My Son, His New Home, and What It Means
Every week we try to help you put an accurate value on housing in today’s real estate market. We give you all the charts, report on all the surveys, and quote every housing expert willing to talk on the subject. And we are still not 100% sure what prices should be. At best, we can only tell you what we think.
This week was different. I was able to personally FEEL the true value of a home. My older son closed on his first home yesterday. I have the great fortune to work with him at our company. I get to see him a lot when I am not traveling. This week I was home and got to spend every day with him.
I saw how nervous he was as he got all the last minute paperwork together. I heard the relief in his voice when he found out that he had overestimated his costs and would need to bring a little less money to the closing. I could feel how proud he was when he hugged me as he left the office the night before the closing.
He should be proud. He just purchased his own home. He just took a major step toward accomplishing the American Dream. He now owns a piece of this country. He now has a community he can call his own. He has a place to go ‘home’ to every night, a place where he can work in the yard, a place he can invite friends and showoff his ‘castle’, a place where he will someday raise his family.
Owning a home makes things different. You can’t necessarily explain it logically. But you can feel it. That feeling is the real value of a home AND IT IS PRICELESS.
My son slept in his own home last night. I am happy for him.
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Steve,
Congratulations to you and your son. What a GREAT time to buy. I hope he enjoys years and years of happiness.
Thank you so much for this great blog and the great information that you disseminate.
Wayne Zuhl
Thanks for sharing such a sweet memory with all of us. I can heard the pride in your “voice.” This serves as a great reminder that our buyers feel all of these emotions and it is important that we handle each transaction as if it were our own child’s, sister’s, parents, etc.
Congratulations Bill! I know how excited you are and your father’s words clearly show how excited he is for you. I want to thank the entire Harney Family for your dedication to the real estate industry and the great help you have been to so many of us. Your blog is a daily must read for any broker/agent involved in today’s evolving market. I am thrilled for your family and thankful for your continued guidance. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Tim Greene
What a great piece, and an important reminder that real estate is about people.
We crunch numbers, and watch national and local tends, and try to keep current with a changing world, but what matters is family homes.
For a good realtor, the shared joy of a first home for a new family, feeling good about a job well done helping a retired couple downsize, and unfortunately much to often the awesome responsibility and the kicked in the gut feeling when advising a family possibly losing their house.
Always an emotional time for real PEOPLE.
Congratulations Bill! You now know first hand what home ownership is all about. Well done, and well timed!
From “Robin Hood” (2010)
Prince John: [sarcastically] Would every man have a castle?
Robin Longstride: In England, every man’s home *is* his castle.
America too. Enjoy your castle.
Just wanted to thank everyone for the great comments – both about the blog and about Bill. It is not easy for me to get personal on this blog. It was great to see that my personal feelings were well received. Again, THANKS!
Congratulations Bill. I still remember the feeling of closing on our house and walking through the door for the first time of our home. Enjoy and best wishes for many happy years to come.
Congrats to Bill and his lovely wife….AND to you Steve for showing the way through example and inspiring them to take that step into home ownership! Look forward to seeing you in the near future.
Steve
Thanks alot!! He is a great kid!