Have you ever been shopping for the perfect pair of pants? You know JUST the ones you are looking for. Until you try them on.

So you try on a few (or more than a few) more. Finally you find the perfect pair. And they are not the black, wool pair you set out to buy. They are gray, and poly blend.

Enter the buyer’s agent. We get to be the personal shopper that asks you to JUST TRY on a pair of gray pants . . and they fit you just PERFECTLY. And they go with EVERYTHING. Why did you even think you wanted black?

We get to know you. We will help you see the “forest for the trees”, we will help you see through “smoke and mirrors” and pretty paint. We will help you think through what it is you really want. We will be the calm voice of reason and a sometimes very emotional process. And if you ask us, we will let you know, ever so kindly and gently, it the pants are a little too snug in the backside.

Sometimes the first one, house or pants, we try is the perfect fit. (I personally have been one of those buyers who looked at one house and that was it.) But sometimes we shop and shop and shop. We know you wanted to see only ranch style homes in south Lincoln. But we have gotten to know you. And because we know you so well and we know our market so well we think you should just TRY ON this two story in east Lincoln. And sometimes, just like the very non-black, non-wool pants, it turns out to be the perfect fit.

So when you are ready to shop (houses that is) call your favorite personal shopper (aka buyer’s agent). And have your checkbook ready, just in case, like me, the first one is the perfect fit.

There is a sweet Little House not too far from downtown that has seen better days. This Little House has seen both its gardens and children better tended. True, the Little House’s roof and porches have seen better days, too. For those of us that call homes “sweet” and love the story each one tell , this could be a sad story but I’m not so sure it is.

The Little House was built and well-built, I might add, according to a recent home inspection. It was built for function but also for beauty. The trim and doors would leave today’s craftsmen drooling for a chance to create something so extravagant in an otherwise practical home.

This Little House is in the process of being sold. I have the good fortune to be working with both buyer and seller. I get to hear the old story and the new one. Both stories tell of hard work, sacrifice, and a good life. They tell of the opportunity our town offers.

Recently I rode my bike to Holmes Lake to see the sunset. It was beautiful. Then I turned around and looked behind me to the east. That view was majestic. Who knew east could be prettier that west at sunset?

So it can be with our Little House. When considering a property be sure to look for what it has, not just what it does not have. Look for the opportunity. Perhaps a little paint or elbow grease, or a new roof or fence, or even a new function or a new kind of family can provide an opportunity for the buyer and the house.

This Little House is being bought by someone with this kind of vision. Our town changes, its houses and its neighborhoods change. But I’m not so sure this is a bad thing. Just try looking east at sunset sometime.

As it happens I am working with more sellers than buyers right now. And sometimes that makes it hard. Sellers after all, are leaving. Often not just their home but their town. Jim and Arlene for example. They love Lincoln and they love their home. But they love their family more. After much consideration they are moving to be with them.

As we walked through their home considering what needed to be done to get the home ready for sale, it was hard to not stop and look at all the pictures, awards and mementos on the walls. It was obvious. Life in Lincoln was good. The decision to leave was hard.

During our short but delightful acquaintance I have gained a sense of what lovely people they are and how Lincoln will be a little poorer for not having them as residents. We have even shared tears. And this is part of what we do. We help sellers make good BUSINESS decisions in the middle of:

“Should we move? How will I ever, EVER get this house packed up? They want to close WHEN? How can they not love this wallpaper/paint/carpet….it was sooo perfect.”

It’s hard to keep a clear head in the midst of this. We hold hands (sometimes literally) and remind them that all they really care about is a ready, willing and able buyer whose terms (price, closing date, etc.) meet their needs.

Our job is to help our clients, both buyers and sellers, do what they have decided to do. We provide clarity, sometimes courage, understanding of the process (purchase agreements, signatures, more signatures, inspections, title company, repairs, utilities,… what happens when). And then when all is done we hand their keys over to the buyer. Pledges by buyer and seller of “I’ll NEVER” do this again are shared. But they probably will. And we will be there.

I have fallen in love at least four times. I mean with our neighborhoods of course. We have lived in four homes in Lincoln. Every time I drive through one of “our” neighborhoods, nostalgia grabs me. Life was good there. Remember when we….planted that tree, sat on the porch swing, celebrated with our neighbors……We didn’t mean to keep moving. Life just kept happening. Four homes, a couple rentals, and years in real estate means I know many neighborhoods. But just when I think I have found the last great neighborhood I discover another one. And I’m in love again. Fortunately I can experience this vicariously through my clients. My sore back still remembers how much work a move is.

Listen to what my clients have to say about their neighborhoods:

Matt lives in the Waterpark Condos: “I love its central location and the fact that it is right by the bike trail.”

Me too!

Jeff and Jamie live in Fallbrook: “When deciding where to build our house, we looked for a neighborhood that would feel like home. We found the perfect fit in Fallbrook. The location is convenient for our everyday activities. My commute downtown takes less than 10 minutes and my husband is able to travel throughout his sales territory with ease. The amenities like the YMCA, green space, trails and nature’s treasures at the brook provide endless opportunities for our family to explore and enjoy being outside. We love friendly neighbors we meet along the way from parents just our age toting toddlers, strollers and elementary kids on bikes the same age as our own to the empty nesters walking their dogs.”

Me too!

Christine and her family live in the 40th and “A” area. She says, “The best thing about our area is the central location; getting anywhere in town quickly is a treat. We also enjoy living in the same neighborhood where our children go to school.”

Me too!

So when life happens, or love calls, be sure to call us. We are great matchmakers.

During Lincoln’s most recent snowstorm, as I was cozy at home, I had a nice conversation with one of my clients, who I was helping look for a new home. It got me thinking: how do you know you’ve found your home? My client, Amy, also in front of her fireplace, said, “We have really great neighbors. Next door is a child the same age as our children and they all have a great time playing in our backyard. We socialize with them quite a bit and just love having our neighbors as friends. Our kitchen is perfect for entertaining. My husband was traveling this week and I was fearful of all the scooping I would be doing but the neighbor has been over to snow blow and salt. It’s so wonderful having people to count on right next door.”

This is what real estate is about. There is no one perfect residence. In Amy’s case they settled on a newer multi-level, single family home, over by Adams School. We looked around for as long as it took. Finding just the right fit is what Nebraska Home Sales is all about. Fit is about more than how many garages and how many square feet. It is about you, and what makes a house a home.

One of my favorite tips for buyers after they have identified a couple of homes they like is to have buyers drive around the area at different times of the day and different days of the week. Look around, listen to the sounds (or the quiet) or maybe talk to the neighbor out mowing or scooping snow. Does it feel like home?

Our family moved to Lincoln more than 20 years ago. We didn’t know a soul. That lasted about a minute. Even before we moved in our neighbors greeted us. Some even became fast friends. This is one of the many things that makes our town great. Working to find the right fit for our buyers is one of the things we strive to do at Nebraska Home Sales.

We’ve also made our web site more social: You can now login with your Facebook, Gmail or Yahoo account to ask a question on our site. Or click the Recommend button on each property to share it with your friends on your Facebook page. Our agents all have blog pages now that update with our new Facebook pages. More big changes are in the works … all part of our commitment to being the technology leader for real estate sales in our fair city.

Around the holidays, it also is a scientific message that carries a little bit of hope. Life, it seems, finds a way.