The REALTOR That Hates To Drive

OK, I'm finally calming down after taking a break to watch the end of Judge Judy and eat a Fiber One version of a Pop Tart.  Ahhh, my blood pressure is coming down.  I was driving this afternoon for what seemed like hours, and I suppose it was close to it - well, at least more than an hour.

I sold a foreclosure located much closer to my home than the listing office.  But I had to hand deliver the earnest money and originals of the contract and the addendums.  I did not have time to Fed Ex them because the buyer was too busy since we got the go ahead that our offer would be accepted and was only able to get certified funds today.

I hate to drive

I had never stepped foot in the town I needed to travel to but I did kind of know where it was.  And I knew it was either a very long drive on regular roads or a quicker drive on the highway.  But I hate driving on highways and get sweaty palms and drive like an old lady (I stay in the right lane and drive the speed limit or a little over and always keep at least 4 car lengths ahead of me if possible).

I kept my cool today for the most part but was glad when I exited the highway.  And I took the long way back home.  One way on the highway was enough excitement for me.  I'm afraid of the speedsters, I'm afraid of the cars that dart in and out and I'm really afraid of trucks.  We've had a few bad accidents involving semi's.

I wasn't late for an appointment so I don't know why I didn't just take the scenic route on the way there.  I had my GPS on and called my husband to get his opinion.  He doesn't fear driving like I do so he suggested I take the quick route.  I guess I'm trying to conquer my fear, but it really isn't working.

The long way isn't always scenic

And that's the choice I had to make.  To get where I was going I had to drive through some scary areas where people have been shot and carjacked.  Thank goodness it was pouring rain on the way home, which was another reason I wanted to drive on the regular roads.

But at one point I was stuck under a bridge (with a highway above) that was scary in itself.  If a robber or carjacker was trying to find prey this would have been a great spot as we were all sitting ducks waiting for the light to change ahead on a single lane.  There was absolutely nowhere to go.

I had to tell the GPS chick to shut up!

She wanted me to take the highway and kept nagging and nagging - make a u-turn, on and on.  She finally figured out I wasn't listening and was quiet until we hit yet another ramp.  I had enough of her and turned her off.  I almost missed my street because I'm not used to it as far south as I was.

I wasn't always like this

When I was 14 and had a learner's permit I could taste my driver's license.  I couldn't wait.  And my Dad always took me out driving.  Back in those days the cars were huge and I learned in our Pontiac Bonneville.  He tried teaching me to drive the stick shift on the VW Bug but this most patient man gave up when I could never make it into 4th gear.  Always from 3rd back to 2nd and Dad would have to get out of the car on a busy street and try to "pop the clutch" by pushing the car and telling me what to do.  That poor man!

I almost gave my high school driving instructor a heart attack.  He said "turn left" and I automatically started making the turn, forgetting to see if there was any oncoming traffic.  I couldn't understand why the car wouldn't go as I had my foot on the gas.  My friends were laughing in the backseat as this man, who looked like he just saw a ghost, told me to pull over when we got across the road.  That was my turn for the day!

When I turned 16 we went straight to the DMV which was a far drive away.  We got all the way there, stood in line and found out that I had left an important paper back home.  We drove all the way back and returned so I could take my driving test.  I didn't make it out of the parking lot.  I drove over the curb.  My nice tester said he could lose his job if anyone saw, so he couldn't pass me.  I was heartbroken.

We returned the next day and I took the advice of my best friend - wear a mini-skirt and bring five bucks.  I got a crabby little man and I was shaking like a leaf, but I wanted this so bad and I passed!  And I still had my five dollars.

So I went for a while loving the ability to drive myself around without the parents but I never did like driving on highways.  For my high school graduation I got a white Ford Mustang convertible with a red top and interior.  Even then, I hated commuting to the train station when I worked downtown.  I don't like repetitive driving. 

I need to stay closer to home

I'm trying to keep my selling area closer and smaller.  In fact, I will no longer work with buyers or sellers in the area of Chicago that this foreclosure was in.  I will refer them out from now on.  I wish I could stick with Oak Lawn homes for sale, which is my home town.  There are certainly enough annual property sales that I could do very well just staying in my own village.  But it just doesn't work out that way.

This could have happened with a foreclosure sale in Oak Lawn.  I just won a bid for buyers for an Oak Lawn condominium that was a steal.  That brokerage did not require originals and we did everything through e-mail and my buyers sent the earnest money via snail mail.

I've never had to deliver originals before.  In fact, the loss mitigation dept. handling a short sale I had with Wells Fargo didn't even want originals, they only dealt with faxes, even though they complained when they couldn't read them.  Hopefully, this will be the last hand delivery I have to make as these reo brokers are all over.

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