Oh Brother

 My brother is in town this weekend. I should preface the rest of this by saying my brother is AWESOME and I think the world of him. Just in case anywhere in the next few sentences doesn't exactly convey that sentiment. Yep, he's great. 

Anyway, my brother lives in Los Angeles. He is moving to Florida. His house goes on the market today, so he and his bride are hanging out in Arizona for the weekend. We will play cards, laugh and eat French silk birthday pie made by Polly. Looking forward to all of it.  

Los Angeles, just like everywhere else seems to be having a housing shortage. Since the beginning of his moving drama, he calls me about once a week to discuss the latest. It's cute. I promise. But I should mention that I learned early on in this process with him that he does not think me an expert on anything real estate. So, I don't bother having that chat with him any more. He isn't the first family member or friend to feel that way. And, that's ok. He's still terrific.  

Yesterday he called to tell me about the last-minute things they were taking care of. This week they decided to rebuild the patio. His agent told him it wasn't necessary and the house would sell pretty quickly for top dollar even with the patio in its present condition. However, my (awesome/amazing/incredible) brother didn't feel the same way. So, on Tuesday they had someone come over and rebuild his patio--something my brother has wanted done for the past seven years. The new owner will love it. 

My brother was also telling me about how he came up with his sales price. His agent gave him a number. But Zillow disagreed. Therefore... well, Zillow wins. Incidentally, his agent's number was significantly higher. I started to point this out to him, but he was already extolling the virtues of Zillow and all was lost. 

But the funniest part of our chat was this. He is staying with me this weekend. I mentioned he may want to bring his own pillows, as we have a bit of a shortage in this area. "We can't. We need them for staging. Buyers will see our bed without pillows and the look won't be complete."* Yea... that's what will stop buyers from wanting your home. No pillows on the master bed. Got it. 

My prediction is he will get over-asking for his home. His agent will be deemed a genius and he will be sitting at a Marlins' baseball game by April. 

* I didn't point this out, but how about rolling up a few towels and using them as pretend pillows for staging? Or, he can use rolled up towels at my home for a pillow. I have no problem with that either. 

Wednesday Afternoon Fun

Wednesday afternoon I drove out to Skyline and Schneff to list a home that I helped this sweet couple buy three years ago. I'm thrilled I got the listing. The photographer shows up tomorrow, but my sign is in the yard and my phone hasn't stopped ringing. 

My clients want a crazy amount of money for their home. Normally I'd say they won't get it. But honestly, I don't know. I think it is priced high--and I told them so. However, given there are 2,628 homes for sale in the MLS in Maricopa and Pinal County, they may get what they want. 

Monday Afternoon Fun

So my past client Dave wants to sell his two bedroom condo. He's going to use his equity and buy something bigger for his growing family. He called me Monday and asked when we could get this done. 

Doing my best impression of the world's worst saleswoman, I heavily discouraged this. Let's start with the basics. 

1. There are very few homes for sale. Even with the equity from his condo, that might not be enough to win a bidding war in today's market. So, if he sells, where is he going to live? Is he prepared for multiple offer bidding wars? Is his lovely bride? Do they have enough in cash reserves for such a thing? 

2. Dave suggested he could rent and wait for the next crash. Well, that's a possibility, but I'm not sure we are having another crash. Last time the market crashed, it was because of the inflated inventory. Currently, we don't have enough inventory. Sure, there may be a market correction sometime, but that will mean the prices stabilize, it does not mean that every home will be worth 130 percent less than today's prices. 

Plus, there are no homes for rent. I did a quick search for Dave while he and I were talking. On the MLS there were 42 homes/condos/townhomes/mobile homes/adult communities for rent in his price range. In fact, I went $100 over his price range, just to get 42. The first 12 of those 42 properties I sent him were in Cochise County.  That would be a long commute. 

3. Dave thought maybe he could buy a plot of land "somewhere" and just put a mobile home on it. A possibility for sure, but land isn't cheap right now either. Plus, Dave would have to come in with about 50 percent down for the land. And, he'd still have to get sewer and electricity to the land. I didn't even go into what it would take to finance a mobile home.  

