir sticks and clean utensils. Does the 3-second rule apply here? No matter…. ~ Rita

Nola, my best friend Dawn's 13 month old daughter, is just about the happiest, most darling little thing when left to her own devices. She was in top form yesterday when Dawn came over to help me with the landscaping at Bluff. Problem was that "her own devices" meant crawling around through plaster-dusted rooms and splintered floors. So I got "Nola" duty, while Dawn began doing battle with the horrendously overgrown hedges in the front yard. We spent the afternoon walking up and down the porch stairs, Nola's hands in mine to keep her from touching anything. Surprisingly not boring. Shocking to some may be the fact that I occasionally enjoy spending time with little ones. At least when they eventually go back to their parents. I would be an awesome grandmother. If only I could skip the "mother" part.

Dawn had a nice day too, at least until a spider crawled inside her pants. No joke - this really happened. I was down on the grass with the munchkin when my friend suddenly started screaming and dancing around like Elaine from Seinfeld onto the front walkway. Before I, and my neighbors, knew it, Dawn was putting on a strip show for the neighborhood children. Pants half off, she finally ran up the stairs to complete her undressing in the living room. No curtains of course, so she still got a nice round of applause from the guys across the street, despite the curtailed performance.

Did I mention that Dawn is a hottie? Needless to say, Bluff Ave might as well have spotlights on it 24/7 for all the attention we are getting over here.

~ Rita

Day One.

When I first walked onto the porch of the Bluff Avenue house, I almost fell through the dilapidated floorboards. "It's perfect," I shrieked excitedly. And it was. Maybe, disguised by peeling wallpaper and years of neglect, it wasn't obvious to anyone else, but it was obvious to me.

Three months later, here I am. Restoration Project Manager Day I. My first project where I actually get to have a final say in things. Probably a little concerning to those who know my tendencies towards the ornate and over-the-top. Finally a chance to prove that I can make a property fabulous while retaining affordability and universal appeal. Challenge accepted.

My first step toward achieving my objective was of course to run to Staples and spend nearly two hundred dollars on a fancy new binder, clipboard, notebook, and fun colored permanent markers. Absolutes must-haves for a project manager. First and only time I am going to stray from my careful budget I swear.

Finally happy with my new "tools," I moved on to the next task at hand. Dumpster pricing out and rental. The glamorous life of construction jobs cannot be matched.

So it begins. Over the next few (well, hopefully only "few") months I will be keeping an account of all the day-to-day ridiculousness that is sure to ensue on Bluff Ave. Neighbors be warned. A temperamental little Italian who is confident enough to have the delusional conviction that she actually knows what she is doing just moved in next door.

~ Rita          

                                         

I have always found it amusing that new introductions and "what do you do?"'s in Providence are always met with looks of suspicion no matter what I say. "Attorney," always receives the stereotypical reaction: I am left having to prove that I am not an egotist, swindler, or disparager. I get the worst of it, however, when I tell them that I am a "real estate broker." Respect flies out the window. While I have grown accustomed to this now, such bad reactions to my profession are alarming yet unfortunately justified.

Certain members of the Providence Real Estate scene have, sadly, marred the reputation of the profession as a whole. The purpose of this blog is not to point fingers or make accusations. The point is to urge those in my field to show their clientele and their colleagues the respect and integrity that is deserved. Your clients are embarking on what may be the biggest financial transaction of their lives. Your colleagues are working hard to best represent their interests in those transactions. They all have a right to ethical representation.

I have never been one to embrace regulations and strict enforcements. But an argument for tighter laws in this business can be made. The lawyer side of me is thinking about drafting one.

If you are are a Rhode Island agent and would like to share ideas regarding new policy implementations, please get in touch with Rita at ritadanielle@geopropertiesinc.com

One of mine, and most other real estate professionals for that matter, mantras to first time homebuyers is that there are plenty of fish (houses) in the sea (market). If their first attempt at a home purchase goes awry, be it due to a higher bidder, or a terrifying home inspection discovery, there is always another home in the neighborhood waiting for them, better than the last. And I really believe that. Sort of. So long as it does not apply to me.

If I didn't have a passion for real estate I would not be in this business. That being said, I have had my heart broken by properties more so than I have had it broken by men. (Hopefully none of my ex's read this blog, they would, I assume, be a bit miffed to discover that I have spent more time mourning over lost houses than over them.) One property, in particular, continues to elude me.

Back in 2005 I was, like most of us, doing quite well financially. Between mine and my boyfriend's combined incomes, we were easily pre-approved for a $300,000 mortgage. Oh yes, good old sub-prime financing. The golden days. (Just kidding).

We began to drive around the state, dreaming about our perfect home (FYI, for those of you who don't know me well, my version of a perfect home is a total rehab project).

