Antiques and a Presence of the Past (Tough Sell)

I got a call from a gentleman in Vancouver, Washington. He wanted to sell his house. He had been showing the house for 6 months and nary a nibble. "Something is wrong, something is driving buyers away," he said. We arrived on a beautiful, early fall day. The house was fabulous, a custom-built home about 12 years old. The landscaping was entrancing and archetypically NorthWest. The owner is an antique dealer and a distinguished, published author of numerous books dealing with American silverware. Who could resist this wonderful home?

After a tour of the home he explained that while there had been many showings, no one had made an offer. After some questioning we learned that the previous owner had been extremely possessive and a very reluctant seller. The client felt that she might have an influence on potential buyers.

We crisscrossed the home and the yard, but I kept being drawn back to the entry. There was a resistance, a block immediately upon entering. There was a grand staircase opposite the front door. I started up the stairs and stopped at the first landing and sat down. The obstinate spirit was here. I felt her presence. This was her house, she said. She resented the present owner and was asserting to anyone that dared to enter "her" home that they were unwelcome. This was not a lost, departed soul, this was someone who had imprinted her personality throughout the house. It seemed that she had centered her presence on the staircase and a closet beneath the landing. I sat with her for a long time and made it clear that the home was no longer hers. She finally agreed and retreated. The atmosphere immediately cleared. The owner was amazed at the change and very pleased.

We checked back about two months later and asked if the owner had been successful in finding a buyer. He said, "No." The house felt so much better that he he had decided to stay... and he is still there.