A Little Rock broker and attorney who once lost a race for the state legislature explains how buyers and sellers should handle a lost bid or a deal that stalls.
Most buyers and sellers in Little Rock, Arkansas, run into a setback at some point. A buyer loses a house to a stronger offer. A seller’s buyer has financing trouble a few weeks before closing. Either way, it can feel like the right opportunity just disappeared.
Jerry Larkowski, Managing Broker at ESQ. Realty Group, LLC, has a simple way of looking at it. “Deals are just like a bus,” he says. “You may have missed this one; there will be another soon. Maybe even better.”
Is the deal lost or just broken?
Larkowski’s thinking here comes from two experiences in public life, and they apply to two different situations. Some deals are lost: another buyer won, or the seller accepted a different offer. Others are broken but still alive, stalled over financing, repairs, or paperwork. Figuring out which one you are dealing with tells you what to do next.
When the deal is lost, move on
For a lost deal, his advice is not to dwell on it. “You can’t let these things get you down,” he says.
Not every buyer wants to jump right back in, and Larkowski doesn’t push. He tells clients who need time that he isn’t going anywhere. “I’m here every day,” he says. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
The local numbers back up his patience. According to Redfin, the typical home in Little Rock spent 55 days on the market in May 2026, and about half of listings were still unsold after 60 days. Only about one in eight sold above its original list price. In a market moving at that pace, losing one house is rarely the last chance. Keeping an eye on new listings means you are ready when the next one comes along.
Larkowski knows what losing feels like. In 2006, he ran for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives. From January through mid-May, he walked neighborhoods after work and on weekends and knocked on more than 3,000 doors. He lost.
“I’ve lost cases in the courtroom that I’m still more mad about than this,” he told people the week after. He still calls the campaign invaluable and says it was worth losing for the personal growth it brought.
When the deal is broken, give it time
A stalled transaction calls for a different approach, and Larkowski’s lesson there comes from fixing a public mess. In 2003, he was appointed to the Pulaski County Election Commission after a year in which voters were sent to the wrong polling places, and some were turned away because too few ballots had been printed. He became chair at his second meeting. The commission hired a strong director and put new processes in place, and the elections that followed ran well.
Asked what that taught him about fixing a broken real estate transaction, his answer was short. “Focus, persistence, and giving things the time they need for all involved is the only answer.”
The last part of that answer is easy to overlook. A home sale involves a lot of people: the buyer and seller, two agents, a lender, an appraiser, an inspector, and a title company. When one piece breaks, the fix usually depends on several of them doing their part. Staying focused on the actual problem, following up consistently, and allowing the time the fix requires gives a deal its best chance of making it to closing.
Whether a deal is lost or just stalled, Larkowski’s view is the same. Missing one bus is not the end of the trip. Another one is coming.
About ESQ. Realty Group, LLC
ESQ. Realty Group, LLC is a full-service real estate brokerage serving the Little Rock and Hot Springs markets in Central Arkansas.
Managing Broker Jerry Larkowski is a dual-licensed real estate broker and attorney with a background in trial law. Learn more at esqbrokers.com.
This article is based on information provided by the expert source cited above. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any real estate or financial decisions.
Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.
