5 Ways to Eliminate the Stress of Selling a House

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Year in and year out, buying and selling a home is consistently rated as one of the most stressful life experiences people can go through. But it doesn’t have to be something that wears you thin. It’s all about how you approach the situation. 

The Stress of Selling a Home

Selling a home can be an emotional experience. And according to a recent study from Zillow, 36 percent of people cry during the process (with one in five sellers crying five or more times). In fact, more Americans are stressed over selling a house than planning a wedding, becoming a parent, or getting fired. 

Of those who say they’ve cried during the home sale process, 70 percent say uncertainty over sale price caused them the most anguish, 69 percent were fearful their home wouldn’t sell quickly enough, 65 percent were worried that an offer might fall through, and another 65 percent were stressed out about renovations and repairs. 

Selling a house can be downright stressful, but it’s all a matter of how you handle the process. If you plan ahead and understand your options, you should be able to complete this all-important transaction with less emotional distress and frustration. 

5 Ways to Eliminate and Avoid Stress When Selling

There will always be heightened emotions involved in the sale of a home, but if you’re intentional with how you approach the process, you can avoid much of the friction. Here are some of our top suggestions:

Do Your Research

The more prepared you are going into the sale of your home, the more confident you’ll be throughout the process. From fielding offers and negotiating, you’ll have a much better feel for what your property is worth and how much leverage you have.

Good research requires you to study both your home and the surrounding market. You need to know your property’s condition and what the underlying factors are, as well as what comparable listings are selling for and the current market in your neighborhood. 

Deal With Known Problems

If you’re going into a home sale and you know you have a lot of hidden issues, maintenance problems, and factors that buyers will want you to fix, why not go ahead and deal with them prior to listing the property for sale?

Your house doesn’t need to be perfect in order to sell, but there are certain problems that must be dealt with. For example, a ceiling leak will need to be addressed, as will rotting boards on the front porch. Proactively address major concerns and you’ll have more confidence going into negotiations. 

Choose the Right Agent

The right real estate agent makes all the difference. Rather than going with your best friend who is barely licensed and sells one house every 18 months as a side hustle, choose someone who is experienced and knowledgeable of your market. A good agent will take control and allow you to relax, knowing you’re in good hands.  

Sell to a Cash Investor

Want to avoid having to do research, address repairs, or work with an agent? Another option is to sell to a cash investor. When you sell to a cash investor, you don’t have to worry about making repairs, catching up on mortgage payments, listing your property, scheduling showings, negotiating with buyers, or going through a meticulous due diligence process. You simply get a cash offer in hand with no obligations and no fees. (And in some cases, you can close in as little as a week.)

Set Boundaries and Limitations

One of the reasons selling a house is so stressful is that it’s all-consuming. People typically think about it when they wake, spend all day dealing with it and go to bed thinking about it. In other words, there’s no break.

Whether you choose to sell your home the traditional route or via a cash investor, it’s important that you set boundaries and limitations. This means creating time in the day where you’re focused on house-related issues, as well as other pockets when you force yourself to do something else. By creating space in your schedule, you restore emotional balance and reduce stress.

Move On With Your Life

Don’t let the stress of selling a house scare you away from making a decision that’s right for you and your family. By leveraging the tips discussed above, you can mitigate much of the friction and enjoy a more seamless experience.