Sometimes the hardest part of a real estate transaction has nothing to do with the house.
When I first moved to Texas, I lived in Walsh Ranch. Later, after making Mineral Wells home, it was time to sell that house and begin another chapter.
I’ve spent years helping people navigate real estate transactions, but this time I was on the other side of the table.
I was the seller.
I knew real estate closing delays could happen, but experiencing one firsthand gave me a different perspective on just how much a delayed closing can affect everyone involved.
We found a buyer, worked through the details, and made plans for closing. Everything seemed to be falling into place.
Until it wasn’t.
The purchase of my home was contingent on the buyer selling hers first. That’s not unusual in real estate, but it does mean one closing depends on another.
Our buyer had recently lost her husband. He had previously owned the home she was selling with a former spouse, and during the title process, documentation was needed from that former spouse confirming she wasn’t asserting an ownership claim against the property.
Until that was resolved, our buyer couldn’t close on the sale of her home.
And until she sold her home, she couldn’t close on mine.
One unresolved title issue had effectively put two transactions on hold.
And so we waited.
Thirty-two extra days.
When you’re selling a home, 32 days can feel like an eternity. Moving plans, financial arrangements, and expectations are all tied to a closing date.
But I kept coming back to something more important.
Our buyer had recently lost her husband. She was navigating the legal and financial details left behind while trying to move forward with the next chapter of her life.
She didn’t need someone making an already difficult situation harder.
So we stayed in communication, worked through the delays, and gave the process the time it needed.
Eventually, the necessary documentation was completed, her home sold, and we were able to close on mine.
Not on the date we’d originally planned, but when everything was finally ready.
That experience reinforced something I’ve believed throughout my real estate career:
A successful closing isn’t always the one that happens the fastest.
Real estate transactions involve contracts, deadlines, financing, inspections, and title requirements. But behind all that paperwork are people dealing with real lives.
Sometimes they’re celebrating a new beginning.
Sometimes they’re navigating a loss.
And sometimes they’re doing both at once.
Knowing how to manage a transaction matters. Knowing when to extend a little patience and understanding matters just as much.
Thirty-two extra days didn’t change the outcome. But the way we handled those days mattered.
If you’re preparing to sell a home, our Selling page explains how Pratt Realty helps you navigate the process, from preparation to closing.