06/03/2026
Kyle had already made an offer on a condo when the seller came back with a counteroffer.
It would have worked. The location made sense. The numbers worked. Had the deal come together, he likely would have been perfectly happy there.
But as we talked through the counteroffer, it became clear that this decision carried more weight than a typical real estate transaction. For Kyle, buying a home was one of the biggest decisions he had made since grad school.
He wasn't simply looking for a place to live. He was beginning a new chapter of life.
Rather than focusing solely on getting a deal across the finish line, we stepped back and considered another option. I knew of an off-market condo that hadn't been part of our search. It was in a quieter area, full of character, and felt entirely different from the property we had been pursuing.
It also cost significantly less than Kyle had been prepared to spend. Once we compared the two side by side, the decision became clear. Kyle ultimately purchased the off-market condo, leaving room in his budget to refresh the space and make it his own.
Today, he has a home that fits him better and spent far less than he originally expected.
The counteroffer wasn't the critical decision.
Recognizing that there might be a better option was.
Catherine Keen Realtor eXp Realty - Indiana