Chapter 19 - OAKLINE RETURNS
Oakline returned.
Not to buy everything.
Eighteen months? User correction says keep months, not years. We are around 8-10 months after? Need final active timeline within 1-2 years. Good. Let's set 10 months after party.
Ten months after the party, Oakline proposed a smaller project.
Using improved access from the old farm road.
Fewer units.
Less profit.
They still wanted a utility easement across one far corner of my property.
This time they contacted me directly.
Offer:
$310,000.
Independent appraisal:
$260,000 to $340,000 depending construction impact.
Reasonable.
Did I say no because Vivian wanted access?
No.
I reviewed.
Traffic limited.
Underground utilities.
No customer driveway.
Construction restoration required.
I negotiated:
$360,000.
New orchard fencing.
Drainage protection.
No commercial vehicle access.
Construction timing outside harvest festival.
They agreed.
I signed.
Callum stared.
“I thought you’d never give them anything.”
“I said no to a road through my business. This is different.”
He smiled.
“You’re ruining the revenge narrative.”
“Good.”
The easement helped Oakline’s revised project.
Harcourt Holdings benefited indirectly through improved infrastructure and a later partial land sale.
Fine.
May you like
I did not need family investments to suffer forever.
The victory was that I chose the terms.