I gave Dave some homework. First, talk with a lender and see what he actually qualifies for. If he can move without selling his condo first, he might have a better advantage and a place to live while all this nonsense is going down. Another option is a new build, but those are over his budget and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want an HOA. Second, if he wants to rent, stay on top of the rental market. These properties go very quickly. If he sees something for rent that he really wants, be prepared to put down $100 in application fees and he may not be the winning applicant. So, move quickly and jump. 

My best guess is Dave is going to stay right where he is. That's too bad. I know they could use more space and I wouldn't mind helping them buy something. But sometimes the safe option is the smart option. 

Monday Noonish Fun

Monday was a long day. Let's just start there. 

Dee discovered a home that looks to be a flip in a super-scary neighborhood. And what could possibly be better?

The house isn't on the market and did I know what the seller might be doing with the property once it is blinged out? 

Well, let's find out! 

My first call was to the guy who listed the house a few months ago. He informed me that he, "is very busy," and "sells quite a few homes," and which one was it again? 

I reminded him it was the one in downtown Phoenix that closed in the beginning of January. Then I told the guy I just looked up his stats, he'd sold one house in the past six months, so perhaps that might jog his memory. Needless to say, he was even less cooperative, but that's ok. I found the buying agent for this house. 

It turns out the buying agent was planning on listing the home again once the repairs were done--which she thought would be about two weeks from now. After talking to her, she agreed to let me see the house before it went on the market and perhaps something could be arranged. No bidding war. No crazy drama. Dee is prequalified, knows what she is doing and most of the folks she hangs out with learned the trades when they were incarcerated. The seller may not necessarily need to worry about repairs if all goes well.  

Monday Morning Fun

Though it is only Monday, the week seems longer than necessary. 

Today I met with the tenants of the home I'm selling. They presented me with a current lease--one the owner assures me is valid. If they all agree it is current, we will go with that. 

I've been told there is quite a bit of animosity between the owners and the tenants. If there is, I didn't see it, but then again, I was there to negotiate like it was the Geneva Convention. The tenants were humble and promised cooperation--except they weren't willing to clean. The house is lived-in but not dirty. I wish it looked better, but given the real estate market, I don't think it will be much of a deal-breaker. And, I was able to get a few pictures. 

Other than not cleaning, the tenants and I agreed to a few particulars, namely when and how the home would be shown. They are not going to be there for the showings. Given their age and health, this was a major concession on their part. But then again, they have a place to live right now. I've asked they take the yappy Pomeranian with them when they leave the house, but I'm not terribly optimistic I will get my way on that one.

The biggest challenges are simply the rent is low and the tenant has a past that can't be undone. Any new investor is taking on a bit of tenant baggage. Though I don't think the tenant is the least bit dangerous, it is still a tough sell to a potential future landlord. 

Anyway, there's a home down the street that is going to be active on MLS in a few weeks. I'm waiting for that one to go live before I put this one on the Multiple Listing because I want to see how they price theirs. I will follow suite. 

In a strange coincidence, Dee is looking for another property for her felons. I asked her if she wanted to take on more felons (these tenants). She might be willing if the right house comes along at the right time. This might work out well. My sellers would get more money for a vacant home than one with tenants in place. So, you never know. 

Searching for Common Ground

Contracts aren't for the good times. Can we be clear about that? When all is going well, agreements are forgotten. It is the times when the poop is hitting the fan that contracts are used.

I've been reading the lease agreement in place by my seller client and their tenants. Oh dear. Basics such as complete dates are missing. Also, there is no indication the lease is valid, as it was signed in 2017 and indicated it went until "Nov. '19." Therefore, by the words on the page everyone signed, it is a month-to-month contract. 

The "additional occupants" are listed as the pets--though the section underneath says no pets allowed. I bet when this was written (by someone other than me), all the parties had a laugh over that part. 

There is no security deposit. Sales tax has not been paid by the tenant, so the owner has been coughing this up. Also, per the lease, the property is supposed to be maintained and kept in a reasonable manor according to health and safety conventions. The tenants have already announced they are "too old" to clean. Yep. This will be fun. 

I'm told the tenants aren't terribly cooperative and things are a wee bit tense between the owners and the tenants at this moment. The tenants don't want to clean or allow showings. Unfortunately, the lease states those items are grounds for eviction. 

Tomorrow, I'm hauling my optimistic self across town and meeting with these folks, trying to convince them they want to cooperate--because the other choice is a 30 day notice to vacate. Because that's what the lease says. The tenants are North of 80, with a meager income and questionable health. The owner doesn't want to put them out on the street any more than I want to quote the contract that is in place to them. Hopefully we can find some common ground. 

