Friday, August 15, 2008

Why Poodles on the Roof?

For years I have been contemplating a way to share the hard-won knowledge I've accumulated as I navigated the rocky paths of motherhood and authorship, paying my bills through the unlikely venue of selling real estate on both the left & right coasts. It's been quite a ride, encompassing the AIDS crisis in 1980's San Francisco, the 1989 earthquake, a major housefire, the dotcom boom & bust, my daughter's graduation from Wesleyan and a difficult divorce from my Czech-born husband....but somewhere in there I managed to complete my coming-of-age novel, begin a memoir of my Greenwich Village childhood, and learn an awful lot about termites, plumbing, co-op rules, tax-free exchanges and why homeownership is the best second job in America- as well as being the foundation for feelings of security and joy that can enhance every other part of life. (I've also learned that real estate disputes bring out the worst in people but what else is new?)
Growing up in a series of small rented apartments and grungy hotel rooms in New York's Greenwich Village, I never thought that someday I would own a little farmhouse in upstate New York and a one-bedroom loft with brick walls in a converted high school in St. Petersburg, Florida, or that I would be someone who could give helpful advice to first-time buyers from all over the world in the two hottest real estate markets in the United States.
But I do, and I can.
I hope my words will help you to make intelligent real estate decisions, and give you an inside look into a process that too often does not serve the needs of the anxious and confused client.
Or maybe you will just be amused and that will make me happy too.

POODLES ON THE ROOF is dedicated to all my customers and especially to my French-speaking client who asked for a contractor's inspection to make sure that the roof above the Manhattan penthouse he was buying was not going to spring a leak down into his apartment- there were puddles and pools of water above his prospective unit, and my client told me he was concerned about the "poodles on the roof". I realized then how fond I am of my clients and how much I love my day job.

Thank you for giving me the inspiration to finally get this blog on the road!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to reading your blog! I know your experience, expertise and your writing style will definitely keep readers captivated! :-)

Anonymous said...

Hello and welcome to the blog-o-spehere! Am looking forward to read your blog regularly. Much love from Sweden. (Stellan says hi)

Anonymous said...

Hey, I get to read your writing and get advise too! I bet some fun stories too!
This is a great forum for many can't wait to see how evolves.
with love and admiration
sister,
Stephanie

east side bride said...

Hooray for Poodles on the Roof!

Anonymous said...

Only 4 entries in and I'm riveted. Had to comment on this 1st entry, albeit belatedly, to share this market we ran across in Coombs, BC on our honeymoon. It's called Goats On Roof.

Anonymous said...

A wonderful apartment later, I wanted to say thank you again and good luck with your writing!
I have only read the august entries so far, but I love it and will be devouring my way to your most recent post!