September’s Closed Homes in Sacramento

Sitting in front of my manicurist yesterday, she asked how many homes in Sacramento I have sold this week. Sold is such a misunderstood term. To some people, sold means going into contract, which is coming to an agreement on price and terms between a buyer and a seller, subject to certain conditions and contingencies. But that’s not really a sold status, that’s a “maybe” status, it means the sale is pending. The likelihood is it will close, but there are also ways that it could do what we Sacramento real estate agents call “fall out of escrow.”

If a home falls out of escrow, it’s not like tumbling out of bed or falling down the stairs. It’s more like cartoon characters blown up by TNT.

To me, sold is when a home sale closes. This means the documents are recorded at the Sacramento County Recorder’s Office, title is formally transferred. Deeds do not require recordation to be considered delivered and title transferred to a buyer, but title insurance companies require recordation to issue a title insurance policy. Technically, recording a deed means the public has been given constructive notice that title has changed from the grantor to the grantee. There is a new buyer.

I have a pile of those folders of closed homes in Sacramento on my desk right now, awaiting disposition. The electronic files are easy to file but the hard-copy folders containing paper documents, paper is such a dinosaur, need to be filed into a cardboard box and stored. I had to redesign and configure an entire wall in my garage with shelving units to hold the storage of these boxes.

My manicurist was astonished when I told her I do not know how many homes in Sacramento I have sold this week. I don’t sit here and count them. In fact, if I ever have to count the number, I’m in trouble. My focus is not on how many homes I have closed. My focus is on keeping the escrows I have pending moving along smoothly and putting more homes into contract.

I mentioned to her that my husband is leaving shortly for a Boy’s Week vacation. This woman knows me pretty well as she’s been my manicurist for almost 10 years. She asked who will cook for me? That’s a good question. She suggested I consider take-out. But that would involve thinking about what I want to eat, finding a restaurant, calling and placing an order, getting in my car and driving to get it. It’s much easier to just throw a hot dog in the microwave.

I ask you, is there anything more pathetic than a microwaved wiener? It splits, gets grease all over and shrivels. It’s not the same thing as a grilled hot dog. Plus, it’s sizzling hot, having been cooked from the inside out. However, I am saved from this grueling tragedy because my husband is precooking meals for me. He knows where I prefer to keep my focus, and that’s on selling homes in Sacramento.