The week kicked off with a phone call from a former client. A client who had seen every house in her budget range in the local area; and was still renting. My heart sank - please God, she didn't want to start looking again. Fortunately not, her sister wanted to sell her holiday home, which she had bought two years ago, refurbished and then gone back to Tokyo, never to return. We met up and she took me around. All of the furniture was covered in white sheeting. Shades of Miss Haversham... My client told me how much her sister had paid for the house and I was stunned into almost silence - a loss of E80 000 was easily achievable over today's property prices. I promised to do an Analyse Comparative du Marche and we had a very jolly lunch.
Back at the office, the atmosphere was much more detendue because the agent who had been causing all the trouble last week had gone on holiday. I got back the sales contact which he had attemped to nick in my absence, and went around to estimate the value of the two appartement buildings. They are both in Rue St Gilles in the centre of Orthez, a long narrow street with three storey 19th century immeubles. I had three bunches of keys; a total of about 35 together. It took me 10 minutes just to get through the front door. I emerged into a gloomy corridor which opened out onto a courtyard with steps. None of the keys worked in any of the doors and at the top of the steps, the gate was closed with a bike lock. I went back to trying the doors. One opened very slowly and a bleary-eyed woman emerged. We were both very surprised... She and her family rent the ground floor and had no idea that the block was to be sold. Ooops... Her husband showed me how to get to the top flat without having to climb over the gate. I went back to trying the keys and was just in the process of heaving up the metal shutter on the patio doors when two ladies turned up. Fortunately they were the two former renters and let me in.
At the end of two hours, I had measured up and taken all the pics. There were two appartements, garden and garage and the owner very kindly gave us an exclusive contract! Job done and I have a lovely young couple coming over next week who it would suit to a tee.
Two young men came in mid week, looking for a studio or loft to renovate. We set off in their car and they drove so fast that things turned into a blur - a Back to the Future experience in Orthez! I showed them a place that we have had for sale for YEARS -a rather gloomy appartement which leads onto a massive outbuilding. Unfortunately a previous owner had sold the downstairs garage (the only outside access to said massive outbuilding)to the neighbour, who is, as they say around here, a man of 'caractere' i.e. v.v. difficult. The young men loved it. I had to sit down to cope with the shock. They measured up and cooed about the potential. Watch this space... they are revisiting with an architect next week.
Friday, an FNAIM agent from Alsace brought his client over. They set off at 5 pm and arrived 5am, both looking surprisingly sprightly. We set off in my car and went to see a house in Mascacq. A neobearnaise style with loads of space. The Alsaciens thought the garden was too steep, and too big. We were chatting outside prior to leaving, and the client asked why the lady was selling. The lady's face crumpled. 'Because my son died in January'. Poor, poor lady. Our hearts went out to her.
The second house was in Sault de Navailles. The owner met us and let us in and showed us his aged mother who was installed on the sofa under a blanket. We went around the house, with his mother's frail voice following us, 'I can hear you, you know.... I told you not to play with your friends at lunchtime'. The owner is well into his 50's and he just shrugged and said that it would happen to all of us eventually. I suspect the kids or the alcohol may get to me first.
The last house was in Salies de Bearn and the client loved it to bits and made an offer, which was accepted. A good week!
Apart from... I was lurking outside the Mairie, hoping to catch a contact on his way out, when a Danish couple stopped and asked me directions to the English agency in Salies. I gave them my card and said if they didnt find anything, not to hesitate to contact me. The Agent spotted me talking to his clients and stomped over;
'Ah Janet, stealing clients again' he said grumpily and then disappeared with his clients. I have, just occasionally, been accused of being pushy. I think I am competitive. All the same, it would be interesting to see if those clients do get back to me. They did look terribly, terribly, well off.....
Back at the office, the atmosphere was much more detendue because the agent who had been causing all the trouble last week had gone on holiday. I got back the sales contact which he had attemped to nick in my absence, and went around to estimate the value of the two appartement buildings. They are both in Rue St Gilles in the centre of Orthez, a long narrow street with three storey 19th century immeubles. I had three bunches of keys; a total of about 35 together. It took me 10 minutes just to get through the front door. I emerged into a gloomy corridor which opened out onto a courtyard with steps. None of the keys worked in any of the doors and at the top of the steps, the gate was closed with a bike lock. I went back to trying the doors. One opened very slowly and a bleary-eyed woman emerged. We were both very surprised... She and her family rent the ground floor and had no idea that the block was to be sold. Ooops... Her husband showed me how to get to the top flat without having to climb over the gate. I went back to trying the keys and was just in the process of heaving up the metal shutter on the patio doors when two ladies turned up. Fortunately they were the two former renters and let me in.
At the end of two hours, I had measured up and taken all the pics. There were two appartements, garden and garage and the owner very kindly gave us an exclusive contract! Job done and I have a lovely young couple coming over next week who it would suit to a tee.
Two young men came in mid week, looking for a studio or loft to renovate. We set off in their car and they drove so fast that things turned into a blur - a Back to the Future experience in Orthez! I showed them a place that we have had for sale for YEARS -a rather gloomy appartement which leads onto a massive outbuilding. Unfortunately a previous owner had sold the downstairs garage (the only outside access to said massive outbuilding)to the neighbour, who is, as they say around here, a man of 'caractere' i.e. v.v. difficult. The young men loved it. I had to sit down to cope with the shock. They measured up and cooed about the potential. Watch this space... they are revisiting with an architect next week.
Friday, an FNAIM agent from Alsace brought his client over. They set off at 5 pm and arrived 5am, both looking surprisingly sprightly. We set off in my car and went to see a house in Mascacq. A neobearnaise style with loads of space. The Alsaciens thought the garden was too steep, and too big. We were chatting outside prior to leaving, and the client asked why the lady was selling. The lady's face crumpled. 'Because my son died in January'. Poor, poor lady. Our hearts went out to her.
The second house was in Sault de Navailles. The owner met us and let us in and showed us his aged mother who was installed on the sofa under a blanket. We went around the house, with his mother's frail voice following us, 'I can hear you, you know.... I told you not to play with your friends at lunchtime'. The owner is well into his 50's and he just shrugged and said that it would happen to all of us eventually. I suspect the kids or the alcohol may get to me first.
The last house was in Salies de Bearn and the client loved it to bits and made an offer, which was accepted. A good week!
Apart from... I was lurking outside the Mairie, hoping to catch a contact on his way out, when a Danish couple stopped and asked me directions to the English agency in Salies. I gave them my card and said if they didnt find anything, not to hesitate to contact me. The Agent spotted me talking to his clients and stomped over;
'Ah Janet, stealing clients again' he said grumpily and then disappeared with his clients. I have, just occasionally, been accused of being pushy. I think I am competitive. All the same, it would be interesting to see if those clients do get back to me. They did look terribly, terribly, well off.....
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