The broker Anja, 47, always advises her customers not to let emotions influence them when investing. But in a state of deep infatuation with her, too, the mind failed.
I've always been good with money. I am not a woman who is afraid of investing and who is afraid of taking out large loans if necessary. As a real estate agent, I have found the right house or apartment for many people for many years. For me too, by the way: I've already bought a few houses in my life and later sold them for a profit. So I would never have thought that a property of all people could drive me to the verge of ruin. It happened when the dreamer in me was probably stronger than the coolly calculating one.
An exciting new beginning
Marc and I had had an on-off relationship before, and when he got back to me years later, we were both single. Already at our second meeting I became pregnant unplanned. I was 42 years old at the time and had actually finished with the children's topic. But in the intoxication of a new beginning I took that as a sign: "It should be like that!" Marc saw it the same way, we were completely in agreement on what the next steps would be.
I moved to Marc's hometown, we found a nice house for our little family. The only problem I saw coming was my job: what would I do in the future? When I was a baby, I no longer wanted to work as a freelance real estate agent; When I received an offer for a North Sea holiday resort via a newsletter mailing list, it seemed like another sign of fate: the management of a single, large property would be my new job.
Marc and I toured the old manor house several times, and four weeks before our son was born we bought the resort. For the financing I had to liquidate equity funds and my life insurance, which I actually wanted to have for security in old age. "We're alive now," Marc had said. "In addition, we will later be able to live on my pension and the rental income."
Breach of trust, water damage and an impossible contract
Mathematically, that would have worked. But what I didn't take into account: that Marc would part with me a few months after the birth because "as a mother I was no longer the woman he fell in love with".
Since graduating from high school, I had always managed financially on my own. I suggested a deal to Marc: I waived payments for myself and our son, but the rental income from the facility should go entirely to me. It worked for two years. In summer the apartments were occupied by holiday guests, autumn and winter were reserved for fitters. But then the craftsmen stayed away because the local company was bankrupt. At the same time, major renovations were suddenly due: Several heating pipes had burst in the wall, we had water damage. I had reserves, but at some point they ran out. When I asked Marc for support, he suggested that if I transfer all of my shares to him, he would pay the costs. A little later he asked that I should pay him off, otherwise he would be foreclosed.
My lawyer clapped his hands over his head as he studied our contracts. "How could you sign that ?!" Well how could I? I had just blindly trusted that Marc would definitely never want to harm me, the mother of his child. Thanks to my lawyer, Marc finally paid me back at least part of the money. But I know one thing today: I would never let feelings influence me again with such an investment. As I have always advised all of my customers to do.
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