If you’ve ever had a home fall out of escrow or vanish before you even had a chance to unlock the front door, you know this:

Sometimes the buyer bails.

And I don’t mean “let’s take a pause and regroup” kind of bailing. I mean full-stop, ghosted, deal’s off, house-who?

It happens.
And it happens for so many reasons.

• The inspection felt like a horror story.
• Their parents came to town and suddenly had very strong opinions.
• Cold feet crept in like a fog.
• They weren’t actually ready to buy, even though they swore they were.
• Or, my personal favorite, they simply decide they’re not coming to the showing… five minutes after it starts.

There’s a reason I often say: the hardest work in real estate begins after the contract is signed.

Sure, getting under contract is a feat. You’ve toured homes, made offers, done the dance. But once that signature hits the dotted line, the real ride begins. Filled with inspections, appraisals, timelines, negotiations, and emotions that shift as fast as Phoenix summer temps.

It’s in this part of the process, the murky middle, where people start second-guessing. Doubts bubble up. Life intervenes. And sometimes? Buyers walk away.

I used to take it personally. I’d wonder what I missed, what I could’ve said, if there was a magic phrase that would’ve kept the deal intact. But over time, I’ve learned: this isn’t about me. This is about them and their process, their pace, their fears, and their future.

Sometimes walking away is the right choice.
Sometimes it’s a delay that teaches them what they really want.
And sometimes it’s a sign we needed a better match all along.

Real estate isn’t a highlight reel. It’s full of left turns, emotional pivots, and unexpected exits. And being a great agent doesn’t mean you only collect wins, it means you stay steady through the stops and starts.

So yes, sometimes the buyer bails. And when they do, I pause. I process.

And then I get back to work because the right house, the right client, and the right yes are still out there.

And let me tell you, when it finally clicks? It makes all the “no’s” worth it.