I had a deal fall apart three days before closing because the buyer's lender discovered he'd bought a boat. A boat. We're talking about a $400,000 house, the inspection was done, appraisal came back fine, everyone's signed off on everything, and this guy goes out the weekend before closing and finances a thirty-two-foot fishing boat. His debt-to-income ratio went through the floor. The loan was dead on arrival. When I called to break the news to my sellers, they'd already started packing and put a deposit on a moving truck. The buyer's agent was just as blindsided as me and kept apologizing like someone had died. The buyer himself seemed genuinely confused about why this was a problem. He said, and I quote, "But I got a really good rate on it." Sir, you no longer have a house. My sellers had to take the property off market for two weeks to recover emotionally. I've started asking buyers directly now: "Are you planning any major purchases before closing?" I've never felt more like a kindergarten teacher.