Proof Is in the Pudding: Why Deals Fall Apart Without a Realtor
The picture at the top of this post is my sister and my nephew—two of my favorite people. Not long before that photo was taken, my sister almost sold her little home.
She loved that house. It fit her life, her kid, and her routines. But someone seemed interested in buying it, and the idea of “maybe it’s time to sell” started creeping in. The potential buyer asked questions, circled back, hesitated, came back again with more questions. To her, it felt like she was being strung along.
She got stressed, overwhelmed, and finally said,
“I think I’m supposed to keep my home.”
Here’s the thing: what spooked her wasn’t the buyer—it was the process.
In a normal, well-structured deal, that kind of back-and-forth has guardrails. When you’re trying to do it alone, it feels personal and chaotic. Proof is in the pudding: when there’s a real recipe, the outcome holds together.
The Recipe That Keeps a Deal From Melting
Real estate works best when there’s a clear recipe—one that everyone is following.
A solid contract lays out the structure so nobody has to guess:
Price & payments – How much, how, and when.
Timelines – Inspection, financing, appraisal, and closing dates.
Conditions – Who does what by when.
With those pieces in place, everyone knows the next step. Without them, even a good deal can curdle fast.
My sister wasn’t wrong to feel uneasy—she was trying to bake a soufflé without a recipe. Every question from the buyer felt like a judgment. Every delay felt like a red flag. Instead of a business conversation, it felt like a personal roller coaster.
“Stringing Along” vs. Normal Negotiation
From the outside, her situation looked like mixed signals.
From the inside (from my side of the desk, as a realtor), it looked a lot like standard negotiation:
Counteroffers
Clarifications
Contingencies
Adjustments based on inspections or financing
With the right framework, that’s just a normal Tuesday in real estate. Without a framework, it feels like emotional whiplash.
This is where a lot of DIY sellers get hurt. It’s not that the buyer is “bad” or “shady.” It’s that, without structure, normal negotiation feels like being jerked around.
“Can’t I Just Point-and-Click Instead of Using an Agent?”
We live in a world where you can order a car to your driveway, groceries to your porch, and dinner to your couch. So it’s natural to think:
“Can’t I just point-and-click my way through selling my house, too?”
You can. But the real value of a realtor isn’t just putting your home online. The value is in structure, strategy, and staying calm when emotions run hot.
A good agent helps keep the pudding set:
We translate legalese into plain English so you know what you’re signing.
We protect timelines so momentum doesn’t die and your deal doesn’t drift.
We keep everything on paper, not personal—so you’re not trying to read the buyer’s mind at midnight.
When it’s your own home, the stakes feel sky-high. Your brain is going, “Is this about my house? My worth? My future?” An agent helps separate your heart from the paperwork, so you can make clear decisions without burning out.
When a Deal Falling Through Is a Blessing… or a Missed Opportunity
In my sister’s case, I honestly think the deal falling through was a blessing. She truly loves her home, and I’m glad she trusted her gut and stayed put. But it also made me think:
How many people walk away from great opportunities simply because there was no process, no plan, and no one to guide them? Sometimes a deal collapses because it wasn’t meant to be. Sometimes it collapses because there was no structure holding it up.
The difference? Process. That’s where a good agent earns their keep.
Thinking About Selling? Don’t Wing the Recipe.
Whether you’re like my sister—attached to a home but wondering if it might be time—or you’re ready to move and just don’t want drama, you don’t have to wing it.
If you’re thinking about selling and feel even a little overwhelmed, let’s talk before you start the DIY route. I’m happy to walk you through the recipe, explain the steps, and help you decide if now is the right time and the right way to move forward.
Because in real estate, just like in pudding…it’s not just the ingredients that matter. It’s the recipe.
