When you’re selling a home, you’re sure to go through an onslaught of emotions. There will be excitement, fear, sadness and eventually happiness once a sale goes through. But often, those emotions can get in the way of achieving a positive outcome.
Most REATLORS® have story after story of former clients getting angry, sad or something in between and letting those emotions get in the way of making a rational decision concerning the deal.
Let’s face it, you probably have years of memories stored within the walls of your house. So when it’s time to say goodbye, you won’t be seeing the good that will come from a sale, but memories such as your baby’s first steps, family dinners or Christmas mornings.
Therefore, emotions can cloud your reasoning and could potentially misguide you during a very expensive and important business transaction. For instance, sellers may overvalue their homes by adding in sentimental value on top of property value. This means they may refuse offers that, while reasonable, don’t add up to the value of their memories.
Some sellers might even turn down a potential offer because they find out the new owner wants to tear down a wall or dig up the yard or even knock down the tree house that you helped build for your children.
The key is not to get upset at an offer you think is too low or turn your back on a deal out of spite for what you think someone may do to your home. None of that should matter. You’re leaving the home and what the new owners do with it should be about making memories of their own.
Keep in mind, your emotions will probably stir up as soon as you list the house for sale, especially when you start decluttering and removing your personal items from the house. And as people come in and strangers are in your house looking it over, you’re sure to get some strong feelings.
But just keep thinking of the final outcome and how happy you will be once it’s sold and you are in your next home. Then, there will be plenty of times for emotions.
