Short sales are rugged … while they’re improving, becoming more fully understood and more often successful … I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the role of laughter …

In his landmark book Deep Survival, Who Lives, Who Dies and Why … Laurence Gonzales unveils that in stressful situations where physical survival is the issue, people who have survived report that the pressure lifts, time stretches into slow motion and better decisions are made with laughter.

This short sales in Marin County series will be interesting and fun … if you respond … offering your experience and/or asking questions …

Last weekend, at the warm, wonderful home of Judith and Anthony Stern, the theme was laughter in literature. Yes, one of my now-traveling ‘Lit Celebrations’ … a white elephant-style … pick a number … exchange of grand books rather than gifts … this evening the theme was ‘laughter and mirth’ books …

I came home with Way to Go by Alan Spence … I devoured it … deep, dark, twisted and hilarious … I brought Jane Gardam’s Old Filth … laugh out loud funny) … Mike Snyder, a naval scurvy dog and history buff, brought First Salute … a book he contributed to that I’ve heard is marvelous … I had intended to bring Cooking With Fenet Branca … outrageous … but it went out on loan from Finola FitzClarence, to whom I’d lent it, before being returned to me … oh well, the renown poet Alan Anderson will give it back to me … trustworthy, that lad) … Natalie Shapiro knew almost all of the books …

We missed a few regulars, Bea, who will return … Michael, our local booksmith and Sherri Whyte, therapist to the stars … next time?

To the party someone brought Infidels, an amazing portrait of the Muslim world that reminded me of missing Terry Pearce, who’d have loved it if he hasn’t yet read it and Peter Sarkissian, who knows the Muslim world and his charming wife Toni Esposti (Old Republic Exchange … ahh best real estate exchanger in the world) …

A marvelous, laughter-filled time was had by all! Yes, laughter is a book theme to repeat …. laughter!

Back to real estate … within three miles of my San Rafael office there are 117 homes being sold by banks or short sales …

Another view: A home with foreclosure history just came on the market a stone’s throw from my home… you’re reading about it because when it last sold it brought the Zillow pricing down on my home …

75 Kensington, San Anselmo … this home sold in ’06 for $1,080,000 … it was a dark, dysfunctional six bedroom that was sold by the bank in ’09 as a foreclosure for $655,000 … now, after being taken down to studs and rebuilt as a stunning four bedroom, 2775 square foot beauty, it is on the market for $1,835,000.

Comments, please … experiences, yes …. And thank you!

Next installment, Part III, How Homeowners Benefit.

Part I of XV, Introduction
Part II of XV, I Believe in Laughter
Part III of XV: How Homeowners Benefit

For more information, please visit www.tomverkozen.com.

Posted by:  Tom Verkozen