✨The sled dog rule every Realtor needs 🐾

Once — definitely not my best moment — I lost a lead sled dog in the wilds of Alaska. I was working as a handler for 125+ sled dogs for Iditarod winner Susan Butcher, way out in "the bush," where I quickly learned to make high-stakes decisions in unpredictable conditions.

I was mushing a young team over an icy swamp when the lines caught in brush during a sharp turn. I had put a harness on the leader, Copilot, that was apparently too large — she slipped right out and took off into 200 miles of Alaskan trails. This was not good. In fact, this was very, very bad.

What kept me steady wasn't experience; it was having key guidelines to help me. A mental, prioritized checklist of Good/Better/Best options. As a handler, I knew three rules: Never leave your team. Wait where you are for help if possible. Figure out the best solution to your problem.

Those guidelines didn't tell me exactly what to do, but they told me how to think — even as the darkness of the early Alaskan night quickly crept in.

Agents experience this exact dynamic in the "black hole" when they are caught between having signed and the listing being live. You're standing in uncertainty. The seller is watching. And the stakes feel high.

Here's a better option: Give sellers Good/Better/Best options so they can choose the level of investment that makes sense for their situation. Let's say you walk into a listing and the living room furniture is oversized and blocking the walkway.

Without any guidelines, you might say: "Maybe we could move some furniture around?" The seller hears uncertainty, so they don't take action.

With a Good/Better/Best framework, you can say: Good — "Angle the couch away from the wall. Remove one accent chair. This makes the room photograph better." Better — "Rearrange furniture to create a clear conversation area and open the walkway. This makes the space feel 20% larger." Best — "Replace the oversized sectional with a smaller sofa from another room. This creates the most buyer appeal."

Then ask: "Which option feels right for your timeline and budget?" You've given clear choices, explained the why, and positioned yourself as the expert guiding the decisions. The seller doesn't feel criticized — they feel supported.

And you? You feel confident because you have a system to rely on. That's what my upcoming masterclass for Realtors teaches: a clear, repeatable system for preparing listings strategically so you know exactly what to prioritize in every situation. 💙

Back in Alaska: I stayed with the team and did the best I could under the circumstances. I chose a dog from my young team to lead us back and we somehow made it the 5 miles home. Copilot showed up at dinner time. (WHEW!) And I did not get fired. 🐾