Last week I had one of those happy work days where I got to watch a young family purchase their first, brand-new home. That hasn’t happened enough in the first half of this year. And it feels so rewarding when you feel like you really helped someone.
But it all started with quite the excitement. It was January 2nd. A Saturday. I had a full schedule. First, I had an inspection in Temple. Right after that, showings scheduled in Lago Vista. At the same time I was waiting to hear from “my” DR Horton sales rep because I had been working with a sweet young family who was interested in buying a home with DR Horton. We had looked at resale homes and they didn’t want to compete in multiple offers and the absolute craziness that had just started. However, at the end of the year, DR Horton was sold out in my clients’ favorite neighborhood. The sales rep asked me to send him an email in the beginning of the year so that he would put me on his update list. In the early morning hours of January 1, I sent him that email.
I got to the inspection a little earlier and checked my emails. And there it was: the list of his new home releases. I emailed back right away asking for an appointment that same afternoon. But he was busy. No response. I texted. No response. As soon as we were done with the inspection, I called and again asked for an appointment later this afternoon. He told me that he had already sold a 8 homes by that time. And he wasn’t sure that by the time I got done with my showings he would still have any homes available. He told me to just send my clients. That can be an issue with some builders who require you to accompany their clients for the first appointment with the builder. And normally I always do that. But Richard and I had worked together before and I completely trusted him.
I called my clients and told them they needed to leave the house right now and go to the model home. I apologized that I couldn’t be there. I felt really bad. They were first time homebuyers and I wanted to be there for them. I said I would come as fast as I could. They understood that I had other appointments and I really appreciated that. Once they got to the model home, they texted me and told me that there were two people in front of them. I crossed my fingers. And squeezed my thumbs - as we do in Germany.
By the time I got done with my showings, I raced to Georgetown and called my clients. They were all excited and happily playing on the neighborhood playground. Richard had showed them the models, explained everything and they had gotten under contract for their first hone. And he had honored me as their agent in my absence. By the time they left the model home, there was a line outside.
When I got to the playground, we were all happy, excited and relieved.
Fast forward 6 months: the home is finished, there were a few minor hick-ups caused by 2021 supply craziness, but DR Horton handled everything awesome, they repaired every issue that was discovered, were responsive and available for us. The weekend of January 2nd was the last one without bidding for that builder. My clients got the home at an awesome (today unbelievable) price. Not once did the builder try to push them out of the contract. They always honored what they had agreed to on that Saturday in the beginning of the year.
And “my” sweet family bought their beautiful home on Friday. I am very excited, happy and grateful for everyone involved.
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