Years ago, as a new agent, I met a wonderful couple eager to purchase a new farm and sell their existing hobby farm. They were set on finding their new place first. Despite my initial suggestion to put their current home on the market, they wanted to buy before selling.
At that time, I didn’t have the experience to strongly guide them on the best course of action for their situation. We spent a significant amount of time looking at properties all around the 694/494 loop. All of which were beyond their financial reach until their current home was sold.
Eventually, we found “the one,” a farm on a street called Dark Horse. We submitted an offer contingent on the sale of their current hobby farm. Unfortunately, a non-contingent buyer purchased the Dark Horse farm before their current property sold. They were understandably very disappointed and ultimately decided not to continue working with me.
This experience was a pivotal learning moment for me. I realized that if I had been more assertive in my guidance, we might have avoided much of the heartache. It taught me the importance of providing solid, professional advice, regardless of a client’s initial desires.
It’s crucial to have those tough conversations upfront to ensure clients understand the entire process and can make confident decisions. When moving, the “fun part” is often finding a new home. On the flip side, preparing the existing house for sale and decluttering can feel overwhelming.
However, if qualifying for a new home depends on selling the current one, selling first is the best approach.
The “Dark Horse” clients hadn’t even started preparing their current home for sale when they made their contingent offer. They then spent weeks preparing it for sale. Those were critical weeks of lost marketing time, ultimately resulting in the loss of the Dark Horse farm.
Selling your house first provides a complete financial picture for your move, and as part of that sale, we can negotiate a timeline that gives you greater certainty when shopping for your new home.
A common concern is the unknown, specifically, where you will move next. Trust in the process is so important. We advise you with care and understanding, confident that you will find the perfect next place.
The anxiety of not knowing your next address immediately is often less distressing than the disappointment of losing out on “the one” or the financial strain of buying when you’re not ready to sell.
With over 29 years of experience, I’ve learned many valuable lessons that now help me guide my clients through their real estate transactions with confidence and ease.