When I made the decision to become a Realtor, I knew that I would encounter all sorts of people, situations and scenarios in my new career. In the year that I have been in this profession, I can’t say I’ve seen it all because new things keep popping up, but I can say I’ve already seen a lot.

What I hadn’t prepared for was working an estate sale….of a friend.

When I came to Vernon in 2006, I went to work as an apprentice plumber. The journeyman I worked with was a really nice, fun guy that became a friend, and not just a workmate. We’d laugh our asses off at our stupid jokes, and listen to the classic metal station on the satellite, really loud. If you were going to be crammed into low crawl spaces, or being taught the proper way to run a drain, he was the guy to be doing it with.

When it became clear to me that plumbing really wasn’t what I wanted to do when I grew up, I left the industry but stayed in contact with my friend. I’d send him business and he promised to send me some in return.

Last June he passed away unexpectedly.

It came as a shock to everyone and I still can’t believe he is gone.

Last month I was contacted by his family to sell his home. I was honoured that they asked me and today his home is listed for sale.

I recently did an open house there and, to be honest, it was strange to be in the empty home of a friend. I sat in my lawn chair in the livingroom, looking out at the view that he once saw. His handywork is throughout the whole house and I know it has been done right.

He left his home behind, but it’s a very nice, happy home. The next owners are going to love this place for the very same reasons he did.

I wasn’t prepared to say goodbye to a friend….but I am prepared to help someone move forward.