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The Workaround. On the positive side, I knew that they hadn't looked in that neighborhood before and weren't aware that there were often new listings that came up that were similarly lovely but smaller, in less perfect cosmetic condition -- places that would be priced more appropriately for them.

So I did quick work. Never one to rely on my assumptions, well-founded though they might be, I talked with their mortgage broker and the listing agent on their dream home -- both confirmed what I'd expected. These folks could not get a new mortgage before selling and, in fact, there were already multiple offers on the place above the asking price.

Before I reported the bad news, I gathered some good news. I pulled some other recent listings in the area that were similar to this home in essential features but priced lower and in need of some work -- just to show them that they could do the smart thing and wait to buy without totally giving up on the idea of their dream home.

I also put out some feelers, emailing the listing agents of all those recent, similar listings and a few other folks I knew worked that area, letting them know what we were looking for and that we'd be looking in a few months. I even got a couple of replies from agents who were already planning to list properties that fit the bill in our ideal time frame.

The Result. Eventually, my folks got over the disappointment, helped by the prospect of having first crack at some listings no other buyers even knew about and by the idea that they might be able to get what they wanted at a lower price. Funny enough, they ended up buying a place that bore no resemblance whatsoever to their "dream home." Apparently, they had multiple versions of that dream. And I walked away knowing that no matter how hard-core they profess to be, anyone can fall in love with a house.

NEXT: Top 10 Ways to Sell a Home Drama-Free

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Top 10 Ways to Sell a Home Drama-Free

Don't Freak Out About...

• Your home receives no offers or only lowballs
• The home appraisal comes in lower than expected
• Your buyer's loan falls through
• The home inspection reveals necessary repairs

Been There, Done That

• "I want to offer owner financing to a qualified buyer"
• "I accepted a bad offer"
• "I can't find a home to buy before my current one sells"
• "I found a home to buy, but can't sell my current one"

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• Drama-Free Real Estate Guide
• Drama-Free Home Buying
• Drama-Free Home Selling
• Drama-Free Home Financing