A Perfect Universe
A little over a year ago, my family and I embarked on a great adventure. It wasn’t supposed to be an adventure when we started, but life doesn’t always go according to our plans.
Amid a roaring housing market, my family of seven outgrew certain aspects of our home. We explored the possibility of a move, but like many in the current environment, we decided this wasn’t the best decision. Instead, we chose to undertake a renovation of our existing home. We love the location of our home, and with some architectural creativity, we could fix the aspects of our home that no longer suited our family.
The renovation started without issues. The contractor we chose was on time and on an aggressive pace to minimize the disruption to our family. Unfortunately, the unexpected happened. The project was delayed, our home that was supposed to be renovated had significant damage, and our family was displaced much longer than expected.
Fortunately - with the help of some friends in the legal field and clients in the architecture and contracting industry – we muddled our way through the issues. Our family was finally able to return home after a year of being out of our home, and as of a few weeks ago, virtually all the work associated with the renovation is complete.
I’m now far enough removed from the situation that I can reflect and say I learned a lot. If you’re considering any projects of your own, I would be happy to share more details about my experience in the hope it can help yours.
The experience also served as a reminder that I’m lucky to spend most of my days talking with clients and helping them prepare for their goals. Sometimes it’s easy to talk about these goals and the future as-if there will not be any issues.
Life is uncertain, and we always need to be prepared for the unexpected. We may not be able to plan for every “what-if”, but there are tools available that can aid us with some of life’s uncertainties.
I was caught off-guard with our renovation issues. I was fortunate to have contacts, friends, and acquaintances with knowledge and skills to guide me. Life can be unpredictable, and I know many clients confronted challenging circumstances in the last year too. Our team is privileged to be one of those resources for many of you when life becomes uncertain.
As we begin the fourth quarter, be on the lookout for some additional communication in the coming weeks. There are many financial items with a year-end deadline. I plan to send a note with some thoughts on the market, economy, and– maybe more important –year-end reminders. December 31st will be here before many of us are ready, and we want to be sure you’re prepared to enjoy the holiday season with as little stress as possible around meeting these deadlines.
A famous mathematician once said, “uncertainty is the only certainty there is.” This might be true, but we can still plan and prepare. There are tools available for the financial aspects associated with many of life’s uncertainties. I look forward to reviewing these with you during our next conversation!