The Waiting

There’s a lot to unpack this time around. Let’s begin.

First of all, there are really no lyrics, from this song, that I could contort into a real estate reference. I mean, I could -“Every day you get one more yard” – but it would be a ridiculous stretch. I’ll let it remain the peppy little love song it is.

Instead, I’m going for the obvious: the title, in allll it’s truthy wonder.

So much of life is about waiting, though not all waiting is equal. Waiting for a bus when you have free time is no big deal, but becomes much more stressful when you’re running late. Waiting on the results of a medical test can be more stressful than waiting on the results of a History test.

If we get right down to it, it’s not always the waiting itself, but the suspense of an unknown outcome, that tears us up. We imagine the impact of varied results, and have full, internal conversations to prepare ourselves for each possible eventuality. We weigh reactions, pre-make decisions, re-think pros and cons, bargain with a higher power,  drink… None of our angst is ever helpful, and it makes us feel worse, not better, but we’ll still go through the process.

Right now, I’m waiting for Spring. I want it more than anything else, meteorologically speaking. The problem is, we’re in the time of year where we’re as likely to get a sunburn as we are hypothermia. Maybe it’s a freak, late-season snowstorm, maybe it’s a few warm, sunny days or, maybe, it’s rain. Gloomy, gray, cloudy, damp, bone-chilling, yard-flooding, good-hair-day-ruining RAIN. Will it ever be warm again? Wait and see.

Last year, things were pretty reasonable by late March, early April. Then again, I remember a few years ago, when Spring didn’t show up until June. That was tough.

Definitely not as tough as the waiting that happens when you’re buying or selling a house, though.

Maybe you’re waiting for the Spring market, for kids to finish school, for a job offer, trying to pay down some debt or save up a downpayment. 

Then, once you decide to move forward, you wait. 

You Wait, as a Buyer, because you can’t see houses until you talk to a lender.

You Wait, as a Seller, for your photography to come back and your house to “Go Live.”

You Wait, as a Seller, to find out if it’s safe to return home and if those buyers fell in love with it.

You Wait, as a Buyer, to see if the millions of documents sent to the lender were the right ones.

You Wait to see if an offer is accepted/acceptable.

You Wait to see if we can negotiate and move forward.

You Wait and see what the home inspector comes back with.

You Wait on more negotiating.

You Wait for the appraisal results.

You Wait for final underwriting approval

You Wait for a closing appointment.

A consumer has control over very little of the process, so it’s no wonder it can feel so stressful! It’s not just the decisions and life-changing activities, it’s all the suspense and The Waiting. 

The buying/selling process is nuanced and not likely to simplify or streamline any time soon. However, I believe, if a Seller or Buyer understands the process AND has an idea of what steps the other side is taking, it takes the edge off some of the waiting. 

If you understand, up front, that sometimes there’s nothing to do but hurry up and wait, it doesn’t seem quite as stressful. 

I hope, if you’re considering a move, you’re working with an agent who can explain the process. You should have some level of comfort in understanding the different steps, even if you cannot control them. I can help you find that agent or, if you’re local, I can be that agent. 

If you’re still on the fence and haven’t decided, let’s chat about your options. Once you lay everything out, you can make an informed decision and eliminate some of that maybe-maybe not stress.

As they say… “The waiting is the hardest part…” PS: There’s a free download on my website that’ll give you an overview of the Buying/Selling process. Take a look and let me know if you have questions!