Solving Problems Is the Job
“Don’t be surprised, shocked, or set back when things go wrong. Your best-laid plans will often fall apart. Take a deep breath, pick up the pieces, and continue onward.” - Brian Tracy Had one of the most complex and emotionally draining closings I’ve ever navigated — a 4-month probate deal with four heirs, last-minute legal setbacks, and a seller who had no car, no plan, and almost lost her new home the night before closing. Great reminder that in real estate — and in life — solving problems is the job.
Cassi Chloupek
5/4/20252 min read
"Don't be surprised, shocked, or set back when things go wrong. Your best-laid plans will often fall apart. Take a deep breath, pick up the pieces, and continue onward." - Brian Tracy
This week, we closed one of the most mentally and emotionally challenging deals I’ve ever worked on — 2817 Sprague Dr.
This property needed probate and involved four heirs (siblings) — one of whom was in Puerto Rico and needed an attorney-assisted closing. The others were hard to reach and not tech-savvy, which made e-signing documents a constant challenge.
We got it under contract back in December, and since then, we’ve overcome hurdle after hurdle. The main seller (who lived in the home) had no car, no new place to go, and was facing foreclosure. We:
Paid for her probate
Advanced $1,250 to stop foreclosure
Helped her find a new home, driving her to showings
Advanced $1,000 for her earnest money
Advanced another $1,900 for her new place's down payment & lot rent
Paid $2,200 for movers
Coordinated back-to-back closings without post-occupancy, having every party pre-sign and pre-fund to avoid delays
Despite all this prep… the day before closing, two major things blew up.
Two heirs demanded a large share of proceeds, even though the seller had a will from her mother (now lost) that left the house to her alone. With no original will, we couldn’t enforce it. She suddenly fell $10,000 short of what she needed for her new home.
The oversees heir didn’t bring a witness to his attorney appointment — a step I assumed (mistake #1) would be handled. That delayed the document return and threatened to delay funding, which would have meant she couldn’t close on her new home.
It took two days of negotiating, running around, and prayer, but we got it done. She moved into her new home. 🙏
The lesson?
Even when you do everything right… things can still go sideways. I felt entitled to a smooth closing because of all the pre-work I did. But this reminded me:
Solving problems is the job.
In real estate — and in life — it’s not about avoiding problems. It’s about how you respond to them.
As Brian Tracy says:
“If you ask God for a gift, He’ll often deliver it wrapped in a problem.”
I’m learning to see problems as the wrapping paper — and to focus on who I’m becoming through it.
📚 Highly recommend No Excuses — it’s one of the most practical and empowering self-help books I’ve ever read.
—
Micro-Lessons from this deal:
Always remind buyers/sellers to bring a non-related witness + photo ID to closing.
If an inherited property isn’t being split evenly, put heir proceeds in writing in the contract.