A Fair Price
In that 350-square-foot house, Linda Parker had poured her heart and soul into it over the years. She was confident that the next buyer would also love it. She thought the $1,25 million price tag was fair when she listed it. Despite her best efforts, she was brokenhearted by his response when the real estate agents arrived.
He laughed without even seeing the interior. "You're ridiculous, lady," he said. Nevertheless, she knew that he would soon be eating those words.
Sitting Quietly
Getting rid of her little house in Destin, Florida, never crossed Linda's mind. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the woman to care for herself at 97 years old. In the living room, she and her daughter sat together. In the quiet room, they sipped tea from their cups. It wouldn't be long before the agent arrived.
Linda said to her daughter Danielle, "I'm going to miss this place." It had been her home for many decades.
Feeling Sad
The sadness in Danielle's eyes was evident as she held her mother's hand over the table. if the place hadn't been so small, she would have stayed there with her. The reason Linda was moving in with her daughter was that she needed constant care. Danielle began, "I've been wondering."
After her mother had decorated the house over the years, she glanced around. “You said you listed it for $1,25 million. I’m wondering if the price is too low.”
Was It Reasonable?
A smile spread across Linda's face as she looked at her daughter. “To pay more than that, someone would have to love the place as much as we do,” she said. There was a pounding in the older woman's chest as her heart raced. In part, she was afraid of what was going to happen. What if no one realized how valuable her little house was?
Despite overlooking a beautiful, private beach, the place was tiny. When a real estate agent sees the house, what would he think? In a few moments, she would find out.
Real Estate Agent
Danielle and Linda were just finishing their tea when a car honked in front of their house. Danielle arose from her seat and said, "That must be the agent." As she slowly helped her mother up from the couch, she took hold of her old mother's hands. On their way to the front door, they walked together.
A sleek black car parked in Linda's driveway caught her eye through a window. After a few seconds, the agent emerged.
He Did Not Look Pleased
Her view from the outside revealed the man's visible anger and disgust as he surveyed the house. A frail old woman watched Danielle open the front door from the window as she unlocked it. The meeting was not going to be pleasant, as she could tell from the beginning.
Her young daughter greeted the young man with a smile, but it was clear that she wasn't pleased with what she saw.
It Was Ridiculous
“Are you the seller? ” The man asked, his face twisted in astonishment. After shaking her head, Danielle gestured to her mother. “I am the seller of this house,” Linda said. As soon as she said those words, the man burst into laughter. The idea seemed absurd to him.
“Oh, you must be so out of touch. No one would buy this house for over a quarter of a million,” He mocked her. However, he did not know what was inside.
Gratitude
She always considered herself to be among the luckiest women in the world, living in Destin, Florida. Throughout her life, she loved every moment. She married a wonderful man, Roger, and together they bought a lovely house overlooking a private bridge.
Their little property held great potential for Linda, who was just 21 when they bought it.
She Worked Hard
It took her endless effort to make her dream a reality as a young woman. Among those dreams was to become an interior designer who was successful. She did not start her interior decorating business until she was in her late twenties. Within a short period of time, she was working on all kinds of houses around the neighborhood.
Linda and Roger were eventually able to afford a bigger house, but this was already their home. The thought of leaving Linda never crossed her mind.
It Was Her Everything
Their home's interior was a labor of love for her. The interior of the building was breathtaking, even though it appeared unassuming from the outside. Almost twenty years ago, Linda raised their only child, Danielle, there. It was also the place where she cared for her husband as he lay dying.
Linda treasured that house dearly. Her special touch could be seen on every wall and ceiling. As far as she was concerned, she would never be able to get rid of it.
A Perfect Home
Linda had spent thousands on luxury Italian furniture, which she had placed perfectly in every single room. The walls were painted a classy shade of cream. No project that Linda had ever done could compete with her own home. Every single person who stepped foot through her front door longed to stay forever.
Danielle left the house just before her twentieth birthday, and Linda’s husband, Roger, passed away just a year later.
It Was Time
Soon, Linda found herself alone in the house she had once shared with her family. But she never intended to leave until it was absolutely necessary. She had always known that someday, she would be far too old to take care of herself. That day came shortly after her 97th birthday.
Having always been close with her daughter, they spoke about the matter. “You could live with us, Mom. Derek and the kids would love to have you with us,” Danielle insisted.
She Knew
Linda knew it was time to let go of the house that meant so much to her for so many years. She decided to sleep on the matter, but in her heart, she knew. The very next day, she decided to put the house on the market. She called an agent and set up an appointment for the very next day.
“And how much are you thinking of asking for this house, ma’am?” The man asked over the phone. Linda’s eyes scanned the beautiful interior.
The Call
“Well, I would like to sell it furnished. The furniture adds a lot of character. I was thinking around $1,25 million,” She said confidently. The man sounded unsure on the other end of the line. “Well, it must be an amazing home if you think it’s worth that much,” He laughed.
It certainly was. But when he came to check it out the following day, he thought the old woman had gone mad.
Beautiful Memories
That night, as Linda sat alone in her living room, she thought about all the beautiful memories she had made in that house over the years. She glanced at the spot where Danielle had taken her first steps. She then looked at the kitchen where she had burned many mac and cheese dinners.
In her heart, she believed the house was worth a lot more than $1,25 million. Unfortunately for Linda, the agent would not hold the same opinion when he saw the exterior.
