I’m readying an estate apartment for sale. I’ve got painters painting, stagers will be staging later in the week, and a photographer will follow. On one of my visits to check progress, I rode the elevator down with a longtime shareholder who had known the family. He asked if it was sad. The question lingered with me.
The truth is no, I'm not melancholy. I don’t feel sadness so much as a sense of renewal. Prepping a property for the market is actually exciting. Thinking about what new life will fill the rooms is energizing. An apartment that has been lived in and loved for decades is about to begin its next chapter. That’s the beauty of real estate. The painters refresh, the stagers reimagine, and suddenly a space that carried one story is ready for another.
Over my 45 years in the business, I’ve had the privilege of shepherding these transitions countless times. I understand both the practical and the emotional dimensions. Each has its own poignancy—but also its own spark of anticipation. What new memories will take root here? Who will make this space their own?
Lately, I’m guiding more sellers who are leaving beloved homes for assisted living communities. And to my mind, that’s the right order. While there is poignancy in letting go, there is also grace in the handoff: the chance for new voices, new laughter, new beginnings to fill the rooms. My role is to guide the process with professionalism and sensitivity, ensuring the transition is as smooth—and successful—as possible.
“Real estate is about more than square footage. It’s about transitions—the endings and beginnings that shape our lives.”
Real estate is about more than square footage. It’s about transitions—the endings and beginnings that shape our lives. That’s the real joy of my work: helping homes—and individuals—evolve from one chapter to the next.
As homes turn to their next chapters, so too do we. Wishing you and yours, in this season of new beginnings, a healthy and sweet year ahead. 🍎🍯