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-----Original Message----- From: HHSTM - Brassard, Tracy Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 11:01 AM To: 'eopper@opperfinancial.com' Subject: RE: Clarifying my point of view for you...... Point well taken. I do agree with you that it would have been beneficial had Keith been able to use Miguel's services for this particular purchase. However, unfortunately this was not an option. I do see your point in the example below. Although things don't always work out as cut and dry or quite the way we hope. Again you are faced with the decision to buy a home that meets your criteria and you feel is a fair price or keep looking. Keith has owned a home before in Canada so he is familiar with the process. However, you are right he is a first time home buyer in the US and I am sure there are differences between the processes of the two countries not to mention the changing market, as you pointed out. Keith did some reasearch on his own (which would have undoubtedly been more thorough if he were using the resources and knowledge that is available to a realtor) before making the decision that this was not only a home that we wanted but also a sound business investment. Both of the homes I grew up in were purchased and sold as private sales and neither turned out to be bad investments for them. Not to mention, DeNae and Ricky who have just sold their home and have turned quite a nice profit on a home they purchased as a private sale. I agree that it would ideally be better to use the knowledge and resources of someone in the real estate industry in the decision making process. However, I guess my point is that I think that it is possible to make a sound decision on a home that is sold privately. I respect your opinion and I also agree with what you said yesterday that people tend to think differently about things in life. Maybe this is one area that we will have to agree to disagree. I do appreciate your words though. Tracy -----Original Message----- From: Elaine Opper home [mailto:eopper@opperfinancial.com] Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 10:46 AM To: HHSTM - Brassard, Tracy Subject: RE: Clarifying my point of view for you...... Tracy & Keith: The purchase of your friend's Townhouse in Montrose is perhaps a wonderful opportunity. But, my point that I would like to make to you is that I still feel that you would have benefited from having a professional agent like Miguel represent you, given that Keith is a first time homebuyer and that current local market home sales conditions are changing rapidly. If either one of you were actively engaged in the residential market as a broker, builder or investor and had experience in buying homes, I would feel very different about the situation. Having said this, I respect of course your decision to make whatever choice that you have made even if I disagree. I'm writing this more for you to understand a very non-emotional business point of view about the situation. Also for the two of you to gain a better understanding of how I feel about the situation. Let's me use a hypothetical situation. One that I feel drives home the point that I'm trying to make: For example, if Joe wants to sell John his business at a great price, but says Joe I will only sell you my business, but I will not allow you to hire your accountant to look review the books, or for you to investigate whether or not the industry of which that the business is part of is stable, or for your attorney to do anything but provide form documents for us to fill in the blanks. John has a great attorney, great accountant and industry analyst. He says to them I want you to help me on buying this business, but Joe here will only sell the business to me if I don't engage any of you, but to "just fill out some forms". Will you fill out some forms for me to close the deal. Reply: Thanks, but no thanks, I am a professional. A) I represent people with the best of my ability, and I don't just fill in the blanks to accommodate someone who is not my client to save him money, and avoid perhaps other negotiations that should be consider in the transaction if I'm to represent my client to the best of my ability. and B) As a professional, it makes no sense whatsoever to accept the potential personal liability for such a small payment, under the conditions that you've placed me to assist you with the transaction. Friend or not, just because the seller states that he does not want a broker involved in the transaction does not mean that it is in your best interest. It could be, but in the end, you are the one that is taking on the most of the risk, if problems should arise down the road that someone more experienced could have pointed out for you. In short, the deal closes, the seller has their money and the transaction is history. As a business person, I can think of any number of other ways that you guys might have proceeded with buying his friends house. Make no mistake - I care about both of you as always, but I was also offended by your approach with Miguel, in the context of the hypothetical situation that I gave to you above. I hope this helps explain things for you as how I feel about the situation. After you get settled in, I would love to see the TH. I know that you are very excited to finally find a place that both of you like. I respect that you have made your choice, and I wish you the very best on a smooth closing of the house, and many great years together making it a great place to live. Love, Elaine -----Original Message----- From: HHSTM - Brassard, Tracy [mailto:TBrassard@hhsi.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2001 9:47 AM To: eopper@opperfinancial.com Subject: RE: hello Thanks I appreciate your e mail. I was not seeking an aplogy from you nor Miguel and I did not ask for that. I was only expressing my feelings to you. I was under the impression from our previous conversation that you were upset with the situation and I was looking for us to move forward and for that process to begin I needed to understand what it was that was upsetting you. Maybe I misunderstood our conversation and you were not upset. If that is the case then I apologize for misreading your comments to me on the phone. You are right life does present choices and I agree that family is more important then the material and that is why I was bothered that we would possibly be having problems regarding this issue. I am always here for you too. I hope that we can move beyond all of this. tracy -----Original Message----- From: Elaine Opper home [mailto:eopper@opperfinancial.