Keep Emotions in Check When Preparing Your Home for SaleBy John Voket, RISMedia Columnist Anyone who has ever bought a home knows that going through the buying process involves a lot of drama, but when you are in the process of selling your home, the drama is far outweighed by emotion. Sadiya Anjum, a real estate specialist (choiceofhomes.com) recently wrote about the issue, reminding sellers to be prepared to experience a wide array of emotions ranging from sadness and regret, to anger and panic. Anjum provides the following tips to emotionally detach yourself from the sale of your home. "The brutal truth is that you have to learn to disconnect yourself from your home," says Anjum. Sellers who have too many memories attached to a home, or those who are selling involuntarily or on their own may be more vulnerable to falling into the trap of emotional reactions, Anjum says. But sellers must change the way they view their home. "Learn to believe that it is now a commodity or product that you are selling," she advises. Sellers should prepare for different kinds of reactions - prospective buyers are going to comment because they are looking at the home critically. Some may even pass nasty remarks about favorite objects or aspects of the property. Homeowners who are selling on their own must keep particularly cool at all times. To minimize the potential for hurtful comments, put away most if not all objects which are personal or controversial in nature. Photographs or art pieces which can evoke strong reactions can also obstruct the buyer's home viewing experience, they may also be the target of insensitive remarks. To avoid unnecessary distress, just keep your personal belongings out of the way. Anjum suggests that when preparing your home to be sold, ask a friend to come over and give their honest opinion from the view point of a prospective buyer. Some suggestions may not be pleasant to hear but it is all in the cause of making a successful sale. This technique may be extremely useful when your property has been on the market for an unusually long period of time. And pay special attention to suggestions from your agent or prospective buyers. To some, emotional control may come easily but to others it may be difficult, but to successfully market your own home, it's "mission critical" to remember Anjum's advice and always stay calm and keep your emotions in check. an> |
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