MEET JEHNNA!

There’s something unique about each client I work with and the thing I kid Jehnna about is that she is my longest standing client! I literally started working with Jehnna back in Jan/Feb of 2014 and we/she finally closed on her first home shortly after our 3 yr “working” anniversary! Interestingly enough, she bought her first home in one of the first complexes she had identified as “a possibility”. Now in full disclosure, it’s not like we went out every weekend looking at homes or even wrote dozens of offers. In fact, I think we only wrote 3, if my memory serves me correctly. At first we looked at what the market had to offer but looking back, she wasn’t really ready. She was pre-qualified and had an idea of what she wanted but there’s more to it when it comes right down to it. One has to be ready for that commitment and when you’re not in a hurry, well, let’s just say the world keeps turning.

Jehnna would reach out every once in a while when she’d like a listing I had sent her way and we’d meet occasionally to check out a home but the stars didn’t always align and we’d agree to just keep checking in with each other. And then it happened… Jehnna had seen enough properties and knew what she wanted and her patience paid off! She was more than ready to pull the trigger this time. I’d love to tell you that we made an offer, it was accepted and within a few weeks we were sipping champagne but in this particular market cash was king and we lost a few times to ridiculous ‘way over list’ offers that we just couldn’t compete with though our awesome lender, Natalie Ventimiglia at Diversified Capital, was working her magic. As fate would have it, or what I call the “relationship factor”, the list agent began having trouble with the “better offer”. She called me and explained her transaction might go south and wanted to know if Jehnna was still interested. We had 2 days to get our ducks in a row and when the first offer fell apart, we pounced with a slightly increased offer. Having been in contract with that agent in the past, she had been disappointed as well when our first offer wasn’t the winning one but given a second chance to bring forth a new offer before the home went back out to market was just the edge we needed to get into contract. The trust that was established on a past transaction carried over to this one and we were able to work together cohesively to bring a great opportunity to both our clients and make everyone happy! Soon Jehnna was buying new furniture and putting her own touch on her first home!

I think it’s worth mentioning that Jehnna is a single, professional lady just shy of 30 when she made this purchase without help from outside sources other than her lender. I hear so often that the market is too expensive and that young people can’t afford to live or buy property in Silicon Valley, but that is a fallacy. I have story after story of young adults that I’ve helped purchase their first piece of real estate. Like any goal in life, if you set one, take the necessary steps to work out the details and work towards that goal, you’ll achieve it. Jehnna’s goal was to purchase without financial help from her parents. Many times over that 3 year “searching” period she could have conceded and let them help her but she kept saving and was ready when that fateful day came and we got into contract on her home. The lesson here… patience, perseverance and keeping your eye on the prize! Congratulations, Jehnna!