Sometimes it feels good.

Yesterday I was driving home and got teary eyed thinking about a few of my recent "victories" at work.  Honestly, I was teary about the fact that there are too many folks suffering financially right now in ways I can only pray I will never have to even imagine.  I don't have a do-gooder job by any means, but this real estate market has set the stage to help some folks who are really down and out. 

I'll share a few of this weeks favorites, because sometimes it's nice to think of the good things that come from me leaving my sweet boy during the day.  One short sale client came to me with his wife and told me the in depth story of their rags to riches and back to rags story.  They were living in Chateau Elan, enjoying all of their money when a series of bad events landed their only daughter in substance abuse rehab and him unemployed.  They owed over twice as much on their home as it is worth, and their entire income combined wouldn't cover the mortgage payment if they tried.  The gentleman came back at a later date to drop off a form and asked to sit down with me again.  This 60 year old manly man left in little girl tears telling me how terrible he felt about failing his family.  My heart ached for him.

Last week I was excited to call him and tell him that after 4 months and two buyers, we had his short sale approved.  The bank also agreed to forgive the debt he owed them above and beyond what they would be recieving from the sale.  My personal feelings about debt aside, it felt good.  It felt great to know that although they were starting out from scratch in their 60s, they would be doing so from ground zero and not hundreds of thousands of dollars in the hole. 

Another older lady that I did a closing for earlier this year called.  She wanted me to review her health care directive and durable power of attorney she had originally prepared by an attorney in South Carolina.  After review, I thought they were okay, but could be better.  I remembered her agent telling me about all of the problems she was having with the house after closing, thousands of dollars in septic and plumbing repair, and could hear the strain in her voice when I told her I recommended new documents.  I could hear the equal excitement in her voice when I told her I'd be happy to prepare them at no charge, as a favor to my agent who is so good to me.

Well, someone must have wanted us to sit down and talk again because when she came in to sign the new documents she started telling me the story of why she was reviewing them in the first place.  Years ago when her husband passed away she took most of his money and set up a "modest" trust for the benefit of their adult daughter who struggles with mental illness.  This same adult daughter had all but convinced her 84 year old mother to modify the trust now worth over 300k.  She was going to use forms found on the internet to name the daughter as the trustee instead of her brother.  I'll leave out the details of how that could never work with her being the sole beneficiary of the trust, but just know that the only way that was going to end was bad.  Her daughter is probably not very happy with me right now, but she will be in 10 years when she still has a place to live and a brother giving her plenty of money out of her trust to live off of each month.

The stories go on, mostly revolving around short sales and helping people lessen the blow of their financial struggles right now.  Its a good thing to, because there are also days when I come home searching Amazon for a punching bag.  Like today.  No joke.  Can't be fun all the time or they wouldn't call it work I guess.

The pictures have nothing to do with the post, but I took all of these trying to capture the perfect image for an idea I have in my head for a gift for my mom.  I'll probably keep trying for the perfect shot, but these are some of my favorites.  I know I say it too much, but he really is too cute.  I love his little face so much!