#58 Preserving an Interrupted Plan

When making almost any kind of a serious plan, it’s probably smart to also consider the possibility of some kind of a glitch creating some kind of an interruption!  

Interruptions to a plan for purchasing your own home can come in dozens of ways, from any number of directions.  But, understanding that reality, and accepting that “possibilities” may come up, shouldn’t be a reason to worry unnecessarily or become a bundle of nervous “what ifs.”

Challenges, and many perfectly normal life situations, might arise and interrupt the original rhythms and timing you have developed for your master plan.   Most such things can be managed, and need not critically damage your plan.   An interruption to how you want things to proceed will probably just mean adjustments, modification and a little finagling!

What’s most important, when the unexpected happens, is to keep your sights on your plan as a whole.  For instance, an employment status might change that alters your income; a contract with a client might go on hold and affect expected projected funds; an unexpected pregnancy might change the profile of the home you were originally searching for!  Accidents involving personal injury or a death in the family are possibilities for any of us.

Such developments can be viewed as opportunities – or obstructions!   So much of the management of plan interruptions depends on personalities, temperament, available support structures and other extremely individual characteristics.  Simply stated, we all handle change (interruptions) according to our own unique patterns.  Some of us have help, support and other resources at hand – to which we can turn for advice and guidance.   However, not everyone automatically knows how to handle interruptions with skill and grace. 

What if you just plain get cold feet?  There you are, ready to launch, and suddenly the payments loom, the transition feel scary, you have a moment of panic, get rattled and are thrown completely off balance.   You hesitate to go forward leaving the familiarity and comfort of old patterns and habits behind. 

It’s like the glass seen as half full -- or seen as half empty!  One’s point of view comes heavily into the mix when something serious unexpectedly happens and interrupts a significant plan in play.  Sometimes that something is a brief wave of insecurity.

If your home purchase dream is well under way, you and your Mortgage loan Officer have no doubt developed a good and trusting relationship.   That means you have an excellent resource to turn to for guidance in how to handle a serious interruption to your purchase plan.  Depending, of course, on the particulars of the situation, your Mortgage loan Officer may assist you with advice or guidance, or refer you to the right resource.

Most important is the preservation of your “core” plan.  Again, for instance, if you find you now need to plan for a larger house with space for an additional child or perhaps an elderly parent in the new home, it may mean restructuring your loan parameters.  But, your basic plan for where to locate and the character of the home you are seeking may not need to appreciably alter.  Here, your Mortgage loan Officer can advise and help.

When illness or death or a change in the relationship of the principals occurs, a delay in the forward motion may be prudent.  Sometimes an interruption is “a blessing in disguise,” as the adage claims.  Time to think, time to reconsider; time to reorganize is sometimes a good thing.

Not all interruptions are a bad thing.  What would be wrong and harmful to your plans would be to act too quickly, throw up your hands and panic.  Time, patience and the support of good professional problem solvers are available, and would have the best interest of your plans in mind!