I pride myself on no “oh crap” moments.

Not because real estate is perfect but because I’m proactive, I ask the hard questions, and I plan things down to the comma.

But this one? This one nearly broke my streak.

I was representing the sellers; kind, on-it, communicative clients. We had a clean contract, a set closing date, and all signs pointed to smooth sailing. Even the loan status updates showed we were on track.

Until two weeks out, I got the news:

The appraisal hadn’t been ordered. Even though the updates showed it was.

Not delayed. Not misrouted. Not. Even. Ordered.

A date mix-up on the buyer’s side had snowballed into a last-minute scramble. The appraisal finally got submitted to the lender 30 hours before closing day.

If you’ve ever wanted a visual for sheer panic, imagine me refreshing my inbox while trying not to visibly sweat through my blouse.

The market was softening. The clock was ticking. And the margin for error was nonexistent.

But here’s the thing, I’ve learned that steady hands make all the difference.

So, while my stomach turned, my face didn’t flinch. To my clients, I was calm. Confident. Unwavering.

Behind the scenes? I was on the phone with the buyer’s agent. Looping in the lender. Building a full appraisal support package with data-driven comps, a property narrative, and clear evidence of value. No fluff. No panic. Just facts delivered with clarity and a little bit of strategic charm.

And it worked.

The home appraised. We closed on time. My sellers were overjoyed. And I… finally exhaled. And maybe took a nap. A very deep one.

It was a reminder that even when we’ve done everything right, when we’ve asked the questions, made the calls, double-confirmed every step… real estate still has a mind of its own.

But that’s why I do what I do the way I do it.

So that when “oh crap” moments try to sneak in, I’m already ten steps into the solution.