The Blog The emotional toll of selling a home

The emotional toll of selling a home

They say that home is where the heart is, and this sentiment is often keenly felt when it’s time to move on from a home. Whether your family has outgrown your house and you’re upgrading to something larger or you’re going through a separation or moving away, letting go of a physical space can be harder than you’d think. And with all the focus on the logistics of selling and moving, it can be easy to overlook the emotional impact of selling your home.

Are you truly ready to sell?
Oftentimes when people list a home they are not truly ready. Take the time to ensure you’re emotionally prepared for the sale – talk to your agent and listen carefully to their selling suggestions. Usually if you’re resisting their suggestions, it might be a clue that you’re not ready to let go. And, if you’re not in a hurry, that’s ok – just wait until you’re truly ready.

We understand that not everybody has the luxury of waiting though and having no choice but to sell can take an emotional toll. If you’re in this camp, make sure you get as much support as you need from friends and family. Also, don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your agent. When a seller doesn’t really want to sell it can put massive strain on the agent/client relationship. Competent agents are usually on the lookout for this, but it makes it easier if you’re straight up about your feelings from the outset.

Memory lane
If you’ve decided to take the plunge, preparing your home for sale can be a particularly emotional time. This is because when you start to declutter and organise your belongings, the memories start to flow. But removing personal effects from your home is an important part of the selling and staging process so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to go through this.

Staging for sale
Staging a home for sale not only makes it appeal to a wider range of buyers, but it can be a way to help you emotionally distance yourself from your home. The less you see of yourself in your home, the easier it is to imagine a new person living in it. Remove photographs, awards, toiletries from the bathroom and any other highly personal items to make your home less personal and more appealing to a potential buyer.

AFTER lounge

Image: Crib Creative

Fond farewell
Some psychologists believe it’s important to create a ritual when saying goodbye to a home. You could walk through each room and reflect on the times spent there or you could take a piece of a plant from the garden to plant in your new home as a keepsake. Be sure to take plenty of pictures of the home before you leave too – having a great set of photos can help when you’re feeling like reminiscing.

Posted under Finance, Property Sales