How I Talked a Homeowner Out of Selling Their House

She Thought She Wanted to Sell — But It Wasn’t About the House

I recently started working with a homeowner who was pretty set on selling her house. She wasn’t in a rush, but she made it clear: she didn’t like her home anymore, and she was ready for a change. She had a ton of equity, a solid down payment lined up, and her dream was to move closer to her family in Mukilteo or Lynnwood.

We talked through everything — what she was looking for in her next home, how much she was hoping to spend, and how far her equity would realistically go in this market. She also had one of those rare low-interest-rate mortgages that’s nearly impossible to match right now. And once we started running the numbers, it became clear: she’d either have to settle for a much smaller home or increase her budget significantly to get even close to what she already had.

That’s when she started hesitating. Over the course of a few weeks and several back-and-forth conversations, I could tell something still wasn’t sitting right with her — and it wasn’t just the financials.

Eventually, through one of those deeper chats, we landed on it: the yard.

She thought she hated her house, but what she actually hated was that she felt powerless over what she could do with her own landscaping. She assumed the HOA wouldn’t allow changes based on what she’d read in the CC&Rs, so she never even tried. She felt stuck — like she had no control or freedom.

I asked if she had ever tried submitting a request, and she didn’t even know her HOA had a portal. We looked it up together, found the form, and submitted a request for the updates she wanted. And guess what? They approved it.

It was like a light switch flipped. That one friction point — the thing that made her feel like her house wasn’t hers — turned out to be solvable. Once that stress was removed and paired with the reality of what it would cost to start over in a new place, she felt at peace staying put.

Not everyone who wants to sell really needs to — sometimes, they just need someone to help untangle what’s actually not working. And sometimes, once that’s figured out, the best decision isn’t to move — it’s to take back control of where you are.

If you’ve been feeling like it might be time to move but you’re not exactly sure why — or the numbers just aren’t adding up — let’s talk it out.

Yes, I’m a real estate agent, and of course I love getting listings — but more than anything, my job is to understand your “why.” Sometimes the real problem isn’t the house itself, it’s something deeper that just needs a fresh perspective or a simple solution.

My mentor always told me that being a great agent isn’t just about selling homes — it’s about solving problems and always doing what’s truly in the client’s best interest.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure about your next step — I’m here.