Pat - I have often commented to my clients about the fact that I can do everything perfectly, but someone else doesn't do their part of the puzzle correctly, and I don't get paid and they don't get the house bought (or sold).  It amazes me how many intricate little pieces must fit together to get a transaction to occur.

Patricia:  I remember the old Tommy Hopkins "buyers remorse" M&M's pills idea.  I learned so much from him.  Back in 1973 when I was first licensed... Tommy wat "IT."  He was the best.  The three separate three-day seminars I tool from him shortly after being licensed have served me so well after all these years.

And real estate ?  Yes, some days it is like an amusement park.  And some days it is like a Zoo.  Thanks for sharing.

Laughing my rear end off!  You know, I have one that is going pretty smooth right now, and I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall.  We are past the appraisal, so.....  Too easy, these things aren't usually this easy..... 

Yes, real estate can be like a roller coaster, and we do love amusement parks don't we? That's why working with experienced agents can keep you on the ride and get out of the park. Lessor agents would have got off one of the rides.

Patricia - What a great job of describing that ride through escrow!  I have a list somewhere of 100 Things That May Go Wrong During Escrow and I could add a few more to the list.

With my hands in the air, I'm screaming all the way down the hill....ahhhhhhhhhhh!

It's those 90 degree turns during the roller coaster transaction that get me everytime. I'm grateful that we don't have those hidden cameras taking souveneir photos that catch our facial expressions along the way.

Patricia,

Do you realize you just summarized my great and total career in real estate??? LOL Thanks,   Fran

Patricia:  If I didn't laugh with you, I'd cry!!!  Isn't it amazing to go thru all that and then to have everyone smiling at closing!!! Congrats to you for your perseverance!!!!    

Patricia,

Nice analogy......I guess we may have a bigger share of the roller coaster effect......my biggest issue w/Buyer's is when we are done with all the hurdles and all is well.....and then we don't settle for 2-3 weeks.....the Buyer's begin to wonder IF they need to be doing something....and no matter how I assure them they feel they should keep the rush going.

Patricia, No wonder I get dizzy sometimes.....I'm on a roller coaster...ha.  Thanks for the analogy.

Oh Pat - how right you are!  Unlike some; on a Roller Coaster I hold on for dear life - much like a Real Estate Transaction!!

We're in a unique industry with the ups and downs, with the results out of our control. We just had a buyer walk away from a transaction (on which they were getting a great deal and on a house that was perfect for them) because the inspection on this 1992 house showed: A/C is 16 years old and at the end of its life and the hot water heater is 16 years old and at the end of its life (the replacement of both of these when they fail would be covered by the home warranty the seller is offering) and because the roof may need to be replaced in 10 years and they feel they won't have enough in savings to pay for a new roof in 10 years.  Aaugh!

Sounds like you are talking about my settlement coming up in 2 weeks. It is still happening but everything that could have happened crazy did this time. I guess someone upstairs just wants to keep me on my toes.

Patricia-and this is precisely why you need a real estate agent who knows how to handle these emotional stresses and strains. How in the world would a FSBO be handling all of this?

I think you should put a link to this in the comments for Yesterday's article "Extraordinary Measures": Should a Writer about our Industry Hear from our Industry?   There's a lot of talk in the comments for that about what value real estate people bring to any transaction, and you've expressed it right here - without being preachy.  Heck, maybe you could respond with this to the article which inspired that post...

Jason, I've even reached the point where I'll step into someone else's part of the puzzle to make the whole thing work.

Karen Anne, real estate?  I still use the Hopkins's reply, "Oh, it's just unbelievable!"  And it works after all these years.

Marlene, I've been doing this for 25 years, and I'm still waiting for the "easy" one.

And Missy, I had a former client go into real estate because she said I made it look so easy.   She's still riding the coaster, and the tilt-a-whirl!

Norma, I stole something like that from one of the trainers and tried to make it funny.  It is until one of the "funny" things happens.

Kelly. enjoy the ride!

Fran, Oh, my, gosh!  Mine, too!  

And Angela, we have to laugh about this stuff - it's more fun than crying!

Dan, I try to give them their "to do" list piecemeal!

Kay, get off and try the tilt-a-whirl!

James, we'll have to organize a day trip with our DC area blog buddies to King's Dominion.

And Sharon, you raise a great point - there is so much we can't control!  And I am the control freak queen, so I sometimes have to really resist the urge to go gratuitously nutso on a client or colleague.

Charity, just remember that if it was easy, we wouldn't get paid so much for doing it.

Katerina, I have some acquaintances who are in the process of buying from a FSBO with no agent involvement, and it'll be interesting to talk to them when it's over.  

And Margaret, good idea.  I read that yesterday and wondered which moon from which plane the guy came from.