Parents…there’s no such thing as having a “favorite” child, am I right? But, also, if you’re being totally and completely honest, do you have one child that is just teensy bit easier than the others? You love them all equally, OF COURSE! But, that one sweet baby… loving him or her is just so effortless. I feel you. Because I will swear on a stack of silver bibles that I love all my clients the exact same amount, but my “empty-nesters” are just so easy to love. I adore my first-time home buyers. They’re all excited and wide-eyed, but sometimes overly optimistic and just the slightest bit naïve. I love my growing families who are upgrading to bigger and better digs. But, occasionally, they’re a little bit weary and slightly less enthused than their younger selves. And then there’s the empty nesters. I don’t love them a single bit more than any other client, but they’re just so sweet and easy. If you think first time home buyers are doing the happy dance, you should see “last time home buyers.” They’ve made it and they’re ready to celebrate! And with this special group of home buyers, I do actually get to help them find their “forever home.”
When empty-nesters tell me they want to find their “forever home,” I don’t wince. I don’t start my mini-lecture on how a “forever home” is a fantasy. I don’t burst their little bubble that it’s totally unrealistic to expect a first home to be their last home. Because, by the time empty-nesters land in my office, they know the drill.
They’ve been through the first home, the middle home (or homes!) and they’re ready to downsize, declutter and enjoy the rest of their days in a really fantastic, just right and maybe forever home. When they tell me they’re ready for their “forever home,” I give them my biggest smile and we get to work. Because finding a “forever home” for this special class of buyers doesn’t require less energy, research and forethought… at times, it can require more of all that, but it sure is rewarding to hand over the keys to an amazing couple ready to embrace their golden years.
Yep, I still ask questions of my empty-nesters. Lots of questions. We talk about their first home. We talk about their most recent home. We talk about what worked for them in their past homes. What did they love? What did they really not love? We talk about their lifestyle… do they have family close by? Grandchildren who will be visiting? Health concerns? By this point in their lives, most clients know they want single-level living. They want minimal yard maintenance. They don’t need five bedrooms, but they love the idea of kitchen/den combo where they can do the majority of their living in a large and airy space. The don’t need a huge basement rec room, but they want a quality outdoor living space. They don’t want to maintain a private pool, but they want access to a health club. Many, especially those relocating to the Williamson County area, are doing so because they want to be near our thriving, historic and charming downtown district. Others like the idea of being in a meticulous pre-planned community. And there are always a few that want a smaller home on a few secluded acres. The point is this… empty nesters know what they want and that makes my job thoroughly delightful.
So, forever homes? Fairytale or reality? Most of the time, my answer lies somewhere in between those two. The sentiment that clients are expressing when they tell me that they want a forever home is really that they want to find a HOME. Somewhere they and their family can build a life, make memories and grow up together. No matter what type of homebuyer you are… first time, growing family or empty-nesters, that is 100% attainable. The notion that you’ll never need to move again? Ehhh… slightly less than realistic, but not impossible, especially with my oh-so-easy-to-love empty nesting homebuyers!