You probably remember the stress of buying your current home, whether it was last week or a decade ago. And now that it’s time to sell, guess what? Selling can be just as anxiety-inducing.
The good news is that there are ways to reduce the stress of selling a home. Let’s read about the ways to reduce stress when selling a house, so it doesn’t have to over-take your life.
The stress of selling a home
If you are worried about the sale of your home, you are not alone. A recent Zillow survey asked sellers about the things they worried about the most when selling their house in this market.
These were their most common pain points of selling a home included:
- Finding a buyer at their desired price (36%)
- Timing the sale to coincide with the purchase of a new home (36% of sellers were actually buying their next home at the same time)
- Finding the right agent (31%)
- Negotiating with potential buyers (31%)
- Determining what improvements, if any, to make to help sell the home (30%)
- Making the right choice between multiple offers (29%)
How to avoid stress in selling
Do any of those stressed sound similar to yours?
The truth is… there are always stressors in the home selling process. So whether you’re selling your first home or you’re a seasoned pro, see if you can incorporate these tips into your life to avoid seller’s stress.
1. Determine your motivation for selling, and don’t lose sight of it
Home sales happen in times of transition, and often it’s because something exciting is around the corner. You might be selling to access the equity you’ve gained in your home, or moving to improve the quality of life for yourself or your family, or maybe you have another reason to sell in mind…
Whatever your end goal, write it down and keep your eye on it. Your home won’t be for sale forever! And reminding yourself why you are going through this stressful process will help to lessen the negative feelings.
2. Choose the right agent
They joke that real estate agents are also therapists. Anyone who’s gone through the process of buying or selling a home will understand how true this is!
The right agent can go a long way to reducing your stress levels, by helping you:
- set a competitive price
- recommend improvement that will boost your home’s value
- negotiate with buyers
- speed through the closing process, all so you can…
- sell within your desired time frame
To find a great agent like this, go with one that’s been recommended by your friends and family, or a real estate business or connection that you trust. For example, when you list at AQRE Home, we can provide you with names of agents who have done great work for us in the past, and who earned our trust.
3. List on the right platforms
Selling a house can be a lot of work. But AQRE Home lets you skip the hassle of marketing, fielding calls, interviewing agents, and more. Instead, you can list in less than a minute, and access AQRE Home’s network of partners to make the sale a breeze.
From local agents to attorneys who can make closing as simple as signing an electronic form, everything becomes a simple process when you list on the right platform. And the best part? Don’t pay a cent for the listing or the marketing until your home is sold.
Learn more about AQRE Home’s support for home sellers at www.aqrehome.com.
4. Set boundaries around the showing schedule
It can be tempting to say yes to every showing request, even if it’s last-minute or at an inconvenient time. But it’s hard to keep your home picture-perfect around the clock, and an unpredictable showing schedule can wreak havoc on your daily life, causing major stress for the whole family!
Make sure to have a conversation with your agent about when you’re available for showings and open houses, and when you’re not. Clear boundaries around your personal life will do wonders to reduce the stress of selling a home.
5. Be strategic if you’re buying and selling at the same time
If you’re selling your current home in order to buy a new one, the timing can be a serious stressor.
Do you buy or sell first? Deciding to buy or sell first depends on a lot of factors, including your financial situation and the state of your local housing market. Take the time to sit down with your agent (and your mortgage lender, accountant, etc. if you have them) and make a plan around timing that you can all agree on.
6. Practice regular self-care
While it’s natural to skip a workout session or a social event during the madness of your home sale, don’t fall into the trap of making a habit out of it. When you’re overwhelmed with all the work there is to do to get your home sold, that’s when it’s MOST IMPORTANT to stick to good habits and activities that help you de-stress.
That’s what we mean by self-care. It will help you maintain a positive attitude when things are going well, and react more effectively even when things don’t go as planned.
7. Make contingency plans
It’s normal to worry and picture the worst during times of stress. But creating plans for worst-case scenarios will help you realize that it won’t be as horrible as you imagine. Plus, it will help you ride those little bumps in the road a lot smoother if you already have a plan in place to handle those situations.
Let’s say you’re afraid that your current home won’t sell in time to close on the new home you’re buying…
Well, you can work with your agent to put contingencies into your contracts—and keep an eye on the market for alternative houses you’ll love just as much if you can’t close your home sale in time. Suddenly that stressful problem seems solvable!
So come up with plans to cover whatever worries are on your top five list of worst-case scenarios, and you’ll have a whole lot less to stress about.
In conclusion…
Sell that house, and try to stay zen!
Selling a house will always be a stressful undertaking, that only ends when everything is signed, the boxes are packed, and your new home is ready for move-in day.
Until then, take a deep breath, read our tips again, and incorporate them into your selling process to reduce the stress of selling a home.
And if you want to work with professionals to take on the stress for you, reach out to our team of real estate experts at AQRE Home!