How I completed my life in my home of 36 years fundamentally aligned with my values. Leaving my home wasn’t just about practicalities and meeting legal requirements, there was much more. The home I was selling had set the foundations that allowed me to make this symbolic move from city to country in my 75th year. I loved my home and before I left wanted to bestow this same love to the one who would buy the house.
When reading a legal document related to selling my flat I came across this maxim “caveat emptor” or let the buyer beware. In other words, it offered that sellers are not obliged to disclose every potential defect.
“Caveat emptor’ read like an abomination to me and was at odds with my values. The way I live my life gives utmost care, love and attention to every area. Selling my flat was no different. Before handing it over to the new owner I vowed to give it the same level of attention as all other areas of my life.
It became all about what I would be leaving behind.
How we leave a property when we move house either rented or owned, is not just about practicalities – it is primarily about purpose and love. Whatever is held in our bodies is passed on to the new owner or renter when we leave. And if this is a truth, which it is, why not make love our first priority to leave for others.
Our true responsibility in life is never for ourselves alone. Whatever we do whatever movement we make is for the whole of humanity.
When I prepared to leave my flat to the new owner, a young man I had never met and didn’t need to, this is what I received:
Without purpose in everything we do, we are not fully living.
When instructed by my solicitor during the sale of my flat to respond to a list of enquiries including ones to ensure the property was safe and met the requirements of the lease, I paid attention and realised the energy in which this was done would impact on the new owner. Reaction, delay and resentment was not what I wanted to pass on to the buyer.
A condition of the sale involved completing specific tasks each came with a price tag, for example, the chimney stack needed to be cleared of plant life and strengthened. This required hiring a roofing firm and having scaffolding erected outside the house in order to complete the work. I said yes, no problem.
The lease required that the bedroom and stairs be carpeted (I had previously removed carpets and lived with exposed polished wooden floors). I said yes of course. A local carpet company recommended by my next-door neighbour was not the cheapest, but I said yes. When others suggested to just buy ‘any cheap carpet’, I said no – not any, only a quality carpet will do. I selected a fine wool carpet in keeping with what I would want in my home if I was staying. I was not going to allow myself to be guided by price alone, only quality.
The only quality that truly matters is love.
Fire safety regulations stipulated certain adjustments in the flat, for example to fireproof the flat door and install smoke alarms. I said yes. The surveyor that completed the initial assessment did not have the vibrational integrity that aligned with my home. When it came to booking a contractor to complete the actual work – I said no to him and found another contractor that aligned to my standards. I said no to a contractor that would treat my home disrespectfully and leave behind a toxic vibration for myself and new owner. I said yes to one that was responsive, completed the work quietly, orderly and with minimal need for follow up.
I had a strong sense to not leave anything in the flat incomplete or in a state of disrepair. I went beyond the beyond to leave everything in order for the new owner.
When the shower head was not flowing properly, I called the plumber and asked him to replace it.
When a mouse appeared in my bedroom after I had convinced myself I had dealt with the problem of pests, I could not allow myself to leave the property with a potential pest infestation. I called a pest controller recommended by a friend, he came, highlighted the main entry point (gap) in the kitchen, filled it and left behind some rodent poison. He offered more. He told me to completely get rid of mice I had to fill all the gaps behind kitchen cupboards and more importantly block the main entry point outside the building – an air brick. He suggested I cover this with fine wire mesh that mice couldn’t get through. I said Yes. I booked one of my trusted tradesman buddies to complete the work. And it was done.
Many years ago, I lived with self-disregard, when someone stole the cover of my gas meter in the front of the house, I did not replace it-I couldn’t be bothered and didn’t want to pay the price. Moving house brought the exposed gas meter into focus – I realised to leave the property with this unfinished would pass on the same disregard to the buyer. I asked my trusted tradesman buddy to purchase and fit a new cover. A few days later, I noticed my downstairs neighbour had repainted her grey and dirty gas meter cover to match the recently fitted brand new white shiny one. How cool is that? A ripple effect without one word being spoken. Now both were in alignment.
A week before completion, the bathroom sink plug stopped working as it should, I could not leave it as it was. I called the plumber and it was replaced.
Before I left the property, I had all external windows cleaned.
I cleaned every room, shower, bedroom and living room
I cleaned every cupboard inside and out and also cooker oven and grill pan. I did not want to leave anything that the new owner could not immediately use.
Because I truly cared about each of the above, I did not feel harassed, or exhausted. It was a joy to attend to each as it was presented.
The final touches:
I lovingly prepared a list with:
- tips for the new owner of things to be aware of when using shower, flat door, central heating, toilet, kitchen sink.
- the names and numbers of trusted trades people with contact numbers: plumber, window cleaner, gas central heating and boiler, roofing, sash window repairs etc.
- the name and contact details of our accountant as the new owner succeeds me as company director and joint-freeholder of property.
- names and addresses of immediate neighbours.
The day before I left, the new gas meter cover key got packed before I could retrieve it. I sent the buyer a photo of my final gas meter reading then posted the actual key when I could.
On the day of leaving.
I left a card with an image of a huge sunflower and note to welcome him to his new home.
It read: I’ve lived and loved this home for 38 years, it has been an incredible support over the years as have our neighbours. I trust it brings you the same depth of joy and contentment’.
Yesterday I received his THANK YOU email.
All of the above completed not out of obligation but with purpose and love. It is not just what we do but the vibrational quality we leave behind.
Each movement has a vibrational quality with ripple effects that affects all others.
I moved to my new home energised, ready to go with everything completed in my former home.
This is not exceptional, this standard is our normal.
It doesn’t matter what you do – if you do it with the whole of you it is always enough and it is always complete’. Serge Benhayon