If there’s one thing I’ve learned in real estate, it’s to expect the unexpected.

You can have a plan that makes perfect sense. You’ll sell first, then buy. You’ll move before school starts. You know exactly what kind of house you want. You find the one, your offer is accepted, and everything seems to be falling into place.

And then something changes.

Maybe the inspection uncovers something you weren’t expecting. A buyer backs out. The house you loved goes to someone else. A closing gets pushed back. Or life itself changes and suddenly the plan you made six months ago doesn’t fit anymore.

I’ve watched all of those things happen over the years, and I know how disappointing it can be when you’re the person in the middle of it. When you’ve already started picturing yourself in a home or planning what comes next, changing course isn’t always easy.

But I’ve also seen what can happen next.

I’ve watched buyers lose a house they loved and later find one that fit them even better. I’ve seen sellers go back on the market and end up with another buyer. I’ve watched timelines change, priorities shift, and people end up somewhere they never would have considered when they first started.

Not every change turns out to be some wonderful blessing in disguise. Sometimes it’s just frustrating, and you have to figure out what to do next.

But a change in plans doesn’t mean everything you’ve done up to that point was wasted. You know more. You’ve learned more about what you want, what you need, and what you’re willing to do to get there.

After all these years, I still can’t predict every twist a transaction will take. 

What I do know is that Plan B has led to some pretty great places.