Should You Buy a Home on Friday the 13th?

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th, today is a county holiday for Lincoln’s birthday and Monday is a federal holiday for President’s Day, whatever the heck that day is supposed to be now. The Powers That Be have not been successful, apparently, at renaming the date. It’s not named in celebration of all presidents. It’s not a combination of Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthday. It’s just a way the federal government turned 2 holidays we used to enjoy into one holiday, unless, of course, you work for the County of Sacramento, and then you get two days off, throw in a sick day and voila, you have 5-day weekend. Hooray for judges.

What these holidays and dates mean for real estate and those buying a home in Sacramento is that there are no recordings (closings) at the County Courthouse from Thursday until next Tuesday unless you choose to close on Friday the 13th.

There are some people who are superstitious. You never really know how many people fall victim to that, but I suddenly want to make up voodoo dolls in their likeness and poke the object repeatedly, not in a harmful way, just enough to amuse myself in front of them. An agent mentioned the other day that he was not really superstitious but he would prefer to push a closing scheduled for February 13th out to the 17th, you know, just to be safe. Safe from what? Is that not superstition?

Did you know there is a word for Friday the 13th? It is Paraskevidekatriaphobics, and it means an irrational fear of Friday the 13th. Notice the emphasis on “irrational.” Now, I realize I am only one person, but I have never had a bad or unlucky Friday the 13th. Ever. No accidents, no illnesses, no lost money, no family deaths, no divorces, no marriages, nada. Not even a cross word. No stubbed toes or hangnails. No bad hair days. And if I had, I certainly wouldn’t blame it on Friday the 13th.

People didn’t always harbor a morbid fear of Friday the 13th. At some point in history, before the Crusades, it was actually considered a lucky day.

Not to mention, I have 4 closings scheduled for tomorrow, all four of which have been extended from the original closing date due to loan difficulties, some more than once. It’s a really tough real estate market in Sacramento right now. So challenging that some inexperienced agents are watching in horror as their escrows blow up in front of their face. It’s us veteran agents — people like me who can glue them back together, roll them onto a stretcher and cart them back into the operating room — who succeed. My real estate success is not by accident, and it’s not affected by Friday the 13th.

If you’re looking for a top Sacramento REALTOR to ensure your escrow closes, then call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759.