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"I can't wait," the woman gushed, and she hooked her arm through her husband's, practically dragging him down the hall. "This way, right?"

"Yes, ma'am, but I'd start in the kitchen. Don't miss the pantry. It's definitely a chef-quality space."

The husband's eyebrows cocked in appreciation.

"And there's an outdoor kitchen too." Sheila knew how to pick up on the subtleties of body language to pitch the right perks. A family came in right behind them with an adorable little girl with blond ringlets and wearing a powder-blue dress that matched her twinkling eyes.

"Welcome." She offered a children's version of the pamphlet to their daughter. One with a picture of a kitten on the ottoman and a puppy in the backyard. The little girl had adorable Shirley Temple dimples when she smiled.

"There are some fresh-baked cookies on the kitchen counter," Sheila whispered to the parents as they accepted the brochure.

"We've been waiting for something in this neighborhood to come up for so long," the woman said. "It's honestly a stretch on our budget, but we couldn't resist checking it out."

Sheila dove in. "Well, interest rates are low right now. There are so many advantages. Walking distance to the academy, which makes this a highly sought-after neighborhood for families with school-age children." Sheila noticed the way the wife shot a glance to her husband. That was clearly something they'd discussed before. "It's a lot of house for the price point. Take a look around. The HOA is lower than other similar neighborhoods, which is a real plus because it keeps those monthly additional expenses down, and this house has one of the highest efficiency ratings I've seen," Sheila added.

"That is helpful," her husband said.

"I'll answer any questions you might have," Sheila said. "My card is in the booklet, and I have a wonderful team that can help you navigate any challenges. Home buying requires looking at the long term, especially when you're raising children. We're familiar with this area. We're here to help you with this house, or find the perfect one in your price range."

"Thank you so much."

For a moment, Sheila's mind wandered as she watched the little girl tug at her mom's hand toward the kitchen.

She'd always thought she'd have children by now, but she and Dan had never been blessed that way. No matter how many times Dan swore it wasn't the reason for their separation, the fact that he was married less than a year after their divorce to a new wife who was already pregnant left her aching.

She took comfort in helping families find the perfect home to raise their children. That would have to be enough.

She could so easily picture herself walking her children to school on pretty days. She'd cut back on the hours she worked in a heartbeat for something like that. If I had a daughter, I'd have snatched this house right up.

People came in a steady flow, giving her plenty of time to talk with each of them. It was really a perfect open house.

During a lull of activity, she checked her emails. Natalie had sent the details on the Christmas Tree Stroll. A photograph taken from above showed how many trees there were, and she couldn't begin to count them.

Sheila recognized Orene in one of the pictures. Smiling broadly, she was standing with a woman holding a sign that READ DUCK THE HALLS WITH A CHRISTMAS SONG THEME. Their team had decorated their long-needled pine with colorful decoys wearing festive wreaths, and a garland of shiny red and green shotgun casings and colorful feathers. A handwritten note below the picture said, "Deck the Halls performed on quacking duck calls played from the tree skirt." Sheila had to admit that was innovative.

She scrolled to the entry form. Each team could have up to eight people on it. All decorating would be done on a tree of pre-selected type and size. There were lighting requirements, which also included a "no open flames" clause. That sounds like a rule that must've come from a prior incident.

Each entry should include a sign no larger than twenty by twenty inches with a name that helped describe the theme of the entry. 

TREES WILL BE JUDGED ON [A] UNIQUE DESIGN AND CREATIVE USE OF LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS; [B] STORYLINE OR THEME; [C] DISPLAY AND PLACEMENT OF DECORATIONS; AND [D] OVERALL PRESENTATION.

Sheila went back to the email, to which Natalie had attached about ten pictures. Each tree was more unique than the last. We're going to have our work cut out to come up with something better than these.