There’s a particular kind of clarity that doesn't come from closing a deal—but from letting one go.
After decades in real estate, I’ve learned that the quietest move can sometimes be the smartest. And while the industry rewards velocity—offers flying in, counters flying back, the chase of it all—I’ve come to value a different skill: the ability to stop.
To pause.
To recalibrate.
To walk away.
The Pressure to Push Through
The machinery of a deal is hard to resist. Once the train leaves the station, everyone’s on board—the buyer, the seller, the attorneys, the lenders, the friends texting Zillow screenshots. There’s momentum, emotion, ego. And for a broker, it can feel like your job is to keep the engine humming no matter what.
But it isn’t.
My job is to listen harder than the spreadsheets. To read between the lines of a glossy listing. To protect my clients not just from red flags, but from pale yellow ones—the kind that only experience teaches you to see.
Sometimes the house looks perfect on paper, but the seller dodges simple questions. Sometimes the “quiet block” is sandwiched between two tear-downs. Sometimes the buyer wants it badly, but not clearly.
That’s when I step in.
The Value of Saying “No”
Walking away is not failure. It’s discernment. And it’s one of the most important services I provide.
I’ve said “no” after weeks of negotiations because something didn’t sit right. I’ve pulled the plug when timelines got too compressed, and risk eclipsed value. I’ve told clients—gently but firmly—“I don’t think this is your next home, even if you want it to be.” Because the best deals aren’t forced. They unfold. They make sense in your gut. They whisper “yes” instead of demanding it.
And I’m not afraid to wait for that.
What That Looks Like in Practice
Recently, I was representing buyers on what seemed like a dream property—until the seller introduced last-minute stipulations that made the deal feel like a game of chicken. The numbers still penciled out, but the vibe had shifted. Trust had frayed. I picked up the phone and said what most brokers won’t: “Let’s walk.”
We did. And weeks later, something better came along—cleaner, calmer, no weird energy. My clients didn’t just end up with exactly what they wanted; they ended up with peace of mind.
In the World of Happily Ever Always™
Real estate is about far more than wins and losses—it’s about how you feel when you get the keys. I want my clients to step into their homes with full lungs and easy shoulders. Not because we muscled through a deal, but because we made the right one. And if that means walking away ten times to get to the eleventh that fits like a glove, I’ll walk every time.
That’s not hesitation. That’s loyalty.
What This All Reminds Me
Sometimes the strongest move a broker can make is to press pause, trust their instincts, and lead with integrity. Because success isn’t always about saying “yes”—it’s about knowing when to say “not this one” — so that you always live “Happily Ever After™!