If you’re a first-time home seller, you’re probably beginning to realize that every step of the sale process has its own special set of stressors. And chances are, you’ve had your share of concerns.
Is your small yard a turnoff to buyers? Is your listing price too high? Shouldn’t you have gotten an offer by now?
If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. This anxiety is completely normal. Take a deep breath and follow the advice below to help deal with the stress of selling a house.
Get Ready
You can’t prepare for everything in life, but in the case of a home sale, getting your paperwork and home in order before listing will help the process go more smoothly.
Use a home selling checklist and work through it one item at a time without putting pressure or expectations on yourself. You’ll sleep easier knowing that you’re working steadily toward a successful sale without forgetting any important items.
Get Professional Help
…from people in the real estate industry, that is. You may decide to sell your own house so that you don’t have to pay a real estate agent commission, but there are other, real estate pros you can hire to help you through the process.
Consider hiring a home inspector, appraiser and even a real estate transaction coordinator to guide you through the sale process and give you expert advice. These experts usually charge flat rates and can give you valuable information and reassurance so that you know you’re on the right track.
Get Organized
Another stressful piece of the home-selling pie is keeping your house in shape for home showings. You can make this easier on yourself by doing the heavy home staging work (deep cleaning, de-cluttering, putting unnecessary items in storage) well in advance of the first showing. Once your home has been fully prepped, create a light and quick tidy-up routine that will make it easy for you to quickly execute pre-showing prep.
Get Some Perspective
After you’ve prepped and listed your home, there is some waiting and watching involved. For action-oriented people, this is a recipe for anxiety and stress. Take walks to get some head space and put thoughts of home-selling out of your mind for a bit. When you start to feel the pressure, remind yourself that you’ve done a great job preparing for sale so it’s just a matter of time until the perfect buyer comes along.
Home sales don’t happen overnight – and half the anxiety comes from not knowing what to expect. Learn what happens during the selling process and take steps to prepare yourself to make your sale as stress-free as possible!
