10 Tips for Dealing With the Stress of Selling Your Home

By Emily Southey | 8 minute read

Is the thought of selling your home stressing you out? We feel you. Even if you know that selling your home is the right decision, it doesn’t make the process any less overwhelming. If the home-selling process is giving you major anxiety, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to discover our top tips for making selling a home less stressful. 

–

How to Handle the Stress of Selling Your Home

There’s nothing quite like the stress of selling a home. Luckily, there are ways to cope with this stress. 

–

Set clear and realistic expectations

Our first suggestion to better handle the stress of selling your home is to set clear and realistic expectations from the get-go. Understanding what you’re getting yourself into and knowing what to expect can alleviate anxiety along the way. If you’re working with a REALTOR®, have a long and frank conversation about the realities of home selling, especially when it comes to key factors like price, the number of days on the market, and communication.

Think rationally not emotionally

We know thinking rationally can be difficult, especially for homeowners with a sentimental attachment to their homes, but leading with logic rather than emotion can significantly reduce stress. To think rationally, we suggest considering your home from a buyer’s perspective. For example, not everyone will have the same taste in design as you. It’s not personal, it’s just a fact. For example, a buyer may not like the renovations you chose to make or the decor in the home, which could impact the price they offer. While you may initially feel insulted, try not to take it personally and remember your main goal: to sell your home. Facing certain realities before putting your home on the market, such as that your home may not be worth as much as you think or might require some serious sprucing up, can save you a lot of stress down the line.   

–

Focus on the things within your control

Focusing on the things within your control and letting go of the things that are out of your control is a great life lesson and one that certainly applies to selling your home. So what aspects of the home-selling process are within your control? Finding a trusted and experienced REALTOR®, setting a fair asking price after researching comparable homes in the area, creating a schedule for open houses and showings, and cleaning and sprucing up your home to make it as attractive as possible are all controllable. Of course, as a seller, you also have control over when and if you sell your home. Before putting your house on the market, create an ideal timeline of when you’d first like to list, when you’d like it to be sold, and when you’d like the closing date/date of possession to be. Of course, it’s also a good idea to consider the price — more specifically, the lowest price you’re willing to accept for the property. Ultimately, there will be many factors outside of your control, but focusing on what you can control can lower stress.

–

10 Tips to Make the Selling Process Less Stressful

Our top 10 tips to make the selling process less stressful are below:

–

1. Accept a cash offer

One way to reduce the stress of home selling is to accept a cash offer. Cash offers typically allow sellers to avoid the hassles that come with selling the traditional way. They are simpler and faster, sometimes taking as little as 10 days to close.

–

2. Start the selling process early

To alleviate stress in the future, start the selling process as early as possible — at least two to three months before you want to list. Planning ahead is key, as finding a REALTOR®, doing a comparative market analysis, and preparing your home for showings take time. The earlier you start, the smoother the entire process will be.

3. Choose a trusted real estate professional

Want to instantly reduce the stress of selling your home? Choose a real estate professional you can rely on. There are likely tons of REALTORS® in your neighbourhood, but don’t just hire the first one you find on Google. Instead, take your time to research your options and interview prospective candidates. Ideally, you’ll want to find a REALTOR® with extensive knowledge of the local market and a proven track record of selling homes similar to yours.

–

4. Spruce up your home instead of renovating

Major renovations and upgrades might seem like a good idea before selling, but the reality is they’re usually more trouble than they’re worth. Selling a home is already stressful. There’s no need to add to that stress with a complicated or large-scale renovation. Not only are renovations expensive but they often take longer than you think, which could significantly delay your home sale. Instead, focus on minor updates, such as slapping on a fresh coat of paint, adding some outdoor seating, or repairing light fixtures or appliances. 

–

5. Declutter, declutter, declutter

One of the greatest sources of stress when selling a home is decluttering. If you’ve lived in the house for years, chances are you’ve amassed a lot of personal belongings, from clothing to decor to kitchenware. Start decluttering early and come up with a plan. Some items can likely be thrown away, while you may want to sell or donate others. Look up charitable organizations and online marketplaces in your area. Alternatively, find a storage unit in your neighbourhood if you want to keep the items but remove them before you start showing the house.

–

6. Discuss your showings schedule

Discuss your availability for showings and open houses with your REALTOR® as early as possible. Try to be flexible to ensure as many buyers see your home as possible. But at the same time, you shouldn’t bend over backward to the point that you can barely step foot in your own home. Consider your personal schedule and that of your family to come up with some ideal times for showings and open houses each week or weekend.