TR_July_2021_online

MINDSET

GIVING BACK

Invest with Heart

HOW COMPASSION CAN LEAD TO BETTER DEALS FOR ALL

by Michele Van der Veen

s real estate investors, part of our responsibility should be giv-

seven other investors putting in offers on this house. After a long day of going back and forth with offers, I decided to jump in with both feet and tell them if they took my offer, I’d take both horses back to my ranch and give them a great home! That sealed the deal! While I was finishing this home, the sellers each came by at separate times as they were by then divorced. Each conversation I had with the husband and wife ended up in tearful breakdowns and hugs. They were unbelievably grateful that I had tak- en their horses into my family and given them such an amazing life! For years, these horses were caught in between their owners’ break up. They had suffered, to some extent, right alongside their owners. Many times, as investors we end up with the “leftovers” of people’s troubled lives or we become the ones who help them out through tough times. I have dealt with banks

taking over people’s homes and have seen them walk away with noth- ing. It is truly a heartache to watch someone face such a great loss. As investors, this is where we can give back, be companionate, and do what we can to help another person through difficult times. Often, investors hold the cards that can make another person’s downfall take a turn for the better. By listening and paying attention to others’ needs, we can often assist those who are struggling. Investing is of course about making mon- ey, but if we take the approach of investing with heart then we will all feel that much better about the investments we make! •

A

ing back to the communities in which we invest. All too often, we focus on the numbers and not the people who are facing a loss. One house that I worked on comes to mind. It was a 6,000 sq ft dream house! However, the owners who were renovating their home found it to be a bad dream instead. Luckily for them, I am an equestrian and own a horse ranch, so I was able to help them with part of their heartbreak. This couple had been married for 34 years. They couldn’t handle the stress of remodeling and in the end decided to divorce. As an investor, I have come across similar unfortu- nate situations. This couple had two quarter horses that they had for over 20 years. Because they were splitting their assets in the divorce, they would need to downsize and not be able to afford acreage for their horses. During negotiation, there were

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82 | think realty magazine :: july 2021

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