The Doctor Becomes the Patient

Written by: Steve Wydler

Twenty-two years. That's how long it's been since I last moved. With our youngest headed off to college in the fall, Tati and I have been talking about the "empty nest phase" and had been casually looking for years. We knew what we wanted, but very few homes checked the right boxes. Then, about 2 months ago, we found the right one (off-market of course!). The timing wasn't ideal. Is it ever?

But after a lot of discussion, we decided to take the leap. Later this month, we'll be moving into our new home.

What has surprised me the most is that I admittedly forgot what moving actually feels like. I help people buy and sell homes for a living and have guided hundreds of families through major life transitions. Yet being the advisor and being the one packing boxes are two very different experiences.

Here are a few of my observations:

Moving is a PITA. When we think about moving, we remember the destination. We picture family dinners in the new kitchen and mornings on the new patio. What we tend to forget are the thousands of decisions, the paperwork, the endless logistics and the mental and emotional energy it takes to hold everything together. I've gained a renewed appreciation for what our clients go through.

Pricing your own home is humbling. I'll be the first to admit that I had an inflated opinion of what our home was worth. Fortunately, the team kept me grounded. We ultimately accepted a fair offer and will settle later this month. Looking back, I suspect that pricing lower may have produced a higher result. That's advice I've shared with clients for years. It's much easier to digest when you're giving the advice than when it's your own equity on the line.

This experience reminded me how much a good advisor matters. Whether it’s real estate, investing, or business, we all need people who can tell us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear.

A move is a “reset”. Sorting through and decluttering decades of full closets reminded me that every home fits a specific season of life. While moving is expensive, disruptive, and occasionally exhausting, it’s also an opportunity to intentionally design your next chapter. I recently heard a quote that perfectly captures our experience, "It’s simple to make your life complicated. It’s complicated to make your life simple."

As for us, we're super excited to create memories in our new home, even if it's bittersweet saying goodbye to the home where our girls grew up. If you're contemplating a move of your own (even if you're only in the thinking-about-it stage) we're always happy to be a sounding board.

No boxes required.