Something is Bound to Go Wrong. (3 min read)
“You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather."- OutKast
If you recognized that title, congratulations, you have excellent taste in music. But no, this isn’t about André 3000’s heartbreak. It’s about something arguably more dramatic: Real Estate.
Let’s start at the beginning, because I’m no Quentin Tarantino. My client who is also a dear friend, called me last summer after his uncle passed away. He needed to sell the home, and knowing how tough loss can be, I wanted to make this process as stress-free as possible. Thankfully, the home had been placed in a trust, so no probate headaches, just a little PSA for everyone reading: get your affairs in order. Trust me, your future self (and your family) will thank you.
I head to the house, open the door, and bam! I’m transported straight to 1982. Everything—and I mean everything was original. Carpet, wallpaper, even a waterbed. My client wasn’t looking to invest in updates, so we put together a simple but effective plan: estate sale, deep clean, smart pricing strategy, and straight to market.
But then, cue the plot twist—the township decides it's the perfect time to repave the road and pass the cost onto the homeowner via a special assessment. No big deal, right? My client (understandably) wasn’t about to foot the bill for a road he’d never drive on again, so we made sure it was clearly communicated that the buyer would assume the assessment. Listing prepped, photos done, and we hit pause until the roadwork was complete.
Fast forward through summer, fall, and straight into January. People assume winter is a bad time to list, but fun fact: serious buyers don’t care about snow. We schedule our first open house, and of course, Detroit gets slammed with a blizzard. But hey, we’re Michiganders. Snowstorm? Snow problem.
The open house is a success. Three offers, all over asking. Client accepts, buyer’s agent is thrilled. (It’s her first deal ever and she’s helping her parents buy a home—adorable, right?) Everything’s going great…until two days later when she calls to say they’re walking away because they “didn’t understand the special assessment.” Cue my frustration because I proactively spelled this out from the start. But okay, fine. We regroup, re-list, and move forward.
One buyer is already under contract elsewhere. Another is hesitant. More offers start rolling in, but now, they’re lower. Why? Because when a home lingers on the market or changes status, buyers assume:
A. Something is wrong with the house, or
B. They can lowball an offer and score a deal.
After another round of showings, a new offer comes in, my client accepts, and we schedule the inspection. Then, two hours before the inspection, the buyer’s agent calls: “They’re backing out due to economic uncertainty.”
At this point, I sit there, staring into the abyss, questioning all of my life choices. Did I miss something? Should I have dug deeper? Was this house cursed? But then, I did what every good agent (and adult) has to do: I put my big-girl pants on and called my client.
Now, here’s where the price drop happens. After two failed deals, we decide to adjust the price before going under contract for the third time. This helps reset buyer expectations and attract fresh interest.
Finally, after 20 private showings, 1 open house, 10 offers, 2 failed deals, and a price drop—we go under contract for the third and final time.
Lessons Learned?
1. Vetting the buyer is important, but vetting their entire team (agent, lender, financials) is even more critical.
2. Pre-approvals mean nothing if the buyer isn’t comfortable with their actual monthly payment.
3. No real estate transaction is ever perfect. Something will go wrong. Every. Single. Time.
So, tell me—if you’ve bought or sold a home before, what would you do differently this time around? Let’s celebrate the wins, laugh off the struggles, and share the lessons—because that’s what community is all about.
See you in two weeks!
