I Left Money On The Table When I Sold My Home!

(Or Did I? A Seller’s Real Story)

“I left money on the table when I sold my home.”

That’s the sentence Karen kept repeating when she reached out to me—through tears, exhaustion, and months of emotional and financial stress.

She wasn’t careless.
She wasn’t naïve.
She wasn’t lazy.

She was overwhelmed.

And her story is far more common than most sellers realize.

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Selling a Childhood Home Is Not a Normal Transaction

Karen lived in her home for 56 years.
Her parents built it in 1957.
She lived there with her mom, who later passed away from brain cancer after a fast, brutal illness.

This wasn’t just a house.

It was:

• Her childhood

• Her caregiving years

• Her grief

• Her memories

• Her identity

When people say, “It’s just a house,” they’ve never sold one like this.

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The Downsize Decision (And the Snowball That Followed)

Karen made a practical decision:

• She couldn’t maintain the property anymore

• The land was large (2+ acres)

• The house was aging

• Financially and emotionally, it was too much

So she decided to sell and downsize.

That’s when the real trouble started.

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“I Got So Much Conflicting Advice”

Karen talked to multiple realtors.

And the advice was all over the map:

• “Paint everything white.”

• “No—paint warm colors buyers want.”

• “Update everything.”

• “Don’t update anything.”

• “It’s worth $425,000.”

• “No, it’s worth $199,000.”

She tried to do the right thing.

She spent nearly $20,000 preparing the house:

• Painting

• Flooring updates

• Professional cleaning

• Repairs suggested by different agents

And then one mistake changed everything.

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When “Professional” Help Goes Wrong

Karen had a three-year-old LVT floor professionally cleaned.

The cleaning company:

• Power-washed it

• Forced water under the planks

• Ruined a $14,000–$15,000 floor

The result?

• Flooring ripped out

• Basement photos now showed bare concrete

• Insurance claims

• Delays

• More stress

And no one clearly guided her on how to handle it.

👉 This is where an experienced agent should step in and protect the seller.

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The Pricing Whiplash That Broke Her Trust

Karen finally hired an agent she trusted—someone who had helped her buy her next home.

Initially, the agent said:

“We can sell it for around $320,000.”

The next day, that changed.

“I didn’t realize you only had 2.1 acres, not 3.
We need to drop the price to $299,000, or it won’t sell.”

After seven months of stress, Karen felt gut-punched.

She didn’t fight.

She was done.

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The Offer That Felt Like a Loss

The home was listed on a Saturday night.

By Sunday afternoon, she was under contract.

• Original offer: $282,000

• Counter: $299,000 with $8,000 seller concession

• Estimated net after commissions and costs: ~$270,000

Karen felt:

• Rushed

• Pressured

• Afraid the house would “sit”

• Terrified she had made a massive mistake

And that’s when she said it:

“I feel like I left money on the table.”

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Here’s the Hard Truth Most Sellers Don’t Want to Hear

💡 Stress has a dollar value.

Karen wasn’t selling in a vacuum.
She was selling while:

• Grieving her mother

• Emptying 60–70 years of belongings

• Working full-time

• Managing contractors

• Handling insurance claims

• Trying to preserve her mental health

This wasn’t about maximizing price at all costs.

It was about survival.

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Did Karen Actually Leave Money on the Table?

Based on the facts?

👉 Probably not.

Here’s why:

1. No Showings = No Missed Buyers

The house was on the market less than 24 hours.
There were no other showings.
If it were dramatically underpriced, the phone would have exploded.

2. December Is a Slow Market

Serious buyers still buy—but volume is lower.
The lack of activity matters.

3. Strong Mechanical Condition, Dated Finishes

• Newer roof

• Updated HVAC

• Solid 1957 brick construction

• Dated kitchen and bathrooms

That puts the home in Unpolished Potential territory—not a fixer, not turnkey.

📘 This is exactly why understanding your home’s category matters.
👉 FREE Seller’s Playbook:
https://katispaniak.com/sellersplaybook

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The Real Problem Wasn’t the Price

The real problem was:

• Too much conflicting advice

• Not enough emotional support

• Not enough experience guiding a grief-driven sale

• Too many decisions made under exhaustion

Karen didn’t need:

• More updates

• More opinions

• More pressure

She needed:
👉 Clarity and compassion.

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“Your Goal Isn’t to Be the Hero”

This is something I tell sellers all the time:

Your goal is not to sell for the highest price on the block.
Your goal is to maximize price with the least amount of stress.

Sometimes that means:

• Taking the first solid offer

• Accepting that perfect doesn’t exist

• Choosing peace over a few extra dollars

That’s not failure.

That’s wisdom.

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What Karen Would Do Differently

When I asked Karen what she would change, she said:

• Prepare sooner

• Slow down

• Follow a step-by-step plan

• Talk to an experienced agent before emotions took over

And that’s the lesson for every seller reading this.

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If This Story Feels Familiar, Start Here

⭐ FREE Seller’s Playbook (53 pages)
Learn what to fix, what not to fix, and how to price without regret
👉 https://katispaniak.com/sellersplaybook

⭐ Need Help Finding the Right Agent?
I personally match sellers nationwide—especially in emotional situations
👉 https://katispaniak.com

⭐ Join the Facebook Group
You’re not alone—and neither was Karen
👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/katispaniak

⭐ Want to Share Your Story or Ask a Question?
👉 https://AskKatiNow.com

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Final Thought

Karen didn’t fail.

She:

• Loved her mother

• Took care of her home

• Did the best she could under impossible circumstances

And sometimes, that’s the real win.