I was at a house showing this past week a few days before Chanukah and it was one of those special showings where the chemistry just feels right. All the realtors were getting along, buyer and seller were making jokes with each other. As everyone was getting ready to leave, the seller turned to the potential buyer and said, “Treat your family and buy this house as a Chanukah present!”

Now we’re talking! It immediately reminded me of the time many years ago when a family who lived in the city was making the move to the suburbs. These buyers were anxious throughout the entire contractual period as they wanted the closing to take place right before Chanukah in order to present it to their children as a Chanukah gift. On the very first night of the holiday they drove the whole family across the George Washington Bridge, pulled up in front of their new house and declared “We bought you a new home!” The menorahs for each child were already set up and waiting in their new living room adjacent to the large windows facing the street.

You can imagine the reaction of the children upon learning that this would be their new home. There was tremendous excitement pulsing throughout every room as the kids ran to see their new bedrooms. About an hour later, the eldest child walked up to the mom and in a quiet tone said, “I mean it’s really great and all that you and Dad bought us a home but you were going to be buying this anyway. I’m not sure this should count as our Chanukah present!”

I told this story to my co-workers at the office and they all had tales of their own of disappointed children not satisfied with what their parents bought them for the chag. One agent said they only purchase gifts that can be used by the entire family and not geared towards any one specific person. At first, of course, there are always complaints and cries of “not fair” but once the whole family is sitting around the Chanukah candles enjoying the new game all together, the smiles break out and the kids forget what they were upset about in the first place.

Surely, this must have been my homebuyers’ answer to their eldest child so many years ago regarding the house “gift.” Purchasing the family a new home and presenting it on Chanukah was an investment in their future and is the proverbial gift that keeps on giving. A home becomes the repository of holiday memories, sleepovers, the smell of coffee in the mornings and the home of Chanukah celebrations to come!

Nechama Polak is the broker of record and owner of V and N Group LLC located at 1401 Palisade Ave in Teaneck. [email protected] 201 826 8809.