What buying a home is all about…



Dear Laurie,

When I was little, my favorite story was about a girl who collected pictures of houses she dreamed of having as her home. As I moved among foster placements, I started my own book, where I collected dreams of houses and the people who would make them feel like my home. I got adopted when I was 16 and forgot all about my scrapbook as I discovered what it was like to have everything in it for real.

All these years later, house-hunting frequently felt like those days of dreams built on pictures of houses, while reality consistently kept any of them from becoming my home… but you’ve been an excellent adversary for reality.

You’ve often told me that you’re just doing your job. Yes, in the end you got paid. But frankly, if I were to add up the number of hours you’ve spent showing me houses, negotiating on my behalf, and instantaneously responding to my moments of freaking out, I think we’d find out that you would have been better off getting a job at Dunkin Donuts (especially when you factor in free coffee). In light of this, I’m extra appreciative of your unshakable integrity, patience and kindness. Those intangibles are too often overlooked by people “just doing their job.”

Thank you so much for doing your job WELL and making my dream a reality.

There has been a lot of talk in the real estate industry about raising the bar: overall improvement. But I think what is notable here is that Laurie’s service went beyond anything that can be taught. Laurie’s client is thanking her for her patience, her integrity, and her kindness — and also her tenacity. These are character traits, not something that you can acquire from chapter 27 of this book or that.

Buying or selling a home in this market is not easy. Thank you, Laurie, for going the extra mile.

Laurie Howe can be reached through the Towne & Country website, through her blog, and at 978-537-6401 x38. She has been a Realtor® for 10 years, has been with Towne & Country since August of 2007, and has been recognized as a Top Producer by NCMAR for 9 years. She has had over 150 transactions over her career. She recently earned her SFR certification, becoming a resource for people who need to sell their homes for less than their mortgage amount (short sale).