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2001 9:56 AM To: HHSTM - Brassard, Tracy Subject: RE: hello Tracy - Thanks for writing. If you are happy that's all that matters. I can see how you would perhaps make a connection between Keith purchasing a house, and how it might relate to your relationship and future together. However, I don't feel an apology is in order from Miguel or me. After all, my comments to you were really meant to be taken with the best of intentions to help Keith, as a first time home buyer, who for months had previously sought Miguel's advice and assistance. I think if you reflect on the type of person that I am, you will understand what I'm saying. Also, if you truly believe that a lost commission means more to us than our relationship with you, I'm truly sorry for that. Life presents many choices. I will always choose to love my family over material things. We are human beings and people often see things differently . I also accept that as a fact of life. As always, if you need me, you can count on me to be there for you. Life is too short. Learn, Grow and Move On. Love, Elaine -----Original Message----- From: HHSTM - Brassard, Tracy [mailto:TBrassard@hhsi.com] Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 10:57 AM To: 'Elaine Opper' Subject: hello Elaine- I am very bothered by our earlier conversation and your follow-up e-mail about Keith's home purchase. However, I have taken this time to gather my thoughts before responding. I feel the best way to convey my feelings are through this note. It seems the old adage of not mixing business with family is becoming an important lesson out of all of this. First of all, I am very sorry for the way things have worked out. Keith had full intentions of finding a home on the MLS that suited his needs and would have benefited Miguel. However, we had no way of knowing his friend would be transferred to London and that he would be selling a home which met our criteria. Unfortunately, the seller listed the home privately and was not willing to use realtors. Therefore, Keith was faced with a difficult decision: Pass up a great house at a fair price, or keep looking! Our conversation has left me feeling that you believe Keith wrongfully shorted Miguel out of a commission that he had already earned. I feel this is an unfair attitude. Keith did not go behind Miguel's back to negotiate with someone who was selling a listed home nor did he break an agreement with Miguel. Keith truly appreciates the time Miguel spent with us on several occasions, but he simply found a privately listed house. It is my understanding that this is a risk in real estate. It is not uncommon for a realtor to spend time with a client who decides either to not buy at all or finds a privately listed home. Unfortunately, this is the nature of real estate and I do not see why Keith should be held to a different standard because he is like family. Secondly, I was not only upset by the content of our conversation, but also the manner in which you acted. You insisted that Miguel needed to represent Keith to determine the FMV and then went on to say that it was up to us if we decide to pay more than the house is worth. I was bothered by your insinuation that we are unable to, "act in an orderly and professional manner", and that we are incapable of making a sound investment decision. I have milled this over in my head a million times trying to understand where you might be coming from. While I understand some disappointment at the loss of a commission, I cannot appreciate the reasons I've imagined you might have for being upset. Keith appreciates Miguel's efforts and wishes things had worked out more favorably for him. Keith acted in good faith by offering Miguel the opportunity to facilitate the closing. He did understand Miguel's decision to not take part. However, it came down to the fact that he had to go with the home that was best for him. Elaine, I am so sorry if all of this has in any way damaged our relationships but let me reiterate the fact that Keith and I made this decision together. He is someone who is very important to me and in the not so distant future when we ultimately tie the knot this will be our home together. I thought that it was the best decision at the time and I still feel that it was a good move for him to buy the place. However, I am concerned and saddened by what has occurred between all of us. I hope you know how important both you and Lauren are to me. You have been like a big sister. Living in Houston the past five years and getting to be a part of your lives has been so important to me. I have treasured getting to share in your joy of meeting Miguel and having the opportunity for Keith to get to know all of you as well. I hope that you know that I would be there for you and Lauren in a heartbeat. I just want you to know how I feel about all that has happened in the past few weeks and I feel that if I call you I will not get the chance to say all that I am thinking. I am sorry if you are upset with the situation and I hope that all four of us will be able to move on and repair any damage done to our relationship. I do love you and Lauren very much. Tracy Tracy Brassard Heritage Health Systems Senior Accountant ++++ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE ++++ This electronic message transmission, including any attachments, contains information from Heritage Health Systems Inc. or one of its affiliated companies, which may be confidential or privileged. The information is intended to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by a "reply to sender only" message and destroy all electronic and hard copies of the communication, including attachments. ++++ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE ++++ This electronic message transmission, including any attachments, contains information from Heritage Health Systems Inc. or one of its affiliated companies, which may be confidential or privileged. The information is intended to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by a "reply to sender only" message and destroy all electronic and hard copies of the communication, including attachments. ++++ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE ++++ This electronic message transmission, including any attachments, contains information from Heritage Health Systems Inc. or one of its affiliated companies, which may be confidential or privileged. The information is intended to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by a "reply to sender only" message and destroy all electronic and hard copies of the communication, including attachments.
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