I had a remarkable 8-year-old in tow the other day, house-hunting. We chatted about what she was looking forward to…now that they (she and her parents) will be moving to Miami:
No more snow to shovel. Getting to have a pool. Her new school. All the plusses about moving to Miami … that’s what Sophie and I discussed. She told me what she liked about each house, each street, and the pets that lived in those homes. Sophie liked the rooms with a desk…. ( Yes… she liked the homes with pools too! ) .
Most children like rooms with toys (dolls, trucks … depending on the child) . Most children like bedrooms that look like they belong to another little boy or girl (sterotypically blue or pink).
My own kids, when we moved to Miami two decades ago, hated any house that didn’t have a recognizable kid’s bedroom with toys… painted in the color scheme desired by each of them… pink for one… blue for the other. Ok… My kids were four and five years old at the time…. but that’s fairly typical of small children… wanting a house they can visualize themselves in.
I’ve digressed. Back to Sophie and her house hunting. While she and I (and her parents!) scoured various Miami neighborhoods (Coral Gables, South Miami, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest) we chatted about what they needed and wanted in a new house…. what they’d be giving up … what furniture to bring … and what to put in storage.
And it struck me…
At the very last house we were scheduled to see ( just before they rushed off to the airport) the Listing Agent was late… (let’s just say that the Realtor was sufficiently late so as to necessitate the homeowner opening and showing the house !). The homeowner cordially offered us water or soda, and Sophie , the eight-year-old, politely said “Yes, thank you” to water. The rest of us declined. The homeowner forgot about Sofie’s water though, as she darted off to dial her Realtor “How delayed are you?”. And Sophie, politely, didn’t remind her… even as we stood in the the kitchen for the full ‘owner’s tour’.
Okay… so it struck me… The worst part of moving, besides being tired and running on empty: Wishing you had FOOD or SOMETHING TO DRINK! Tired, crabby, with tons still to unpack … you eventually throw in the towell … and venture out… in search of food and drink… at some point in your unpacking.
One of the best housewarming gifts ever? FOOD !!! Pizza or sandwiches, cold drinks … on moving day. Almost anyone can survive being hot, sweaty, and tired … if there is food (or some angel delivers food!) .
I remember the ‘good old days’ when neighbors came by with a bundt cake… or was that just in the movies?
If you’re in the market to buy or sell real estate and need an experienced Realtor, let me help! Often, it’s the little things that make a difference (the many, many, many little things!) … I can (and will) make a difference in your next move! Call me or contact me here 305 793-1365 Vicki Restivo EWM REALTORS INTERNATIONAL – Affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway. For more information on buying, selling or living in Miami I invite you to visit my blog and website MiamiRealEstateCafe.com