Saying goodbye to a beloved house

"It was supposed to be my Forever House — the home you think you will never leave, the house you love beyond all others, where you’ve recaptured only what made you feel safe and happy in your childhood and left the rest behind. The Forever House is where you’ve passed along the values you admire to your own children — and filled the rooms with laughter and tears."

This is from an article in the New York Times, written by Dominique Browning, who had to sell, unexpectedly, her house of 25 years. The profound way in which she talks about this process struck a deep chord with me, and reflected my observation of that process over my 27 years in the real estate business.

I know how difficult it is for owners to let go of the houses they have made into their homes. It is one of the most sensitive and sometimes difficult things a real estate agent deals with when working with sellers. The best agents are those who understand the depth of feeling experienced by sellers, and who are skilled at helping them adjust to the reality. Georgetown real estate may be particularly intense in that way because the houses here are commonly owned for 25 or more years at a stretch.

Here is a link to the article. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/magazine/28fasttrack-t.html?scp=1&sq=azalea&st=cse