It's Not Me, It's You

It is common knowledge in real estate that friends and family can either be the absolute best clients (and you three readers know who you are) or the absolute worst clients. I came to the conclusion last week John would not fall into the "best clients" category. He'd already shown me that he wasn't going to take me seriously. He'd mentioned in so many words that I was being hired as a, "favor" to my brother. There were many red flags and experience being the best educator told me there might not be enough in this commission to cover the extensive therapy that was probably going to be necessary if I took John on. 

"What do you normally do when you are faced with quirky clients?" my brother asked when I brought him my dilemma. This was his friend, after all. My brother referred me. I didn't want bad blood and I really, REALLY wanted access to my awesome nephew after the sale was done. If things went South with John I wasn't sure what my or their relationship would look like. 

"Well, early on, I'd take someone like John on and regret every moment. Now I don't mess with these situations. I know better. I refer them to other agents." I replied, solving my own problem. Sometimes it helps to say the obvious. 

When I called John to tell him, I just don't handle Sun City and I wanted to make sure he was in the very best of hands, therefore my ultra-capable (and no-nonsense) colleague, Luke would be happy to take over, John did not take it well. It took 40 minutes of diplomatically explaining how much better he will be under Luke's representation--an agent I know who handles Sun City and has many contacts in the area. John shot back about all the things wrong with Luke--even though he knew nothing about the guy, including Luke's last name. I countered with, "I only want the very best for you. My brother thinks of you as a brother, therefore you are family and as your bonus sister, I have a lot invested in what agent handles your affairs." 

Apparently I'm not the first person in John's life to have pulled this tactic with John, which is the only reason I can figure out that the Almighty didn't shoot a lightening bolt out that moment and strike me dead. To be fair, I really do want him to have a good experience, which neither John nor I would have found if we worked together. 

When I had approached Luke, I gave him the true picture of what he's in for--he would have found out sooner or later. For his part, if he sells John's house, Luke is going to give me a referral fee. Luke has already set up an appointment for later this week and hopefully he will be able to get John going in the right direction. 

Legal Hotline

For the second time in my brokerage, I contacted the Legal Hotline. The Legal Hotline is for brokers only and gives us direct access to a lawyer to answer our questions. 

My question was simply, does a landlord, who is selling a house, have to disclose that their tenant is a sex offender? 

In AZ, a seller does not have to disclose a sex offender in the general vicinity of the property for sale, but given a buyer might consider this scenario a material issue to the actual sale of the house, I needed to be sure. My seller wants to sell. The seller has a tenant with a questionable past in place. You get the idea. 

The attorney at Legal Hotline told me 'tis better to over disclose than see a jury. A jury will not be sympathetic to someone "forgetting" to mention they are selling a home with a a sex offender living in it. 

Of note, I asked a few brokers this question just to see what they had to say (this was prior to the attorney giving me the answer I'm abiding with). Most of my broker friends said, no, we don't legally have to disclose. Though I agree, I also am going to side with the attorney. Its better to be cautious than be sued.   

Hopefully It Won't be Difficult to Prune that Tree

So, my brother's friend John called me. He is (still) thisclose to being ready to list. 

You may remember him? He and I met last September. At the time I showed him comps, explained that he is in a retirement area (Sun City) and timing was important. Selling season was from September to February, so make haste. Clean up the place, put the vanity back in the bathroom, remove all of his mother's worldly belongings (or don't) and replace the stretch of carpet in the living room where the bathroom water had leaked and he had ripped out the flooring. That's it. 

Don't paint. 

Don't replace the appliances.  

Don't put in new toilets. 

Don't put in new cabinetry. 

Don't dillydally.  

Don't find extra unnecessary projects. 

To recap: I told him last September, just clean up the mess. Put the vanity back. Put in $300 worth of flooring. 

The place would have sold in a week. 

Fast forward to the middle of February the following year. John called me. He is almost ready. He has done a lot to this place and he is so excited. 

He painted the interior and exterior. 

He replaced the appliances.

He put in new toilets. At one point he said it took four days to replace the two potties. Then three breaths later, he said it took two weeks. 

He put in new everything. 

He dillied and he dallied. 

