#611 in a series of true experiences in real estate
November 2010, Hills Newspapers
Searching for rhymes on the Internet, I found this one which made me giggle. “I love you, I love you, I love you so well, if I was a peanut, I’d give you my shell.”
I like it. I’d like to use it, maybe on the listing flyer I’m working on now. But I don’t think peanuts equate well to houses, and for this particular house, one we’ll be listing before long, I was thinking of likening it to an apple.
I like apples, their roundness, colors, directness. They’re homey and clean and they taste fine, good food. This cottage might be thought of as an apple.
You know, apple of my eye. Or maybe, bright little apple, goody-goody? Or, A is for apple.
Also, there’s that ritual of twirling the stem while reciting the alphabet to find out who you love. Could I use that? Is an apple an easily recognizable image that will convey the personality, the desirability and sweetness of this house?
The idea was worth exploring I thought, and so I turned to the Internet. You would not believe how much apple information there is. Unending classroom activity lessons on Johnny Appleseed. Instructions on slicing apples to reveal the stars in their middles. Brown construction paper trees and branches with numbered apples hanging from them. Snacks of sliced apples with peanut butter coatings.
I wasn’t finding the right inspiration in the apple department. And while immersed, I’d remembered an illustration I saw once, an apple home for a worm. Emerging from a little door in a red apple, there was a green worm with fat ridges around his body, a top hat on his head.
No good. Apple worm, ugh. And so I moved on to jump rope rhymes, read them, swayed with them.
“You and Evelyn sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.” Hey, that’s a good one. Fun, swingy, reminds me of younger times. But no, it’s sort of taunting, isn’t it? Wasn’t it always the mean kids who called it out?
I need new ideas. What about this house sets it apart? It is cheerful, it’s full of light. “Light in the east, light in the west, light in my window, I like best.” That’s good. Who doesn’t like light in their window?
Maybe I could spin this theme. Streaming golden warming sunlight. Makes me feel good, even smells good. “Everything will be so sunny, honey, with you.”
The house has been cared for, doesn’t need repair. The house is painted white with the trim a sharp blue, a cape cod cottage look. But it is a distance from the water, too far to evoke seaside images.
While the house is small (petite, diminutive, compact), everything necessary for good living is there (complete, satisfying, you’ll be content).
The location is excellent, numerous destinations to walk to. Ah, give up your car, walk and the world walks with you. What is it that the heart association says? Something about walking for a healthy heart.
Heart full, full of heart, glad heart. Valentines, lots of valentine messages on the Web. Hug me tight, lasting love.
Close to the library. The right house for book worms? There’s that worm thing again. Nearby is a movie theater, just right for movie goers. Walk to the produce market – to buy apples? Organic greens?
Would the new owner grow his own tomatoes and radishes? There’s room in back of this house, and a green lawn. More importantly, there is an extra building, one room that could be a getaway, a writer’s room or one for someone who paints or sketches.
A is for apple – plus an auxiliary. But that sounds too bulky to me.
Maybe I need something more direct. Small cottage, perfect location. This one is true but blah, dull.
Which is one reason why I am going through this exercise, as I do for all of the houses we put on the market. If possible, I’d liked to point out the ambience, the flavor of this particular house.
A flyer is after all a commercial for a house, which announces its availability, calls attention to it, and gives information. A really good ad can instill a need to buy.
Because houses cost a lot and are usually kept and used for a long time, it’s nice to remind prospective buyers that they would be getting something singular.
Buying, for example, a Perky A+ Apple could be a happier and better experience than buying a One-plus Bedroom Starter.
