From finances to major decisions, buying a new home is stressful, but it is equally stressful for sellers. Selling your home may be rewarding, however there is a lot to plan, organise, and negotiate all leading to a bit of anxiety!
Main Stressors of Selling:
Timing – In many cases, homeowners need to sell within a certain time frame that corresponds to their moving date. Whether it be moving city or just moving house, it can be stressful getting close to your moving date and not finding a buyer.
Pricing – Homeowners always have an ideal desired priced, but know that buyers are going to negotiate. This causes stress because sometimes you may not get what you want especially when you are desperate to sell. The negotiation process can be stressful in and of itself as buyers may make further demands, which brings us to stressor number three….
Renovating – There are some things that just need to be sorted before you put your house on the market. Renovations can be costly, which of course can impact on your stress levels.
Leaving the memories – It is sad and can be hard to leave a house if it is where your children grew up or where you have so many memories. For some people selling their house can feel like losing a best friend and it can be especially difficult if you don’t know exactly where you will be moving to.
As with all of life’s stressors, it’s all about how you handle them. Stress is unavoidable, but it can be better managed with solid preparation and acknowledging that it will be a tough period. Here are some helpful tips to make selling your home less stressful…
- Prepare – By making decisions and preparing documents early, you will already be ahead of the game. There are so many decisions to be made that by getting them out of the way, you’ll save time that can then be focused on making a sale. As for paperwork, make sure to get in touch with a lawyer as soon as!
- Be open – You may not get what you want and you may have to make compromise, but if you keep an open mind you will be able to turn any negatives into a positive.
- Consider help – Selling privately is often more involved so in some circumstances it is may be best to seek out an agent. If you prefer to have some one dealing with potential buyers then an agent can do this for you. If you would like some tips on selecting a real estate agent, then please read our previous post: How to Choose a Real Estate Agent. Keep in mind though that help can come in all forms, not just from an agent.
- Routine clean – Your house must always be tidy for viewings and this can get overwhelming. Rather than stress yourself out by cleaning daily, set a weekly routine to do the major chores, leaving your house clean enough so that it will only take you a quick ten to fifteen minutes to tidy up before visitors arrive.
- Maintain a balance – Periods of change such as when selling your house can cause undue stress due to lack of control and uncertainty. During this uncertain time try to focus on your diet, exercise and sleep routines in order to keep your mind in a good place. These are things you can personally control during times of uncertainty.