John-
I wanted to take a moment to share how I felt about our interaction today.
You don’t know me—I could be anyone. I could possibly be the Secretary of States niece. I could be a nobody. But regardless of status, I am a person who is in the vulnerable position of having to sell her home. I was very clear from the beginning that this is a sensitive subject for me. This isn’t something I want to do; it’s something I have to do.
Before you even stepped foot in my home, I felt judged. Some of the questions you asked felt overly personal. When you arrived, you moved through my home very quickly instead of allowing me to guide you. As a side note, I had been up since 7:00 this morning making sure everything was perfect for your visit. You may not have noticed that, but that’s how I spent my day.
When you asked whether we were just looking to vacate the house, I found that comment deeply insulting. It felt like a judgment based on my minimal furnishings, and that didn’t feel fair.
Selling a home is not just a transaction for many people. Homes carry emotional weight and meaning, and that is certainly true for me. Today, I felt judged in my own home, and I didn’t appreciate that.
I’m sharing this with you because words matter. How someone speaks and behaves when entering another person’s home matters. I would not want anyone else to walk away feeling the way I did today.