He has found tons of unnecessary projects.  

He did a bunch of this and that and he even ripped up all up all the carpeting throughout the home--but left the the padding for the new buyer. He expected to be ready to list the place in another week after he prunes a random tree. And by the way, he is expecting a more than full price offer because that's what he hears is possible (in non-retirement areas where sellers have flooring).  

When I explained to him flooring was kind of important, he cut me off and told me if I wanted to "invest" in his house, I could pay for the new flooring. No can do. I was trying to be gentle in my explanation and instead of taking no for an answer, John argued with me! Other agents do this, he said. Yes they do. And once an month I see these agents' names in a grievance complaint. 

We left the call with John saying he'd call me. I don't know what that means. Will he call tomorrow? Next week or next year? Or, will he call at all? 

The New Normal

One of the interesting aspects of this crazy market is that agents are advising their seller clients to leave for a night or two when they list their home. Makes sense, there is probably a good 200 people walking through these properties from sun-up to sun down and sellers need to be somewhere other than sitting in their den.

Add to this, we have better weather than most of the country and MLB spring training is going on (which includes half of the MLB teams, coaching staff, minor-leaguers, families, press and the associated entourage). Typically, there is also a few other major events this time of year (golf tournaments, car auctions, marathons, etc.) to add to the population surge.  So, in general, getting a hotel or Air B&B for February and March in general is kind of a nightmare here in the Valley. 

But, Arizona doesn't hold a monopoly the housing shortage. In fact, I read a story about an agent in Texas who was upset because her client asked $100,000 over the asking price and still lost out. This crazy is happening everywhere.

My brother lives in Santa Clarita California, which is in the North part of Los Angeles. He is listing his house next week. He decided to come visit, as he doesn't want to deal with the throngs of folks walking through his house. His original idea was he would come to the Valley and hang out here. After all, we are cool folks. When he found out hotel rooms were few and far between, he opted to stay with us. I'm looking forward to seeing him and his bride. 

They are eventually moving to Florida. Now, I don't know if they have looked for a property there yet, but I suspect they aren't prepared for this to be a national real estate frenzy. 

Someone Else's Perspective

This came through my Google Alerts. It is sponsored content, but I happen to agree with all but Number 4--but my disagreement is for personal reasons. My true issue is with the headline. At this point, "predictions" might be a bit of a stretch. I would also like to predict the sun will rise in the East, water will be made from hydrogen and oxygen and unwashed dogs will continue to be smelly. 

Oh, and I don't know why the text below is different colors. Let's just call it whimsical.  

5 Arizona housing market predictions for 2021

by Asher Cohen

The housing market is looking extremely strong for the Phoenix area in 2021. Realtor.com's most recent forecast predicts home sales in the Valley will jump 11.4% over last year’s levels, which is more than the national average. The combination of beautiful weather, prestigious restaurants and shopping, specialty education options, a reasonable cost of living and now the ability to work from home, continues to draw people from out of state to the area. For residents looking to sell or buy, and for those looking to move to Phoenix, there are several housing market predictions to count on through the New Year.

Prediction 1

The first of our housing market predictions is mortgage rates will stay grounded. Currently, the 30-year fixed rate is hovering around an all-time low of 2.75%, which is actually a 50-year low. Refinancing rates are hovering around 2.45%, but these numbers change on the daily. If you’re interested in saving money on your monthly mortgage payments or considering a cash-out refinance, make sure to compare rates from multiple mortgage lenders.

Prediction 2

Next, inventory will stay sparse. While the low rates have brought home buyers into the market, high demand and low inventory has increased prices. This is good news if you plan on selling. Buyers have adapted to virtual tours and many who are looking to relocate are comfortable making an offer sight unseen in order to seal the deal. In fact, it’s not uncommon to have a home go under contract in just a few hours because inventory is so low.

Prediction 3

First-time home buyers will remain a strong force as well. While younger Gen-Z buyers are expected to play a growing role in the housing market, the largest group of Millennials are now in their mid-30s. This is bringing a wave of demand from renters looking to buy their first homes. Additionally, the oldest Millennials are increasingly contributing to the trade-up market.

