Did you know …. that I found my personal home (we are still here today!) – by sending LETTERS to houses in the neighborhood I wanted to live in!!!!
I was NOT an agent at the time – this is 20 years ago when I was still selling yellow pages! Cliff and I had built an awesome house in an area with NO schools. I thought at the time that this is what I wanted – that my kids get on a bus and safely get to school each day …. but turns out I was more traditional – and wanted them to walk to school (like Cliff and I both did)!
So the hunt was ON. In 2004 when we were looking – inventory was not AS TIGHT as it is now…but it was still frustrating to sit and watch MLS every day…waiting for my dream home to come on the market.
So, I got CREATIVE. I drove through the neighbourhood I wanted every day – looking for For Sale by Owner signs. 2004 was not so technology friendly!!!!! No Insta/Snap Chat/Tik Tok … Facebook literally was invented that year!
We were fixated on buying in Lake Bonavista. However, that area has high demand regardless of the market – and agreeing to buy a home in minutes – with other agents waiting to show it outside – was not in my comfort zone! It was Cliff who put Sundance on my radar. Had all the things we wanted – SCHOOLS (K – 12), lake, access to Fish Creek Park. It was farther out – but neither of us worked downtown – so we decided to start looking. Again – saw every house available on Realtor.ca…none were “just right” – but we almost bought one just to get into the neighborhood….but the agent never called our agent back!!!!!!
At the time I was devastated since the home sold. But now – I say “Thank Goodness” … since everything clearly happens for a reason….and there is ALWAYS another house. Time for me to find my own home!!! I drove around – identified homes on streets where my kids could WALK to school. I called the schools to make sure – that when I found a house – that they could get in (very important to understand school boundaries in Calgary BEFORE you buy!)
Then I crafted a letter and MAILED it to each home on those streets. I literally addressed them: “Dear Lucky Sundance Home Owner”!
The NEXT day – I got a call (the first of 3 total – fun fact 1) from a woman. We had call display back then – and the area code indicated she was calling from Sundance! I answered the phone excitedly – and she just said: “You’ve got guts”……to which I replied – “You must be one of the lucky Sundance home owners I sent letters to yesterday!!!!!!” We had a short chat – she was moving in the summer…house was not SHOW ready – but we could come see it that night.
Now I had to tell Cliff. He didn’t even know I sent the letters!!!!!!! We dropped Bailey at Brownies – took cute little Jenna with us and drove to Sundance. We walked in the front door – and she said – “you look just like your picture!!!!!!”
See attached!!!!
Cliff turned to me and sighed … said: “you sent a picture!!!!???” Haha of course I did – I didn’t want people to think we were FLIPPERS. I wanted them to know we were just a NICE young family, wanting a good home! Fun fact 2 – for months people waved at us on the street when we drove or walked by!!!!!
Long story I know – but here we are – LIVING in the home we found from mailing a letter!!!!!
If you know ANYONE that is struggling to find their dream home in this crazy market – and wants to work with an agent – that will do anything to help THEM find the perfect home – have them give me a call!
I am happy to help……