Having saved your images of the verandah to my phone some time ago, and revisiting the listing this week, I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t enquire about the advertised property. I’ve sat staring over the front gate from my car more times than I care to admit."
Another dreamer having fallen under the spell of "Riverbend". It once again vindicates my preference for cutting out the middle-man, as a real estate agent would already have brought her out to the property as a "pre-qualified buyer" (whatever that means; a beating heart?), preparatory to which we would have spent several hour doing some decluttering and cleaning up the kitchen etc. - none of which we still do; it's been "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" since the last agent left.
I replied, "As mentioned in the advertisement, the eventual selling price - which is negotiable - is set by the land value of more than $2.5 million (already seven years old), with the balance determined by the perceived value of the two-storey brick residence and a host of improvements, giving it a likely total of $3 million-plus (how much "plus" is left to be decided by the person with the cheque-book). So, before we proceed beyond this email exchange, here is the $3-million-PLUS question: do you have the funds or finance arranged?"
Predictably, she replied, "Straight off the bat it’s out of my price range. I am actively looking for a family home for myself with two teen boys, one into archery and the other loves camping, along with my soon to be 80 year old Mum. We’ve lived together on the Far South Coast for four years. I’m an artist and I’ve outgrown my small studio here as my art sales have been very steady, and am looking for somewhere near the water to live and paint, build a larger art studio (around 8x6m) and hold occasional art workshops over the holiday seasons. My eldest paddled from Shallow Crossing to the Bay with a night on Little Island with two mates not long ago, and loved it (but not the blisters). The boys said it would be an awesome spot to live, kayaks straight off the bank. I’m staring at the screen wondering why I’m saying all this instead of just saying sorry it’s way over my budget. In any case, I’ll buy a lotto ticket, and keep selling paintings!"
Another big dreamer with small pockets! But there was more: "Maybe I could possibly visit please to do some preliminary sketches for paintings of the river and surrounds? I’m just so drawn to Riverbend, and the magnificent trees on your property." I might have relented, if she had boxed in the 'please' with two commas, but, on second thoughts, I can't see myself sharing my treasured privacy with an arty lady and her two teenage boys shooting arrows and lighting camp fires all over the place.
