BLOG.jpg

John DeMato Blog

Welcome to the Deliver Magic blog, where experts who speak, coach, train, consult, and write books will find actionable insights to elevate their personal brands through visual storytelling. From strategy tips and branding photography to live event coverage and storytelling techniques, discover step-by-step guides designed to help you align what you say with how you show up in photos. Get ready to unlock the magic behind creating a cohesive visual identity that drives engagement, builds credibility, and inspires your audience. #DeliverMagic

The finish line is in sight :)

 

After a year and a half of effort to update the house and get it ready for sale, I'm excited to share that it’s finally on the market!

The day the listing went live, I got emotional in my hotel room as I scrolled through the photos our agent put together. Despite every delay, roadblock, and surprise expense, we finally made it to this point.

I lived in that house for 30 years, but I never really took responsibility for it—until I had to. While my brother, a seasoned homeowner, knew what we were getting into, I’m an apartment guy, clueless about how this game is played. Oh, but I learned very quickly the moment that 1970s wood paneling was ripped off the walls.

Nothing says “good time” like watching a waterfall stream out of a light socket, let me tell you!

One thing after another, this process has been one of the most stressful times of my life. But ultimately, it reminded me of an important lesson I’ve learned since working for myself:

No matter how worn down, defeated, or frustrated I feel, I have the ability to push through the BS and keep going until the job is done.

Working with my brother on this project has been a saving grace. We've been in sync from the moment this house was put in our names. Every major decision has been smooth as peanut butter. So, we’re both lucky in that regard.

For the overall look of the house, we focused on getting it clean and functional to leave a blank canvas for the future owner to make it their own. We didn’t go overboard with updates, and we preserved many of the features of a house built in 1910.

The property still has a bit of a rough-around-the-edges feel, and that’s exactly how we wanted it. We’re both extremely proud that we left this house better than we found it. I like to think our parents would be happy with what we did…

Although my dad would probably be pissed at how much of his stuff we threw out - what are you gonna do, right? Lol.

Either way, I’m excited to see this house start a new chapter for someone else’s family. A building, after all, is just a building. It’s the people and the moments that mattered in that building that will live on forever.

And that’s good enough for me. :)

From our mouths to the ears of the real estate gods, let this be a quick process - wish us luck!

#yeahabsolutely