A Big Step
Danielle showed up at the house early the next morning. Selling the house was a big step for her mother, and she wanted to be there for her. That morning, they enjoyed a warm cup of tea while they waited for the estate agent to arrive. Linda had a nervous knot in her stomach.
She always thought she would live in that house until she took her last breath, but that would not be the case. She was snapped out of her thoughts by a car honking its horn.
The Disgust
Linda followed her daughter to the front door and peeked outside through a nearby window. Her heart dropped when she spotted the disgust on the agent’s face. He was standing outside of his car, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the tiny house. But he had no idea what was on the inside.
“Mom, you coming?” Danielle asked as she stepped outside. Linda quickly collected herself and followed after her daughter. But she had no idea what she was in for.
Out Of Touch
“Are you the seller of this house?” The man asked, his face twisted in astonishment. Danielle shook her head and gestured toward her mother. “I am the seller of this house,” Linda said. But the man burst into laughter the second those words left her mouth. He thought it was ridiculous.
“Oh, you must be so out of touch. No one would buy this house for over a quarter of a million,” He mocked her. But he didn’t know what he was talking about.
Confrontation
Linda was taken aback by the man’s rude behavior. Danielle stepped forward, wanting to confront the man, but her mother stopped her. “Sir, I can assure you that this house is worth at least what I am asking for,” She started. But the man didn’t give her the chance to speak.
“Look, lady, I know you think that just because your house overlooks the beach, you can sell it for millions. But no one is going to pay that amount for a house the size of a shed,” He fought.
He Interrupted
Danielle was astonished by the man’s rude behavior. She wanted to confront him, but she knew that it would only upset his mother even more. “But it is what’s inside that matters. I have spent years working my fingers to the bone on this house, and-” But again, Linda was interrupted by him.
“I don’t have time for chit-chat. I told a couple that’s looking to buy in the area that they could have a look at this place. They’ll be here soon, and you’ll see that no one wants this place.”
He Was Rude
Linda’s heart sank at the rude way the man spoke to her. She couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t listen to what she had to say. But she knew that as soon as that couple stepped through her front door, their jaws would be on the ground. The man walked past her.
She watched as he walked along the house, dissatisfaction evident on his face as he circled the property. She felt like she was going to be sick.
Reassurance
“Mom, don’t worry so much,” Danielle said from beside her, noticing the distressed look on her mother’s face. Danielle knew that the agent had no idea what he was talking about. But a second later, another car pulled up beside them.
With a frown on his face, the agent walked toward them. When the couple stepped out of their car, they wore bright smiles. Linda was not prepared for what was about to happen.
The Couple
“Mr. and Mrs. Hanks. I must apologize,” the real estate agent started. His face was twisted in annoyance. “This is not the kind of place you would want to look at,” He said. The couple waved at Linda and Danielle before turning back to the small house. Their eyebrows raised in shock.
“Is this the place that’s going for $1,25 million?” The woman asked. When the agent said yes, her face fell. But Linda had hope.
Taking A Look
“Look, we drove all this way. We might as well just take a look around,” Her husband sighed from beside her. Danielle tried to hide her smile. She knew they would be blown away as soon as they stepped inside. She was certain that her mother’s house was worth so much more than they thought.
The woman seemed hesitant as the agent rolled his eyes beside them. “Well, we’ll lead the way,” Danielle grinned and walked toward the house.
He Was Optimistic
The man, feeling somewhat optimistic, walked behind Danielle. A second later, his wife and the agent joined him. Linda watched from afar. Danielle noticed this and stopped in front of the front door. “Mom, you coming?” She called, and a second later, Linda approached.
Danielle faced the door, taking a deep breath before pushing the front door open. Linda’s heart pounded in her chest when she heard the gasps.
Unbelievable
“Oh my gosh,” The woman breathed as she looked inside. She turned to her husband with stars in her eyes. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Slowly, the man and woman stepped inside. The agent, unable to look inside, frowned at their reactions. “Is it that awful on the inside?” He chuckled.
But when he stepped forward and looked inside, he went silent. He couldn’t believe what Linda had done with the place. But he was in for a massive surprise.
In Love
When the agent walked through the door, his eyes widened with surprise. His eyes trailed from the walls to the furniture. He was in awe. “Did you say this place came furnished?” The wife asked, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Yes, we are selling it as is,” Danielle confirmed. But the couple was about to make an offer of a lifetime.
Offer
She turned to her husband. “Honey, we can’t risk someone else taking this place from us. It’s perfect. It’s everything we wanted,” She said. Her husband nodded, agreeing with every word she said. “Yes. We can’t let this place go. We can offer you $2 million cash,” He said.
Linda was beyond floored as her daughter smiled smugly. She knew all along that the place was worth a fortune.
He Couldn’t Believe It
The estate agent was speechless. He couldn’t believe that such beauty had been hidden behind those walls all along. He felt utterly humiliated when Danielle smirked at him. He knew that he had judged too fast. “What do you say? Do you accept our offer?” The man asked.
Linda’s eyes filled with tears as she shook the man’s hand and agreed. “Yes, I accept that amount.”
A Happy Ending
Once they sold the house, Linda said one last goodbye to the place she had loved for all those years. She was sad but excited to live with her daughter. Danielle and her family accepted Linda with open, loving arms. Linda was grateful that she got to spend the rest of her days by their side.
She would miss her old house, but she would forever be grateful for her years there. In the end, she was happy.