Real Estate Views from St Pete

If you're like me, you always schedule yourself - you know how long it takes to get somewhere, and you always try to squeeze in one more phone call. Lately I've been trying to always schedule in 15 Serendipity Minutes.

Yes, you know all about leaving early so that you can relax and prepare when you arrive at your marketing presentations, and allowing enough time to find a parking space, or for a traffic tie-up at your local Malfunction Junction. But that's not what I mean ...

Serendipity is a chance meeting, something of value that comes to you by chance. Take this morning, for example. I did leave 15 minutes early to head to the office (my second trip to downtown today, since the first was to work out at 5 am) and I came to a full stop on my street when I saw a small dog dart out into the street. The dog's owner, a neighbor, then came over to talk - he told me about the renovations he's doing, how he's dealing with contractors, we discussed the home that's about to be torn down to make way for a bigger, larger home ... normally I would have said, "Gee, I'd love to stay and talk, but I need to be..." and somehow, you never get back to that conversation. Today, I had the 15 minutes for a leisurely chat, and felt happy when I concluded it.

Have you ever started talking to someone when you're in line at the grocery, or Starbucks? It could be the adjacent customer, or perhaps the shopowner, or someone across the room. There's a spark, and you'd like to talk with them further, but you're on a schedule.  Wouldn't it be nice to have 15 minutes to find out whether you have commonalities?

What about the times you're driving and spot a tree in the prime of its bloom - or a rainbow arched over a beautiful building - or a flag against the clouds. When you pass a unique building, or a cluster of people in bright colors, or kids flying kites ...  Wouldn't it be nice to stop and take a picture, or just stop to smell the fragrance of the spring blossoms? Go ahead, go around the block and go back to whatever caught your attention.

Are there times when a client or neighbor you run into suggests you just come in for a minute to see (their new art, a new floor or painted room, a new puppy) or listen to what just happened to them? There's joy in sharing, in listening, in eliciting smiles. But you need to have time for that.  

You don't want to be late - that's disrespectful. So plan in not only contingency drive time, but 15 minutes of serendipity.  If nothing particular happens, so you're 15 minutes early. Maybe you walk down the block to get a cup of tea. Perhaps you pick up a magazine in the waiting room that's not one you usually read, so it gives you a new perspective. You might even have a chance to let you mind wander - and if a wonderful idea comes by, just jott it.

Give yourself a gift - open yourself to serendipity. Create some Serendipity Minutes in your day.

Sharon Simms, Real Estate Agent selling homes in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Gulf Beaches and the Tampa Bay area.