Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”

January 2025

As I think about this verse, I realize this is so true for home purchases and home selling. Looking back on the 3 homes and 1 condo Vince and I have bought and sold over the years, the reason for the purchases and sales was because our ‘seasons’ had changed.

In our first home it was a true starter. We had just moved to Arizona a year previously, had no debt but not much credit either and were starting our own window cleaning company here in the Valley. Affordability was our #1 requirement for a home. It did have to be a 3 bedroom because we needed a bedroom for us, one for our daughter and one for our home office. A few other requirements were staying in North Phoenix, living in a well-established neighborhood and good access to schools. Our first little home – only 1300 sq. ft met perfectly that ‘season’ of our lives.

After Vince and I were well established in careers quite a few years later (another season), we looked for a more expensive home that was twice as big, with a smaller yard (more manageable with our busier schedules) and within the school district where our daughter was attending school. We sold the first home with quite a bit of equity, and we purchased the second home just 5 blocks south of the first.

Next, I became a realtor after a 10 year career with ASU ended quite abruptly. They had cut back on middle management. As a realtor I now had access to the mls and knowledge in home purchasing negotiation – starting out as a buyer’s agent. A home came on the market in a cute neighborhood close by called Shadow Mountain Estates. Vince and I walked through the neighborhood quite often with our doggies. I saw the sign in the yard one night on our walk and I ran home to get the information. Soon I scheduled a showing, and we went over and saw the inside of the home. In this new season of life, we decided we wanted a tad fancier home with a pool. As a realtor I now had the knowledge of how to purchase the home when up against numerous offers. The home had 4 offers on it in the first 3 days, and we were the winning bid. This third home was the style I wanted. It had a southwest flair with a tile roof, curved windows and oodles of character!

Our 4^th purchase was a condo out of state, close to our daughter and her family. This would be considered a second home. During this season of life, we didn’t need to sell our current home to purchase something affordable out of state. This condo gave us the opportunity to be with our daughter and her husband and enjoy our grandchildren for a few months at a time. It gets us out of the truly hot months in AZ in the summer. So, I would call this our ‘4^th season’. Vince was nearing retirement, working remotely, and I had the flexibility to work remotely with the help of wonderful realtors in my office assisting in showings and open houses.

These stages hold true for most real estate clients. Many people, unless they have very rich relatives, start out in what we call a ‘starter home’. They may desire later, like we did, to move up to perhaps a bigger or nicer home. We call them the ‘move up buyer’. Vince and I moved up twice. Some folks may want a second home out of town or out of state. The buyers in AZ that have second homes or second condos here, we call Snowbirds. Then the next stage, that Vince and I haven’t come to yet, will be the ‘downsizer’. The home has become too big for the empty nesters, and they no longer want to maintain such a large property and/or yard.

With my 16 year real estate career, I can honestly say that I have assisted with all these seasons of life for clients successfully. It’s the client, not actually the season, that matters to me. I truly want to see my clients’ desires and needs in their home sale or purchase be exactly what they hope it will be.

If you are reaching a new season in life and need help determining your next real estate move, please give me a call. I would love the opportunity to help!

Rosemary DeLaurentis
Realtor
Coldwell Banker Realty Phoenix-Paradise Valley Office
602-373-9116
rosemaryd24@gmail.com