Managing The Stress of Selling Your Home

Selling your home can be a headache. Even if you have sold multiple homes in the past, the act of getting everything together, cleaning, organizing, and finding an agent can put you on the fast track to loads of stress. Fortunately there are steps you can take to minimize stress during the home selling process.

Managing Stress During the Home Selling Process

Selling a home can give you an unmanageable migraine. The Huffington Post says that people often experience higher stress levels when going through the various stages of the home selling process. Studies show that the inspection process seems to be the most nerve-wracking experience for almost every seller.

Showing their home is not fun for sellers either, and then there is the appraisal process which can be a stomach churning experience. So, how do you stay calm and keep your stress levels manageable without running for the medicine cabinet and minimize the adverse effects that can be associated with selling your home?

Here are the top five tips we’ve found that should keep you sane during the sale of your home:

1. Preparation is key

No matter whether you are packing up the house, cleaning out the closets, or trying to find out how much your home is worth, planning is the best thing you can do to stay ahead of surprises and minimize your stress level. If you are a first time seller, then knowing what to expect ahead of time is the best way to combat the fear of the unknown.

Many sellers go into the property transfer process with blinders on not taking the time to research what to expect or how to find the most reputable appraiser. By learning about the processes that go along with selling a home, you can minimize anxiety because you know what to expect even if you do not know the ins and outs.

2. Get rid of clutter

You hear this statement all the time, but do how do you organize a whole home clearing without pulling your hair out? With the majority of home buyers searching online, the pictures of your home are critical to the sale.  Organize your clean out by room, function, or floor level depending on the time you set aside for cleaning. For instance, if you only have a few hours, then maybe it is best to tackle the bedroom closets or the mudroom first.

If you have a large block of time that you can set aside for sorting through your home, then you can tackle the attic, basement, or an entire room. To get even more work done in a short time, ask family and friends to help out. Forbes says to make three piles, sell, trash, and donate. If you plan to get rid of many extras, then you can order a dumpster, have a yard sale, or ask the thrift store to pick up your donations.

3. Take time for reflection and quiet time

One way to help yourself in the heat of the moment is to have a go-to meditation method or breathing exercise. You can do a grounding technique where you look for five things that you can touch, four things you can see, and so forth. Another way to get a hold of yourself when things get out of control is to breathe in and out slowly counting to five each way.

Practice stress relieving exercises before the home selling process begins to get the most benefits. By practicing stress-reducing techniques when you do not need them, you can train your brain to go to the technique quickly in the heat of the moment. When the selling process becomes overwhelming, you know what to do to get immediate relief from the strain.

Simple stress reducers

Fox News says several things can minimize your stress levels. Some of the most helpful tips include:

  • Think about a “happy place”
  • Practice accepting things you cannot change
  • Eat something healthy
  • Go for a walk
  • Take a break from electronics or social media
  • Limit email checks to once or twice a day
  • Start taking vitamins
  • Work out
  • Take a nap
  • Light an aromatherapy candle
  • Take a hot shower
  • Organize something
  • Check off something on your to-do list to feel like you are making progress

4. Plan a Vacation During the Week of Showing

If you are the person that freaks out at every little change, mistake, or delay, then perhaps it is a better idea to remove yourself from the situation. For instance, the week of the appraisal, you can book a spa appointment and let your agent meet with the home analyst.

When the home is ready to show to, and you have the date for the open house, you should consider taking a mini-vacation when the home viewing is on the weekend. If you are showing your house during the summer, try to combine your vacation with the same week the real estate agent is showing your property to get your mind off of everything. Entrepreneur says that you can keep your house spiffier if you get out of the way when you are ready to show the home because there is nothing to clean up.

5. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

Whether you are getting the home ready for the inspection, need help cleaning out the basement, or you have a ton of phone calls to make, spread the work out. Ask your spouse to help make the phone calls, split up chores between each member of the family. Call your in favors or throw a moving party.

You can also hire help when you cannot do the lifting or moving. Plan ahead to make sure you have plenty of extra hands when you are on a tight deadline to make the process a little easier. If you book a facial or a massage immediately after the stressful event, then you know you have something to look forward to when you are going through the roughest parts of selling your home.

When you feel like the walls are closing in and you need a distraction, breathing through the moment is a fantastic way to get over hard times and, sometimes it’s important to just get out of the situation and give yourself a moment to reset. Sometimes, venting to someone is a great way to relieve stress too.

Selling your home is going to come with surprises, but you can control how you deal with them.