Selling is stressful, especially when you are also moving. We are starting to see single-family home prices recede virtually in every market as shown in the graph below.
Nevertheless, you still need to sell in this shifting market. That can only add more stress to the process.
Once you’ve made the decision to sell, and you’ve chosen your Realtor extraordinaire, there are some stresses that might sneak up on even the imperturbable. Here are some tips to help you maintain your composure.
EXPECT EMOTIONS. Many sellers are surprised when readying their property for sale that they have such strong emotions and attachment to their home. Change is stressful even when you it. Knowing where you are going can help. It helps to picture yourself in the new place. Also, take lots of photos to bring the memories with you.
ACCEPT HELP. You never know when you are going to run out of steam. It can be while purging, packing, or on the move day itself. It can be helpful to have a second in command who steps in and keeps things going according to plan. Be certain they know the plan and the players ahead of time. Taking a break can be invaluable, so choose someone you trust has your back and the details when you’ve hit the wall.
STAGE and UPDATE. Understand that you may not like everything going on. Maybe it’s the landscape that the stager or Realtor recommends, the door mat they put on the porch, the lights they change or the knobs on the cabinets or doors. Those who have been in their homes a long time have a hard time seeing it through new eyes. When you don’t like change and you no longer feel you are in your house (which is the goal), staging changes can be difficult to accept. Remember, staging is about attracting a certain demographic and a process to lead the eye through the home to show the best use of each room. It is designed to make the prospective buyers feel at home in this home. If that happens, mission accomplished.
RELAX. Selling/moving is a process. Understand it is stressful. So, build in breaks and stress relievers, and rely on your Realtor, the vendors and helpers to get their part done. They are on your side and then when you trust your TEAM, step back and let them make magic. The end result will be that someone else will fall in love with your home the way you did when you bought it.
We have been taught that that knot in the pit of the stomach is telling us to flee or that we are making a wrong decision. I tell buyers and sellers to expect this feeling when making a big decision of the magnitude of buying or selling a home. They will have moments of uncertainty and stress. If they were not just a little worried or contemplative on a big decision like buying or selling a home, there would be something wrong with that.
HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS. Particularly in this changing market, “normal” may be 30 days before you get an offer, vs, 30 minutes. Understand in a balanced market, where buyers and sellers negotiate, you will have inspections, negotiations during the transaction and much more back and forth than in recent past. Before you know it, you’ll be moving.
