Integrity

I am a HGTV junkie.  When I want to relax and just let my mind go, I like to have HGTV on and play games on my computer.  Today I needed some download time, so I did my normal turn on HGTV and play my computer games.

I watched a show called Selling My First Place.  It featured a couple in the Arlington Virginia area that wanted to sell their condo.  They had bought their 2 bedroom condo for $340,000 in 2006 at the height of the real estate market.  Since then they had one child and have another child on the way.  They wanted to sell their place and buy a home with a back yard and another bedroom.  They have been living off of the husbands salary and saving the wifes salary, because they knew they were going to take a hit when they sold their house. 

At the beginning of the show the couple discussed trying to sell their condo for $300,000.  As the show progressed they talked to their real estate agent and he explained how much condo's were selling in their area and he suggested they start at $295,000.  If they did that it would take all of their savings, but they figured  they could swing it.  After having their house on the market for over 3 months and having their realator tell them that a condo just like theirs sold for $250,000; the couple decided to take their condo off of the market. They ended up paying off their second mortgage and refinanced their condo with the thought of renting it for the new refinanced payment.

During the show the wife said a few times to the husband that they could short sell their home or maybe have it forclosed.  The husband said each time "No! That is why the market is in the mess it is in."  He refused to give in to the easy solution or an easy way out and chose instead to take the way of integrity.  It cost him and his wife $70,000 which they will probably never see again.  I think the cost was high, but the integrity he showed to his wife and children is priceless.  He is a man of his word, no matter what the cost.

Proverbs 21:3  To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrafice.