Selling a house is no walk in the park. You have to find a listing agent, price your home competitively, get your house ready for showings, review and negotiate offers – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
A recent survey found that 77% of homeowners found the process of selling their home stressful versus only 72% for home buyers. What is it about selling a home that causes so much stress, and how can you manage the process while maintaining your sanity?
Why is selling a house so stressful?
A 2019 study from Zillow demonstrates the emotional toll selling a house can have. According to the home sellers surveyed, 36% said the process had brought them to tears, with 20% admitting the process had made them cry five times or more.
So, what is it about the home selling process that overwhelms us to the point of tears?
- It’s a waiting game: Waiting can be one of the most challenging parts of selling your home. You have to wait for buyers; then you have to wait for offers to trickle in; then you have to wait for the deal to go through. For a while, it may seem like closing day will never come.
- Decisions, decisions: Selling a house requires intense decision-making that could impact your life for years to come. For example, choosing an agent to work with, determining which offer to accept, and figuring out how to pay for repairs requested by the buyer are decisions you will likely face during the sales process.
- Uncertainty: One of the most stressful aspects of selling your home is uncertainty. For example, you don’t know when your home will sell or if it will sell for the price you wanted. You also have to deal with the uncertainty that an offer could fall through at the last minute, bringing you back to square one.
- Moving stress: On top of all the stressors involved with selling your current home, you’re likely dealing with the stress involved in finding another place to live. By the time you finish showing your own home, finding your dream home, and negotiating offers (as a seller and a buyer), it’s no wonder you’re feeling overwhelmed.
How to reduce house selling stress
Though some stress is unavoidable while selling your home, here are steps you can take to help manage and reduce your stress.
Hire a listing agent
Do not underestimate the benefits of working with a good listing agent. Your agent will help you price and market your home, handle all communication with potential buyers and help you negotiate offers. A good listing agent will bring order to the chaotic home selling process.
Have realistic expectations
Many people enter the home selling process with unrealistic expectations – which can cause unnecessary stress. You might think you will receive several offers immediately after listing, but that is often not the case. Selling your home can take time, and complications can arise, which is why it’s important to manage your expectations from the get-go.
Manage your emotions
A part of selling your home that most people don’t expect is dealing with the emotions that can arise. Saying goodbye to a house you turned into a home filled with happy memories can be difficult. One way to not let these emotions consume you is to think of your motivation or “why” behind selling your house.
Maybe you’re selling to move somewhere else that’s a better fit for your family. Like any big life transition, moving comes with uncertainty, but it also comes with a sense of excitement. It’s time to leave the complicated emotions behind and focus on the fresh start in front of you.
Declutter your home
Are you tired of rushing to clean your home before every open house or showing? Try decluttering as a way to reduce stress during the home selling process. Decluttering involves throwing away or donating your excess clothing, furniture, books, or other items. When you have fewer things to organize, it’s much easier to keep your home tidy.
Plus, decluttering will save you time once it’s time to move out. Start figuring out what you want to get rid of and keep, and get a jump start on packing to make moving less stressful.
Take a mental break
It’s essential to carve out time for yourself during the home selling process. Practice your favorite self-care rituals, such as going for a walk, cooking a healthy meal, or spending time with friends or family – not doing so will only add to your stress.
We know how consuming the process of selling your home can be, which is it’s vital to relax and separate yourself from the process from time to time.
Sell your house as-is
Selling your home as-is to a cash buyer could speed up the process. Since they are paying with cash, they don’t have a lender slowing down the process, unlike buyers taking out a mortgage. If you’re looking to get out of your current home ASAP, this may be the right option for you.
Final thoughts
Though the process of selling your home can take a toll, it’s best not to let our emotions get the better of us. Take care of yourself, enlist the help of a good listing agent and remember your motivation for selling are all key to alleviating stress from the home selling process.
We can buy your house FAST for a fair cash price
If the stress of selling your home is getting to you, you might be wondering, “is there a way to sell my house for cash and be done with it?” Yes, there is – by selling your home to us.
We are reputable cash buyers that have helped hundreds of Massachusetts homeowners like you avoid a drawn-out sale process. We don’t complicate things: If your house is a good fit for us, we’ll make you a cash offer right away. We value your time, which is why if we’re not the right fit, we’ll let you know upfront.
Give us a call at 781-309-7085 to discuss your cash home offer (no strings attached, we promise!)