Prediction 4

This next trend might sound a little crazy, but it’s actually one of the smartest moves you can make right now. Home rental prices are also on the rise, so if there’s any way to hold onto your home and rent it out, do it. There’s a large number of renters who aren’t able to find a place to live because rental inventory is low. Now, if you’re thinking you’d rather not mess with the responsibility of a rental, let’s talk numbers for a second. The average rental home in the Phoenix metro area currently rents for over $2,000 a month and in some neighborhoods, well over $2,500 a month. In many cases, it makes sense to keep your home and rent it out. There are ways to use the equity in your current home in order to buy your next home without selling it.

 Prediction 5

Lastly, buyers are putting down a lot more cash. We expect to see buyers continue to put more than 20% down in order to avoid paying for mortgage insurance. Buyers will not only have lower mortgage payments and possibly lower interest rates, but sometimes an appraisal isn’t needed which could save an average of  $600. Another plus? Sellers see it as a positive move when they’re reviewing multiple offers.

Priorities have changed in 2021 in response to COVID-19 and many buyers aren’t waiting for a return to normal. Instead, they’re anticipating a ‘new normal’ in which they live, work and entertain and their home has become the true definition of a sanctuary. As always, it’s extremely important to hire a real estate professional who will meet your needs and put your interests first.

Inventory

As of 5:35 this morning (Monday), there are 2,975 homes active in the MLS in Maricopa and Pinal Counties. That number skyrockets to 4,172 if I include town homes, condos and mobile homes in the search. 

Of course, that number isn't exactly accurate. That doesn't account for the sellers who haven't chosen from the multiple offers they have received. Nor does it account for the agents who haven't gotten around to marking their listing as under contract from the weekend. So, it is probably less than that. 

In other news, a past client sent me a text. Her brother-in-law is "ready" to buy! She sent him to me so I could help him out because he is so excited to find his dream home. I responded that I would do my absolute best to assist, but the market is very tight right now. So he will need to be prepared to come in with a lot of over-asking price cash and a lot more of patience. 

Or Not

After careful consideration of real estate data, the local comparables, double-checking with my realtor-pal Sally, I (we) came to the conclusion that I can probably list this horse property for somewhere between $350,000 and $365,000. My client can expect multiple offers with a bidding war and my best guess is will probably get closer to $400,000 with the appraisal contingencies removed. 

And that's what I told my potential client. 

It turns out, my potential (and probably now former) client was highly unsatisfied that her 1,311 square foot, six-room home was only going to net that much. After all, there are bigger mega-ranches in the area selling a lot farther north of $600,000. What did I know? 

Well, I know I am probably losing that listing. But what she told me was there is now a "delay" and she will "call me in a few weeks" when she is ready to list. 

I guess that will teach me for bragging how I can price houses. Apparently I can't. 

Location, Location, Location

In case I haven't mentioned it lately, inventory in the Phoenix metro area is freakishly low. Buyers are having to resort to multiple offer situations for homes that probably won't work for them in the long-run, just to have a place to live. 

There are other buyers who are waiting out the crazy, hoping that the dust settles and the prices aren't so high in the end that they can't afford anything. 

And of course, there are the creative types who are looking where the rest of the buyer's aren't. Dee is one of these. A few days ago, I sent her a listing I know isn't on the market yet. It is everything she wants and then some. The price is $300,000--which is considered a bargain in today's market. The only catch is, it is a bit too far for her and her felons. So, they are going to pass on this one. But no matter! Dee is patient. The right home will come along soon. 

Pricing

Not to brag, but I'm generally a whiz at pricing homes. I lost a listing once once because the seller wanted $300k and I told her it was worth $240k. When all was said and done and the house sold, the husband said to Marty, that the agent his wife used promised them $300k. They got $240k. Plus, they didn't get the benefit of the repeat client commission discount (they'd bought from me before) and paid a lot more in commissions. And the home stayed on the market much longer because it was over-priced. 

Not that I'm bitter. 

Anyway, I have a listing coming up next week. My client bought the home three years ago and is now selling it. The house in question is horse property in the absolute middle of nowhere. If you know where Skyline and Schneff is, you are in the general vicinity but still a ways off. I will be driving the all-wheel drive car to get there when I meet with my client. It's that kind of area. 

My dilemma is I can't price the place. And it is hurting my ego. There is absolutely nothing that has sold in the area like this house. Sure, there's horse property out there. Sure, there's other homes the same size with similar features nearby. But there isn't anything else the same size with similar features that's horse property. See what I mean? Plus, my listing has a fenced landscaped yard (most horse property doesn't) and a bonus air conditioned workshop, which nothing else around there has at all.

