We all go through stress to some degree at some points in our lives; be it relationship breakdowns, financial issues such as losing a job or losing someone close to you. However, a selling a house is often a stress related period that is often overlooked. A recent study by 'we buy any house' experts Ready Steady Sell in the UK asked over 1000 current homeowners (who had recently sold or been on the market) what the most stressful point's in their lives were at this current time. The results were fairly conclusive; with over 70% of the 1000 stating that selling their home was the most stressful period they had ever been through.
Other popular options on the list were divorce (coming in second place), childbirth and bereavement. When asked about the experiment, managing director David Sessford had this to say on the matter:-
"We feel that the traditional property market is struggling to adapt to customers needs and not allowing them access to the tools and technology they need to get a quick house sale and a fair price for their property. This in turn is creating a toxic household, with properties taking on average 6 months to sell on the open market in most areas. Customers looking to sell their homes need to be in it for the long haul especially if they opt to sell through a traditional estate agent and need to be prepared for the stress that comes with the whole sale process".
Trying To Sell A House And Going Through Stress? Try This.
Ready Steady Sell went on to provide us with their top 5 ways of alleviating the stress from a house sale and from their experience how customers can get a quick sale, top price and get moving before the sale of the property becomes too much to take.
Choosing the right agent: Choosing the right agent to sell your house quickly avoiding the 'waiting game' and ultimately the stress that comes with it is vital. The right estate agent will be able to value the property correctly from the on-set, be able to handle all the enquiries and viewings, and have access to the latest property technology to get you maximum exposure.
Lower the price: If your asking price is too high you are likely to be on the market longer, which means added stress, added cost and added upheaval. It is far easier to list at a reasonable price in the first instance and get an offer quicker so you don't have to wait around. Most sellers would state that the waiting part is the most stressful part of selling, and you could potentially remove this all together with the right asking price.
Only see proceedable buyers: There is no point preparing your home, cleaning non-stop and getting the kids babysat for the day if your potential buyer doesn't have a mortgage in place or a deposit. Ask your agent to only allow proceedable buyers through to the visiting stages of your house sale - meaning everyone else doesn't get the chance to waste your time causing unnecessary stress.
Move out: Sometimes just moving out of a property whilst you are trying to sell it can help alleviate some of the stress. Obviously you are going to have the burden of paying the mortgage on a property you aren't living in, however you will not need to clean it as much if it's empty, viewers can feel more comfortable looking around and you are more likely to get a quicker sale. If you can't afford to rent a property consider moving in with friends or family until your home sells.
Consider renting: It may not have crossed your mind but you could consider renting your property out so you can proceed to buy your new home. This will help ease the timeframe of your sale, enable you to keep your current home if you have emotional attachments, and take away the stress from the sales process.
As a property seller some stress is going to be inevitable. However, by putting into place a plan of action, downloading a meditation app on your phone, and knowing that all stressful periods will pass - you will get through it, hopefully with your property sold and you comfortably in your new home.