One cold, rainy, and overall typical Rhode Island winter day, we were in my favorite area of the East Bay wandering down a narrow lane when we looked up to see an imposing Victorian resting on a hill overlooking the river and one of Rhode Island's lovely bridges. It was love at first sight. Our excitement was only amplified by the "For Sale" sign at the base of the hill.

We called immediately. We knew we were out of our league; the paint was peeling but the gutters were all in place, and no boarded up windows. As soon as the agent picked up we nearly screamed into the phone, "what is the asking price?!" Answer: $425,000.

Despair. We lingered for a while longer, then sadly drove away, each of us already lost in our plans to return the home to its original splendor.

In the weeks that followed, I developed an unhealthy obsession with the house. I would check the listing online, stalk the agent, and drive by the house on nearly daily basis. My version of a substance abuse problem. I was, no doubt, addicted to the "Bridge" house.

Finally, good news came. The agent told us that the price was dropping to $379,000. We were ecstatic. That was out of our range but not so much that it was impossible. We met her at the property to finally look inside (a beautiful mess) and nearly immediately told her that we wanted to put in an offer for $300,000.

Our offer was summarily rejected by the sellers. Not surprising. But now we were determined. We asked to take another look at the house. Our goal was to point out so many issues in need of attention that we would be able to justify our price. In the meantime, we begged our loan officer to up our pre-approval. We would cancel our cable subscription and live off of rice and beans for the next two years we pleaded. Socks with holes in the heels can be easily mended.

We met the sellers. They loved us. We loved them. I brought my mother, grandmother, and sister all down to see the house (my Italian entourage). They loved it. My mother was just as excited and irrational as I was.

Finally our loan officer gave us the good news: $349,000. We immediately told the agent. We told her that on top of it we would be willing to seller finance the rest. We would even help the sellers pack up their lifetime's accumulation of things. Cluttered is not the right word for the house's basement. Think floor to ceiling un-navigable piles of children's toys, knickknacks, clothes, junk, you name it. We were convinced that offering to help throw everything into boxes would be a sure winner, just the push they needed.

The agent disappointed us. She told us that the sellers were not ready to accept an unconventional offer like ours, and that they were going to take the house off the market for the winter so as to reassess things.

I cried. A lot. We slowly tried to move on, and eventually found our way to Providence. But we never forgot the house. I continued to check in with the agent until she left her real estate company.

Flash forward to about a month ago. Someone asked me where I really wanted to live. There is only one answer to that question. The Bridge house. Being a broker now, I now had access to all the tools of the trade. I immediately looked up the property, making excuses that I "was just wondering whatever happened to the place." Like running into an ex with your current boyfriend and pretending it was no big deal. I felt like I was cheating on my current East Side home.

To my utter shock, there was a 2009 listing for the Bridge House. Status? EXPIRED. Asking price? $199,000.  I leapt up from the computer shrieking. Complete elation. I immediately set to work trying to find the owners.

I pride myself on my abilities to track down hard-to-find property owners. But these two proved impossible to find. All I could figure out was that they were somewhere in Florida. No forwarding address, not local relatives, no nothing. So I went to the house for answers.

The house was empty. But through the window I could see tools and paint cans. Someone had been there cleaning it up. I confidently figured that it was only being worked on to be put back up on the market in the Spring. I decided to keep going back until I ran into the contractor face-to-face.

A few days ago, I finally pulled into the driveway to find a very un-construction-like white SUV in the driveway. I ran up the hill and burst through the front door, barely able to contain (okay not able to contain at all) my excitement. The surprised young man inside stared at me perplexingly as I hurriedly asked him if he could put me in touch with the owners as I wanted to buy the home immediately. Slowly, his kind face fell. He hesitated, and then said, "Well, I have some bad news. I just bought the home from them." All the air went out of me. Tears welled up. I nearly fainted right there. I was too late. How could that be possible? How could this house be breaking my heart again? I struggled to accept the news.

He showed me the work he was doing inside. Everything I planned to do years ago. Jealously seized me. I hated him. He was violating my precious house, the lovely built-ins, sun porch, and roof-top widow's walk. It was all supposed to be mine. Because the plenty more fish in the sea mantra simply does not apply to me.

I have learned two things from this. One, while we have to try our best to protect our buyers hearts, sometimes they will be broken. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we won't be able to close the deal. And that is okay. Some people, people like me, occasionally fall victim to their emotions and to their irrationality. Sometimes, as agents, we have to let them.

As far as the second thing I have learned, it is this: I will never give up on the Bridge house. My latest crazy, "unconventional" plan is to simply offer the current owner more than he can refuse for the home. Sound investments and current market value can kiss my ass. I'll even offer to pack up his things.