We were supposed to move today (a note to our former buyers)

It's 5:20am on the day we were supposed to move into our "forever house."

We're not doing that though because, for some reason which I may never understand, you pulled your contract.

We tried to do everything right. We did all you asked in the inspection report. We came down to the appraised price after a ridiculously low appraisal. We were in the process of collecting documentation for you over something that many of the people I spoke with considered a nonissue that shouldn't even be brought up after so much time.

Then you pulled the rug right out from underneath us.

We were floored. We couldn't find any logical reason for you doing so. You were getting an amazing house at an amazing price and you were pulling your contract?

Why?

We couldn't (and still can't) figure it out.

You seemed like good people. People who wouldn't break a contract without good reason. People who genuinely wanted to move into this beautiful house. People who couldn't think that we would bring our infants into a house that could possibly have any lingering issues from a small water hose leak. People who would respect the fact that we went through the proper channels to fix this problem rather than improperly fixing it themselves (which is what most people do). People who were smart enough to see the big picture...that pulling your contract would cause us to pull our contract that would cause our seller to pull her contract and so on and so on.

Maybe you got scared.

Maybe your agent found something better.

Maybe you're young and inexperienced.

Maybe you weren't as nice as they seemed.

Maybe tou were being influenced by their parents.

Maybe you just couldn't swing the financing.

None of these maybes were addressed due to the impersonal nature of the real estate game. That's right...it's a game with a winner and a loser. We get that.

You pulled the contract. We can't get our new house. Our seller can't move to Georgia.

Everyone is screwed...everyone but you.

Realistically, we know there will be other houses for us. We will eventually find another house, sell this one to a very lucky buyer. We will have our moving day. We are realistic in that way.

I just hope it never happens to you.

Still, we can't help but be left disappointed. When you pick out furniture for your kids' new rooms. When you discuss ad nauseum whether or not your son will adjust well to his new room. When you promise your kids that you'll have a pool in just a few weeks and they jump up and down with excitement. When you really start to let yourself believe that this will really happen...that all of the signatures, appointments, payments, phone calls, and conversations weren't in vain...that's when hope creeps in.

I just hope this never happens to you.

Good luck in your home buying endeavors. Please try to keep the big picture in mind next time you enter in to a contract. If you're nervous about something, allow some time for an explanation. Trust your gut. Even though there was no penalty to you for breaking this contract (as there are in most cases of a broken contract) there was a penalty that has been equally distributed to everyone else involved.

Again, I just hope it never happens to you.