More Time For Hobbies And Long Walks
“Hearing is Believing” – listen to live interview with Wesley Homes resident and master gardener, Bob Ewing.
Bob and Marylou Ewing moved into Wesley Homes, Des Moines last October. The decision to move out of their home of 50 years was daunting, but they found the help they needed to make the transition by attending a Wesley Homes Real Estate Forecast event, like the one coming up on February 18th.
“The Ewings went about considering the move very thoughtfully,” said Nancy Colson, Windermere Associate Broker and the Ewings’ realtor whom they met at the event. “They weighed very carefully those considerations of their own health and comfort and where they wanted to be against the realities of the housing market and their finances”, she said.
“They talked with their financial planner” said Colson’s partner and Associate Broker, Sheryl Workman, “and I think the bottom line for them was that, regardless of the slow housing market, the move still worked and it got them where they wanted to go.”
“There were so many things to do up at the other house, it just kind of kept you physically exhausted,” said Ewing, “We were always doing one thing or another to make the house better and keep up with the gardening.”
Ewing is a master Chrysanthemum gardener. “Most of Bob’s mums are the English variety – a single bloom on a single stem as big as your thumb “described Workman,” and he won Best of Show at Furney’s chrysanthemum show this year”.
Bringing your Hobbies and Favorite Toys With you
“Bob brought one of his Chrysanthemum hoop houses with him when they moved; and they brought their motor home,” said Colson.
“I got everything,” laughed Ewing, “living here is just a lot easier. I’ve commented to Marylou about that many times. It’s more comfortable and you don’t feel so worn out all the time.”
“Wesley Homes has been very nice to put in an electrical socket in my carport for the hoop house so we could put in heat mats and fans in the fall to keep the air circulating,” said Ewing, “They’ve been very, very nice in that respect.”
“That’s really the true story here,” commented Workman, “how Wesley Homes allowed this couple a way to continue with something they love to do.”
The Experience of the Move
It was really a lot of work!,” said Ewing, “We were just exhausted from the move because the amount of stuff you accumulate and put away in attics and so forth, is just overwhelming. If we had waited even another year we know how much more tiring the move would have been.”
“We’re so glad we sold the house and made the move now, even though the housing market is really bad,” said Ewing.
Colson and Workman worked with the Ewings for over a year allowing for the Ewing’s timetable. “When you’re going to work with people in this age group, it takes a lot of work up front. We spend a lot of time with people and invest a lot of time and money before a house goes on the market,” she said.
Your Best Interests At Heart
“The good thing about the time taken is that it gives us a really good opportunity to build a relationship and build trust so that they feel we really have their best interests at heart,” said Colson.
“The Ewings were in a position where they could go ahead and move into Wesley Homes and take their time moving their belongings. It gave them time to work at their own pace, and it took a little while, as it often does,” she said.
The house wasn’t listed until they were all moved out. And then the house sold in three months. “We are strong believers in presenting the house when it’s prepped and staged and ready to go” said Workman.
Mum Friends
Bob is already becoming well known by the other residents for his generosity donating his award-winning Chrysanthemums to decorate events. “I have two mums students over here, Mary Nolting and Mary Terusaki” said Ewing. “I equipped my utility room with heat mats so that two of my mum friends and I can continue making cuttings for plants this year. They each have trays with 32 plants each.”
And best of all, Bob and Marylou have more time to take long walks with their dog Buddy down to the beach.
–ilene little for Wesley Homes