My gut tells me I can list the home for whatever I find to be reasonable and my client will get it. If it doesn't get multiple offers within a week, it is priced too high. But come on! How does that serve my client? How does that serve my ego? 

Faced with this, I did the only thing that made sense: I called my broker-pal Sally and asked her to comp the house for me. I haven't heard back what she thinks it is worth, but even if she gives me a number that is different than mine, she's already given me another nugget of advice I will probably follow: price the home for whatever I find reasonable. If I don't get multiple offers within a week, it is priced too high.  

Inventory is Going Up

Well... it will be next week. It will be skyrocketing by one property. I have a listing coming up. It is a horse property located about as far from the Valley as one can get and still be in the Metro Phoenix area.

Meanwhile, there are less than 3,000 homes for sale in Maricopa and Pinal Counties. 

My Grievance Case

The case I was expected to peer review for this month's grievance committee meeting was so bizarre that I actually called up the person at the association just to make sure it wasn't some sort of early April Fool's joke. She just sighed heavily and thanked me for taking this one on. 

"Please stop giving me the weird ones," I replied. 

"It wasn't the weirdest one this month." 

She was right. 

Here was my case. Two people who reside in Arizona were renting a cabin in the woods somewhere back East this past December. They didn't show up. One of these folks was an Arizona real estate agent. The cabin owner wants compensation. So, he sent an ethics complaint to the Association. We had to decide if an ethics violation had been committed. 

I had a real problem with this and I said so. This case had to do with an agent renting real property, therefore one could argue there technically there might be some sort of code of ethics violation. But where do we draw the line? As a real-life example, I have a bankruptcy that involved real property. I didn't fulfill my contracts and obligation. Was I in violation of a code of ethics complaint under the circumstances? 

As it turns out, we as a committee, decided that this was a civil complaint and dismissed the case. But it brought up a lively discussion. I like lively discussions--especially about contracts. I don't like punitive cabin owners who have nothing better to do than write up complaints against folks who owe them less than $30. Our committee doesn't enforce contracts. The cabin owner wasn't going to get his money any faster by coming to us and complaining. I am not sure what he was expecting to get, actually. But he will be disappointed when the letter comes saying we didn't feel he had grounds for an ethics complaint. 

In Case You Think I'm Making This Stuff Up

On the Super Secret Real Estate Facebook Site: 

The listing said, "showings only between 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday." 

Real Estate Levity

Was poking around on the Super Secret Real Estate Facebook Site a couple of days ago.
Found a few memes. 

 

Yeppers

Found this on the Super-Secret Real Estate Facebook Site. I've fired my fair share of idiots. I've never been sorry.  Incidentally, of the 113 replies to her post, nobody said she made a mistake and should have put up with this longer. 

 

 "Hi fellow agents

my first post here and need some chatter. So yesterday I finally fired my first client. I have been an agent for 14 years. I was tired of his bullying attitude, demeaning phone calls and ALWAYS bring up my commission. Evey contract I brought him, his first thing he said was *whos paying your commission *. It was exhausting listening to him rant for an hour on the phone bringing up how much money he has. I brought him yet another contract, same thing and I finally just could not take it. No amount is worth him boosting his ego. So I just told him I won't be belittled anymore and he asked if I wanted out, I said yes I do and he hung up on me. I have so many emotions running all over the place. Has anyone experienced this before?"

Off Hold

We were supposed to find out last week whether or not Marty Sunshine would be working for his company in Huntsville Alabama. For those of you unfamiliar with my opinions about Alabama, let's just say, I have issues. If you want an in-depth reason, I can give you 10 years worth of reading. 

However, at this time, it appears we aren't moving to Huntsville. If there was one positive take-away from last week's poop storm, that was probably it. 

The three month wait to find this out was a bit more than annoying. I hated having my life on hold. But hopefully that is behind us (HOPEFULLY). I'm now focusing on refinancing my house, finding better car insurance and figuring out if anyone is brave enough to buy or sell a house in this crazy real estate market. I might even revisit teaching real estate--but I really hate zoom classes, so that might be on hold longer too. 

We have different challenges in front of us, but at least we can (hopefully) put this one behind us.