Trusting Ourselves

Tom and I took our house off the market today. It’s been on the market for six and a half months yet after 70 showings, we didn’t have one offer. Our realtor said he wasn’t getting much feedback, that it was a price issue and we had to lower the price yet again.

My gut told me it wasn’t a price issue and that lowering the price wouldn’t bring a buyer. My gut also told me that our realtor wasn’t doing a good job for us but I didn't want to listen to that.

I like our realtor. Seven years ago he sold us this home and also sold our other home. He made the deals work for all parties. I trusted his integrity. Yet this time, I felt his only strategy to sell the house was to lower the price.

We’d done everything we knew to do to support the sale. A very artistic, creative friend went through the house and told us changes to make, we visualized the sold sign in front of the house, I even had a shaman come and clear the energy. Still no buyer.

It was only after talking to a friend who used to run a real estate office that I accepted that our realtor wasn’t doing a good job for us. Tom and I decided to interview 2 other realtors and maybe switch when the listing expired on July 30.

One of the realtors we interviewed came into the house with a list of things she felt interfered with us getting a buyer. She generously shared her ideas without even knowing if we were going to give her the listing. She liked our house and felt she could sell it. Tom and I agreed.

We have to wait for our current listing contract to expire to list with her so we chose to take the house off the market, make the changes she suggested, and put it back on the market July 31. We both feel good about the decision.

It’s interesting, however, that my gut knew that our realtor was not doing a good job for us but my head over rode that feeling. “But he did a great job for us last time, but the market really is bad, but, but, but…

Finally my head and my gut aligned. I feel sure we’re headed for a better outcome with this new agent. It was a good lesson for me in trusting my gut, paying attention to that uncomfortable feeling and asking questions about its message rather than trying to shut it down with logic.

I’m grateful for that valuable lesson and will use it to be more closely attuned and trusting of my inner knowing.

What helps you trust yourself?