Polly is a kick! At 82 she still goes to a Dude Ranch every summer with her two daughters, their husbands and all the grandkids. Polly doesn’t just sit on the porch swing sipping a cool lemonade like most grandmothers; she saddles up and rides! That tells you everything you need to know. She’s determined, of her own mind, doesn’t worry about being fancy and can make a decision. Her story is a textbook-perfect example of how to set and execute a Housing Plan.
Polly’s husband fell ill decades ago while her daughters were young girls. She never shared his condition with us, but it was a horrible, slow decline that ravaged his body and rendered him bedridden for many, many years before the condition eventually ended his life. Polly’s days were filled with raising her two girls and caring for her husband. With the girls now grown, married and living with their own families in the Bay Area, Polly was alone, caring for her husband for the last 10 years before he passed.
With her husband gone, it was time to look at what was next for Polly. She called a family meeting so everyone could look at the alternatives and make a collective decision everyone would be happy with, and so everyone would know exactly what was on Polly’s mind. The house was too big, needed too much maintenance for her to manage and was full of painful memories of caring for her husband. One thing everyone agreed on was that selling the house and leaving all that pain behind was the right first move. But where would Polly go?
At 82, our Dude Ranch riding grandmother was obviously in great shape physically and mentally, but Polly was also practical. As tempted as she was to purchase a condo in the area, she knew sooner or later she was going to need assistance. She decided to look into senior living communities. With all her friends in the Pasadena area, she wanted to remain local. As much as her family agreed, they pointed out that as she aged, traveling to and from the Bay Area would only become more difficult. The prospect of seeing her grandchildren less and less was all it took for Polly to set her mind to moving north. She and her daughters did their research and found the perfect place for her in San Francisco, not far from both daughters and their families. She’d have family nearby when she needed them and could see the grandkids as much as she wanted. It wasn’t long before an apartment became available. She put down a deposit, and one of her sons-in-law, an architect, drew up plans and started a remodel.
This is where we met Polly and her two daughters. Referred to us by a dear friend, who also happens to be Polly’s lifelong friend from elementary school. When Polly mentioned possibly selling the house but didn’t know any Realtors®, our friend said, “What about Laurie? You’ll love her! She sells everything, and your girls were just a few years behind her at school.” They did their research on local Realtors® and interviewed several, including us. It was love at first sight. Her daughters and I instantly recognized each other, everything clicked and we got the job. Time to get to work.
It was a stately old home, on a grand boulevard, in a prestigious neighborhood. But it was tired and very original. No air conditioning, cloth wiring and the original seven gravity furnaces in the basement. With Polly preoccupied with her husband’s care for so many years, things weren’t kept up as she would have liked. But she was honest about it and asked our opinion: spend the money to restore its luster or sell it as is? As much fun as it would have been to get our team in there for a restoration project, we knew Polly was already in one construction project on her apartment in San Francisco, and we didn’t see her having the appetite to take on a second. And this would have been a BIG project. You never know what you are going to find once you start fixing up old homes. We advised her to sell it as is. It would sell for less than if it were fixed up, but she wouldn’t have the headaches that come along with restoring an old home.
We didn’t have to do too much to get the house ready to sell. Our gardening team attacked the yard, cutting back overgrown hedges, planting some seasonal color for accents and putting down mulch; lots and lots of mulch. Inside, we took down some curtains to let in more sunlight and brighten the feel of the home. We made a few edits to furniture and décor, and our cleaning crew gave everything a deep scrubbing. Polly was a great sport. No emotions about us removing items or moving things around. “If it helps sell this place faster, do whatever you need to do.” Always practical. It didn’t take long before we were under contract.
Our next big project was clearing out the house. Polly and her late husband were both only children of only children, so, as she said, “everything came down the line to us.” There was a LOT of gorgeous silver, entire closets full of fine china, crystal and antique furniture and rugs that had been passed down through the generations and landed in Polly’s house. She didn’t have room for it in her apartment, and her daughters had already taken what they wanted. “What do I do?” Once again, we called upon our trusty estate sale expert. He was in heaven inspecting all that china. It took him and his crew about three days to set up the sale and another three days to sell everything. What little was left he carted away to add to another sale at a future date. Polly was thrilled. It was that easy.
Shortly, we closed escrow. Polly wired the balance due on the apartment. The remodel of her apartment was complete. She met the buyers, a young doctor, his wife and two small children, to hand over the keys. She said her goodbyes to the house, admitted she felt a little more emotional than she expected given how terrible most of her memories of her time in the house were, thanked us for making everything so easy for her, and was off to start her new life in San Francisco.
Polly moved in right as Covid lockdowns were taking effect in senior communities. When we first spoke with her, she felt like a shut-in, but soon the neighbors were allowed to visit and she started making many new friends. Once those restrictions were lifted, Polly was out and about, taking in every one of her grandchildren’s soccer and baseball games, school plays and choral performances. She was finally living the life she envisioned and planned for with her family in San Francisco. And yes, in case you’re wondering, that summer she and her clan were back at the Dude Ranch, riding off into the sunset!
Polly knew what she wanted. She brought her family in to help her decide what to do. She made sure everyone was on the same page and understood exactly what she wanted for the next chapter in her life. Being clear, honest, communicative and taking action while you still can is the only way to set up and execute a good Housing Plan. Time to saddle up and ride, Polly!
If this sounds like you or someone you know, we’re here to have these conversations with dignity and tact. Contact us at (626) 483-5269 or at [email protected].
Stay tuned for the rest of the series.
