Planning Plans Change of

“Planning.” “Plans.” “Change of plans.”

Is there any combination of words that signifies “what could go wrong.” (Notice, I’m not asking “What could go wrong?”)

It’s easy to forget whilst making the best laid plans that plans constantly change. We may not even refer to the evolution of a plan with lots of moving parts as having “changed.” If we’re satisfied with why we’re using erasures and strike-throughs, it’s really still “the plan.”

Until it isn’t.

The fact that we’re making “a plan” in the first place signifies we’re making a change. Maybe it’s for the better. Perhaps it’s for the best.” But, a change, none the less. We weren’t unhappy with the change because the planning gave us a sense of control, even if the reason for the change was out of our control. The planning. The putting it down on a piece of paper. The pulling out a calendar and marking it up. The sharing of the plans with strangers in line at the shops. It appealed to our sense of logic. “I’ve got this,” you and I tell ourselves.

Until “X” happens.

Did anyone else have a more-than-a-week full moon magnetism making everyone else a little sideways spilling into your plans?

Yup. Feeling a little like a cat stepping out of a hot dryer this morning, as I write this.

The house under contract spectacularly fell through.

Back to square one.

Going to see two new-to-me properties this morning.

Believe me, when I woke up yesterday morning I wasn’t in the frame of mind to write a blog. My coping toolbox had fallen onto the floor and the contents were spilled into a mess needing clean-up. The only coping mechanism to reach for was the wrench: there wasn’t enough time in the day to pitch a fit. It was Friday, we were supposed to be tied up traveling this weekend, and then be out of area for a few days. Plus! It’s that span between Thanksgiving and Christmas that calendar norms seem to go out the window all on their own.

Here’s what I pulled off: First, shift travel plans by one day to allow for Saturday showings. Second, compartmentalize the mope to allow experience to step forward and remind me, “Lots of properties out there.” Third: got straight back into the listings. I started with what we had already analyzed, seen, and even made offers on. I reminded myself why those several properties had pluses, but, also, minuses. I complimented myself for honing in on the right property. I brought back into focus the immediate needs and touched on the future goals.

That may sound like a lot, but it took less than one decent cup of coffee I made at home with a touch of real maple syrup poured in.

Fourteen hours later of work with Kevin and our most fabulous real estate agent, Shannon, we are scheduled to see two properties this morning.

One of those properties is a total surprise. Wasn’t on my radar during this process that began eight months ago. Doesn’t have a “for sale” sign out front. And: it’s right under my nose.

Yesterday, I went back into the listings through routes tried and true. I had data in front of me on properties I have been studying and discussing and collecting information on, and that allowed an easy let’s go here next mentality.

Then, I completely changed it up. I went to Google and literally typed “properties for sale [town].” I spent about half an hour slogging through various realtor websites and a couple “by owner” platforms (none of which seemed to work well - there’s a reason the big sites get so much traffic). I stuck with it because I wanted different search engines and algorithms to give me different output. And, wow, let me tell you how surprised I was about the difference in output.

Then, I changed it up further, basis a comment made by a different real estate agent that “mixed use” properties 'are getting filed under “commercial” these days, instead of under both residential and commercial. And, wow, whole different group of properties showed up, including a host of fabulous small shops with upper apartments.

The one I found using that approach was a no-brainer text our agent “We’d like to see this one - straight away! {Smiley face emoji}” A place where we already amassed a pile of good memories, good times, good laughter and conversation. No “for sale” sign out front. Who knew?

See here’s the thing. My over-stuffed 101% useful can’t live without it on paper 2025 and already underway 2026 planners? That’s my humanness on paper. Can you imagine the day-in-the-life planner of The Big Guy? There is a plan and then there is The Plan. I don’t want to get carried away on this wavelength. I am firmly rooted in our freedoms to make all manner of plans and choices and mistakes and course corrections. Sprinkled with a healthy dose of the positive energies that can pull us in good directions when we are open to opportunities, blessings, and miracles.

Buying real estate is like searching for that perfect black dress to wear to a holiday dinner. We have that vision of ourselves as godesses, perfectly balanced on impossible shoes, hair just so, sparkly clutch in left hand where wrist is sporting a edge-of-bad-girl bracelet (or two or three). We go to this shoppe. We go to that one. Experience has taught us that The perfect dress is out there. And maybe it was the favorite - or the forgot about it one - in our closet all along.

How do we have so much energy for the little black dress and not for real estate? Scale and importance. Right? Dress doesn’t work out, multiple easy and acceptable options like give it to your sister, or, maybe get your money back. House doesn’t work out? Let’s just leave this question with a “…”.

This morning, I’m going to let hope propel me out the door, and, at the least, have one last walk-through at a place we’ve enjoyed. A place that could turn out to be the dress we hadn’t even considered could be out there waiting for us.