Chapter 28 first quarter

"Steve, are you in the office today?" Edna asked. Decker was in his office preparing a buyer's offer for one of his clients.He looked up and said, "I'm on duty in the morning." Typically, agents are too busy showing properties to come into the office, but Edna insists that the office be occupied at all times to receive visitors and answer inquiries. phone calls, so she requires each agent to be in the office half a day every two weeks. "Well, there's someone waiting in the foyer looking for an agent," Edna said. "I could have received her, but I'm at the Santa Fe Museum of Abstract Art in fifteen minutes for a real estate closing."

"No problem, I'll take care of it." Decker stuffed the buyer's quotation into the folder, stood up, and walked toward the hall.It's July, 13 months since he arrived in Santa Fe, and his doubts about his ability to earn a living on his own have long since disappeared.While some Santa Fe realtors fail and quit the business every year, he's doing a great job.The same coaxing techniques he used to boost his self-confidence when he listened to the debriefing of agents were now used by him to receive customers and make them feel at ease.Currently, his sales have reached 4 million US dollars, for which he has received 6% or 240,000 US dollars in commission.Of course, he gave Edna half of the score, because she provided the office facilities, advertising, and she was responsible for many trivial matters in the operation, not to mention her, the company that accepted Decker.Even so, $120,000 was more than he had earned in any previous year.

He turned a corner and walked toward the front desk, where he saw a woman standing at the desk, leafing through a color-book booklet of ready properties, her head down so Decker couldn't see her. appearance.But as he got closer, he noticed her thick golden-brown hair, tanned skin and slender figure.She was taller than most women, about 5 feet 7 inches, with a fit body.She was clearly from the East Coast, judging from her attire: a well-fitting dark blue Calvin Klein suit, stylish Joan David flats, pearl earrings and a woven black leather bag from Italy. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Decker asked. "Do you want to talk to an agent?"

The woman looked up from the pamphlet and said, "Yes." She smiled, and Decker's heart skipped a beat.He didn't have time to analyze what he was feeling, but compared it to a sudden change in his heart's rhythm, almost like the pounding of his heart when he feels fear.In the present case, though, that feeling is the exact opposite of fear. The lady in her early 30s is radiant.Her skin glowed with a healthy glow, her blue-gray eyes sparkled with intelligence, and another elusive brilliance that was as charming as it was mysterious.Her features are well-proportioned, with a well-defined chin, high cheekbones and a fine forehead forming a flawless whole.Her smile is warm.

Although Decker was suffocating, he controlled himself and introduced himself, "My name is Steve Decker and I'm an assistant broker for this firm." The woman shook his hand. "My name is Beth Dwyer." Her fingers were so strangely smooth that Decker didn't want to let her go. "Around the corner is my office." When leading the way in, he took the opportunity to adjust his happy and nervous mood.There must be worse ways of making a living, he thought. The company's offices are spacious compartments, with 6-foot-tall partitions designed to resemble adobe walls.Beth stared curiously at the top of the shelf, where there were displays of shimmering black pottery and intricate baskets from the local Pueblo Indians.

"Those window seats that look like stucco benches—what are they called? Banku benches?" Her voice was round and deep. "Yes, it's called the Banku Bench," Decker said. "Most of the architectural names used here are in Spanish. What would you like to drink? Coffee? Mineral water?" "No thanks." Beth turned with interest to the Indian rug and other Southwestern furnishings.Several reproductions of New Mexico landscapes caught her attention.She walked over and took a closer look. "It's beautiful." “I especially like the painting of the white water rolling down the Rio Grande Canyon,” Decker said, “but everything outside here is beautiful.”

"I also like the one you like." She tried her best to sound happy, but there was an inexplicable sadness in her voice. "Although it is a replica, the exquisiteness and delicacy of the brushwork is obvious." "Oh? Then you know how to draw?" "I've spent most of my life trying to learn how to draw, and I don't know if I'll ever learn." "Well, if you're an artist, Santa Fe is a great place to call home." "As soon as I got here, I felt that there was something unusual about the light here." Beth shook her head modestly. "But I don't consider myself an artist. 'Painter at work' would be a more accurate term to describe me."

"When did you get here?" "yesterday." "But because you plan to buy real estate, I thought you had been here before." "Never." Decker seemed to feel a flash of light before his eyes, and tried to keep himself calm.Thinking of his experience of coming here, he sat up straighter. "After only one day here, you've come to the conclusion that you like this place so much that you're interested in buying a property here?" "Not just interested, just impatient, are you?" "I wouldn't describe you that way." Decker looked down at his hands. "I know a few people who decided to settle here on the spur of the moment." He looked at her and smiled. "Santa Fe makes people do extraordinary things."

"That's why I plan to settle here." "Trust me, I can understand you. But even so, I would warn you not to rush things or I'll feel like I'm not doing my part. Look at a few properties first, but before you sign, give yourself a moment to think about it time." Beth narrowed her eyes curiously. "I never expected to hear a real estate agent tell me not to buy a house." "Of course I'd be happy to sell you a house," Decker said, "but since this is your first time here, maybe you'd better rent a place first and see if Santa Fe is really the right place for you." Some people moved here from Los Angeles and couldn’t stand the slow pace. They wanted to change the city to suit their energy.”

"Oh, but I'm not from Los Angeles," Beth said. "The slow pace sounds very tempting in the way I've been living lately." Decker considered this confession, deciding not to rush to get to know her better until later. "A good persuasion agent," said Beth, "I like your way." “I call myself a facilitator. I try to make my clients happy first and sell properties second. Whether you buy or not, I hope that in the year ahead, you will I have no regrets about what I have decided.” "Then I'm ready." Her eyes sparkled in a blue-gray color Decker had never seen before. "I want to see the house as soon as possible."

"I have an appointment before two o'clock in the afternoon. Is that fast enough?" "Can't satisfy me right away?" She laughed.Her laugh reminded Decker of the jingle of wind chimes, but he also caught a hint of desolation in it. "Meanwhile, if you could tell me how much you're offering—what would you like me to call you? Mrs. Dwyer? Or Beth? Or..." Decker glanced at her left hand, missing the wedding ring, But that doesn't always tell the story. "I'm not married." Decker nodded. "Call me by my name." Decker nodded again. "Okay, Beth." He felt a tightness in his throat. "My bid range is between 600,000 and 800,000." Decker secretly focused. He hadn't expected her to pay such a high price.Often, when potential buyers come to the firm to discuss properties worth more than six figures, they tend to be condescending, as if they're doing Decker a big favor.Beth stood in stark contrast to them, with a gracious and natural demeanor without putting on airs. "We have several properties in this price range that are top-notch," Decker said. "Why don't you take a look at these listings between now and two o'clock? There's a price and a briefing." He decided to find out more about her. "You might want to talk it over with someone who's coming here with you. If you want, you can bring a friend with you when we look at the house." "No, just the two of us." Decker nodded. "Anything is fine." Beth hesitated. "I came here alone." "Oh, Santa Fe is a nice place, and you never feel lonely here by yourself." Beth seemed to be looking far away. "That's exactly what I was hoping for."