Published March 26, 2025
What I learned from my mid-life proposal 💍
Did she say yes? Read on to find out :)
Friends -
Have you ever tried to orchestrate what should be a perfect moment while the world conspires against your plans?
I swear the universe has a sense of humor.
The “perfect plan” was to pick Jen up in Lehi where we would continue on to downtown SLC for a sunset proposal 
on the Capitol steps, followed by a romantic dinner…
on the Capitol steps, followed by a romantic dinner…But I was two hours late leaving and Max the Tripawd (my three-legged canine copilot) was staging what can only be described as a Crate Rebellion which resulted in three separate stops off I-15…
By pickup time, I was less "romantic suitor" and more "man who possibly ran through a car wash fully clothed."
And Jen? In zero hurry as she casually collected herself 
…
…But it wasn't just about the sunset…I had secretly hired a photographer to "coincidentally" be there, casually offer to take our photo, and capture the moment I dropped to one knee…
There I was, weaving through traffic like a NASCAR 
driver, checking my watch every 18 seconds, mumbling about "losing the light"…
driver, checking my watch every 18 seconds, mumbling about "losing the light"…Meanwhile my future wife was giving concerned glances that communicated, “Should I be dialing an interventionist right now? There will be other sunsets!"
The ring box in my pocket may as well have been made of Uranium; I was sure it had burned a hole through my pants.
Despite all the chaos, and a heartrate 
of easily 150 bpm which she felt through my suitcoat, the proposal actually worked perfectly. (She said yes!
)
of easily 150 bpm which she felt through my suitcoat, the proposal actually worked perfectly. (She said yes!)The look of genuine shock on her face was priceless—partly from the proposal, partly from wondering if I'd finally lost my mind.
And that's when two lessons set in…
1. Good things—the BEST things—aren't always smooth sailing. Sometimes, they're chaotic, messy, and entirely unscripted.
2. And just because something feels scary or stressful doesn't mean that it's bad…it often means the exact opposite!
I considered abandoning the plan at least ten times during that trip, and I'm so grateful that I didn't…
If I could tell you how many times over the last two decades that a client wanted to bail out of an important family move 
mid-transaction…
mid-transaction…That gorgeous dream home? There might be inspection surprises. That perfect full-price offer? The lender might throw curveballs or the appraisal could come in low…
Susan's Story
Last month, we procured a full-price offer for my client Susan's home in the Sunbrook area.
It was an emotional decision for her to sell the home that she and her late husband had enjoyed for many years, but she could no longer live alone, let alone manage this property…
We helped her navigate fear and misgivings and she was ready to strut into the endzone 
for a victory dance when the Buyer's Inspector discovered a significant roof repair was needed…
for a victory dance when the Buyer's Inspector discovered a significant roof repair was needed…She was ready to walk away from the deal at the one yard line, and not because of the money…because the sum of emotional stress from the entire process was overwhelming her nervous system.
We negotiated to resolve the issue and close the deal on time, but not before a near panic attack, thinking that her plans to downsize had been ruined.
Today she's living much more stress, and risk, free in the home of her daughter. But it was touch and go along the way!
This is why having an experienced team that's weathered these storms 
matters; as of the date of this email, the Larkin Group has weathered 2000+ "storms" (transactions).
matters; as of the date of this email, the Larkin Group has weathered 2000+ "storms" (transactions). We've seen it all: the good, the bad, and the "how is this even possible?"
We create systems that anticipate the chaos so you don't have to white-knuckle your way through the biggest financial decision of your life.
Ready for a less frantic approach to real estate? Let's chat.
In the meantime, I've got a wedding 
to plan!
to plan! -Jeremy "still thanking that photographer" Larkin
PS - The nuptials take place on August 2 :)
PPS - if you're looking for a great photographer in Northern Utah, let me know, and I'll pass along his info!
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“Jeremy was very professional during the whole downsizing process.
He explained all the different stages we were going to go through and how each stage worked.
We knew from day one as to where we were in the process and what needed to be done to
complete sell our home and get into a place that was safer for us. Thank you!”
-Ken & Connie
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