Greetings, All:
At the close of one year and the beginning of another, my mind inevitably turns to Time. It’s a thought that lingers as I reflect on how quickly it passes, how it shapes us, and how we’re shaped by it. Recently, I was flipping through a portrait photography book in my collection called Individuals, and something about it brought Time into sharp focus. In the late 1980s, Don and Doris Fisher, the founders of The Gap, approved a bold advertising campaign to give their brand a fresh boost. The idea was simple: full-page black-and-white portraits of celebrities—each one dressed in Gap clothing, mixed with pieces from their personal collections. The campaign was so successful, it ran for nearly two decades. As I looked at those photos, I couldn’t help but wonder about the lives of the celebrities captured in them. Some were just beginning their rise to fame, others were already well-established. Some have remained in the spotlight, while others have faded into memory. Some are still with us; some have passed on.
It struck me how Time moves differently for each of us—how we experience it in our own way, yet it binds us all. In our line of work, we see this passage of time in unexpected ways. Every year, we send out real estate updates to past clients: “Here’s what homes like yours have sold for in your neighborhood.” Sometimes, as I look through the list, I see names from decades ago—clients I helped twenty, even thirty years ago. And there they are, still living in the homes I sold them. People I once knew as young singles, newlyweds, or young parents are now in their later years. Their children, once small and just starting out, are now grown—some even with children of their own.
I remember the Lews—a young couple I helped in the mid-80s. They were living in a small home in the Sunset District, but with a daughter on the way, they needed something bigger. We found them a new place in the Richmond District, where they’ve lived ever since. A few years ago, Lil called to tell me that with their help, their daughter was ready to buy her first home. It was a wonderful moment for me, a reflection of how life—and Time—moves forward.
As Realtors, there’s an inevitable distance that forms with clients over time. It’s understandable; life pulls us in different directions. To some, we’re just the agent who helped with a transaction—a fleeting moment in their story. To others, the relationship is more meaningful—perhaps we helped them navigate a tough negotiation, or perhaps we became part of a pivotal chapter in their lives. For us, as agents, the best part of this job is reconnecting with clients years later and seeing the lives they’ve built, the changes they’ve experienced, and the milestones they’ve reached. That’s when the true value of this work becomes clear.
Ultimately, it’s all about Time—the passage of it, the way it shapes us, the way it keeps moving forward whether we’re ready or not. It makes me wonder: if we knew how much time we had left, how would we live differently? Perhaps in the year ahead, I’ll try to organize my life around that question, making better use of my Time, and living with intention and purpose.
Happy 2025, everyone!
Till next month,
Derek, Natalie, Mo & Chrissie
