Transformational Transactions

I relish the opportunity to stop by the upscale eatery in Macys when I am in the southwest side of the city.  Through my frequent visits, I have developed a relationship with the Manager, Margaret who runs one of the best deli/cafes in Grand Rapids.

 Anyway, my appreciation for good food and tasteful presentation led from general acknowledgement and pleasantries to a conversation about Margaret’s dream.  She wanted a house on the lake.  Now in Michigan, the term “on the water” can be debatable.  I’ve seen homes advertised on ponds that were breeding grounds for mosquitoes referred to as your own “private lake”.  Well, Margaret was talking about what we term “real water”, the big lake, Lake Michigan. 

She had a price in mind which she knew would be a challenge to find, but she courageously placed her home on the market, and decided to follow her bliss.  Within several months, her home was sold and the search for the house on the lake went into high gear.  We seemed to be rapidly exhausting all options and Margaret’s home had not manifested.  Undaunted, we continued the search, my assistant logging many miles traveling in search of the seemingly elusive lake access home in the Lake Shore area.

Finally, the break came through a home that was sold or so everyone thought.  As we approached the Listing agent for this home that was literally a couple hundred yards from a breathtaking view and with the added value of deeded lake access, he indicated that the option to purchase the property was expiring and we should submit a back-up offer which we did.  It was only after the home closed that we realized that several prospective buyers had their eyes on the home and were hoping for the opportunity to bid but never made their intentions clear.

 We all knew this was a God thing.  Margaret had walked through many challenges and could have chosen to retreat from life, but on the contrary she embraced it fully with determination and faith and got what she desired against tremendous odds.  Today, she lives in a lovely home that is located on an acre, surrounded by lovely trees and we have nicknamed the view from her bluff, her little slice of heaven “Margaret’s Lake”.

 This is how Margaret decided to share the blessings of her experience with her sister and brother-in-law, Ed & Penny who were living in the southeast part of Michigan...suburban Detroit.  Whenever, they would visit Margie as they call her, they were drawn by the beauty and peace of her setting.  Penny & Ed found themselves engaged in a journey of their own as they began to contemplate a move to a very different place to a very different type of life. 

 Ed, an amateur photographer has a passion for capturing the exquisite in the ordinary.  He loves taking pictures but has not had a lot of time.  Penny has a talent for redeeming a home’s interior to create beautiful living spaces.

The search for a house on the lake like Margies had many twists and turns.  Along the way, we met numerous individuals and builders.  There were sellers who wanted to sell and then decided they couldn’t move just yet.  We soon discovered that just about every piece of land that had proximity of any kind to the lake was already sold or optioned. There’s something about the Lake!  The search was long, and exhaustive.  Finally, with most options rapidly diminishing, we decided to explore building a home.  This started another chapter of the adventure.

 To be continued.....

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