Millionaire Bought Vacation Property Sight Unseen, Never Thought Realtor Would Sell Him on Forever
Beyond Professional Courtesy
They walked through the entryway with its soaring ceilings and dramatic ocean views.
“You know, most people like to see a place before purchasing it,” Jessica couldn’t help asking. “Especially at this price point.”
Alex chuckled. “So I’ve been told repeatedly by everyone I know.”
He paused to look through the windows at the waves crashing against the rocks below. He explained he didn’t have time for a proper search but knew what he wanted.
He sought privacy, ocean views, and somewhere completely different from Manhattan. When his assistant showed him the photos of this place, it just felt right.
“Well, I hope it lives up to expectations,” Jessica said, leading him toward the great room with its massive stone fireplace.
“It already exceeds them,” Alex murmured.
His expression softened as he took in the craftsmanship and the spectacular setting. For the next hour, Jessica guided him through the house, pointing out features and answering his questions.
She found herself oddly nervous and more invested in his reaction than she should be professionally. There was something intriguing about Alex Burke.
Despite his obvious wealth, he asked thoughtful questions about the house’s construction, the surrounding community, and even the local wildlife.
“The master bedroom has the best view in the house,” Jessica said, leading him up the floating staircase to the second floor.
When they reached the room with its panoramic ocean vista, she watched his face carefully. Alex stood silently for a moment, taking in the expanse of blue stretching to the horizon.
“This,” he said quietly, “is exactly why I bought this place. In New York, I can’t even see the sky some days.”
“What exactly do you do in New York?” Jessica asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“I run an investment firm focused on sustainable industries,” he replied, turning away from the view to look at her. “It’s rewarding but all-consuming.”
He realized recently that he had spent ten years building a life he never took time to actually live. The sincerity in his voice caught Jessica off guard.
This wasn’t the typical wealthy client banter she was used to.
“Well,” she said, leading him back downstairs, “Maine is certainly a good place to slow down and live a little.”
“Do you live around here?” Alex asked as they returned to the great room.
“About twenty minutes away in Camden. I grew up here, actually.”
“Then you must know all the local secrets,” he said with a smile that made something flutter in Jessica’s chest. “Any chance you might be willing to share some recommendations?”
He asked where to get the best lobster roll and which hiking trails to avoid. Jessica hesitated. She usually maintained clear boundaries with clients, especially seasonal ones who viewed locals as part of the scenery.
But there was something genuine about Alex’s interest.
“I could put together a list for you,” she offered.
“How about over dinner instead? I’m here for a week to get the place set up and I don’t know a soul. Consider it a thank you for finding me this incredible property.”
The request caught Jessica off guard.
“I… well, that’s not really necessary. I’m just doing my job.”
“It’s just dinner,” Alex said easily. “I promise I’m not making it a habit to ask out every real estate agent I meet. But I could use some local insight and you clearly know this area better than anyone.”
Jessica found herself nodding before she could overthink it.
“There’s a great place in town called Harbor’s Edge. Nothing fancy, but the seafood is caught that morning.”
“Perfect. Tomorrow at seven?”
As Jessica drove away from the property later, she wondered what had possessed her to accept his dinner invitation. Olivia would certainly have something to say about it, but it wasn’t a date.
It was professional courtesy to a new property owner, nothing more. Yet she couldn’t quite shake the image of Alex standing in that master bedroom looking out at the ocean.
He looked like he’d found something he’d been searching for all along.
Harbor’s Edge was busy when Jessica arrived the following evening. The warm glow of its windows spilled onto the dock where it sat perched above the working harbor.
She spotted Alex immediately, sitting at a corner table and gazing out at the boats. He stood when he saw her.
Jessica was struck again by how different he seemed from her preconceptions. In dark jeans and a casual button-down, he could have passed for any of the local professionals rather than a Manhattan millionaire.
“This place is fantastic,” Alex said after they’d ordered. “Exactly what I was hoping to find. Authentic, not trying too hard.”
“That’s Maine for you,” Jessica replied. “We’re not big on pretension here.”
“A refreshing change from New York. Everyone there seems to be performing some version of themselves.”
As they talked, Jessica found herself relaxing. Alex asked thoughtful questions about the area, laughed at her stories about local characters, and shared his own tales of growing up in Chicago.
He spoke about his work with passion but admitted that the constant pressure had begun taking a toll.
“Hence the impulse purchase,” Jessica said, sipping her wine.
“Exactly. Though calling it an impulse might be slightly unfair. I’d been looking for the right escape for nearly a year when your listing came across my desk. Something about it just clicked.”
Alex leaned forward slightly. “Now that I’ve seen it in person, I know I made the right decision.”
“I’m glad,” Jessica said sincerely. “Some properties just seem to find their right owners.”
The conversation shifted from professional to personal. Jessica shared her journey from a reluctant return to her hometown after college to discovering her passion for connecting people with properties that spoke to them.
She admitted she never planned to come back to Camden.
“I was determined to live in Boston or New York. Somewhere with more happening.”
“What changed your mind?”
Her dad got sick her senior year of college. She came home to help out temporarily and started working at the real estate office to make ends meet.
She discovered she was good at it. By the time he recovered, she’d fallen back in love with this place through her clients’ eyes.
Alex nodded thoughtfully. “Sometimes we find our place in the world when we’re looking for something else entirely.”
The evening ended much later than Jessica had intended with the restaurant nearly empty around them. As they walked to their cars, the October air was crisp and salty from the harbor.
Alex turned to her.
“I know you provided this dinner as a professional courtesy,” he said, his expression serious. “But I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you, Jessica. Would it be completely inappropriate to ask to see you again while I’m in town?”
Jessica knew the professional answer was yes, it would be inappropriate. She had a strict policy about maintaining boundaries with clients.
But something about Alex made her reconsider her usual rules.
“Probably,” she admitted with a small smile. “But I might say yes anyway.”
