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Your home may be your biggest financial asset and investment, but once you decide to sell, everyone will tell you it's more of an emotional journey. After all, you’re not just leaving a home that you loved – you’re ending a “love affair” with a place you’ve had for a long time and that has lots of memories tied to it. It’s where you’ve raised your family, and held countless Thanksgiving (or friendsgiving) dinners and parties, so it’s completely normal to be sad about moving. Here are some suggestions to help you get through this tough experience.
1. Shift your perspective from being a homeowner to a home seller.
If you're having apprehensions about selling your property, try to reframe your mindset and start thinking that you’re no longer a “homeowner” but a “home seller.” This will help you adopt a more objective attitude toward the process, and gradually accept that your home is now a product that you have to sell and that others will hopefully want to buy.
Changing your perspective might take time, so don’t be afraid to give yourself a few weeks or months to separate your emotions and set your expectations right, especially if you have the luxury of time to do so. It might be helpful to do some research, such as talking to friends who have sold their homes or reading about other people’s home-selling journeys, so you’ll have a clearer idea of what you are getting into. Hopefully, doing your due diligence will also help make the transition easier.
2. Depersonalize as early as possible
When preparing to list your home for sale, one of the crucial things to do is make it less personal. This means removing framed family portraits, mementos, travel souvenirs, diplomas – anything else that is personalized and screams that you own the home. The main goal of this process is to make it easier for potential buyers to envision themselves in the home, especially during showings.
However, packing up your photos and mementos earlier rather than later will also help you as a seller to let go. Likewise, try to change the little parts of the home that you've come to love so much, such as your favorite wall color in the bedroom or dining room.
Once you’re used to not seeing them, it will make it easier for you to detach yourself and see the home as merchandise waiting to be sold. Hopefully, it will also help you realize that the home isn’t the one that carries precious memories – you and your family do. Take time to reflect on how the home has served its purpose for however long you lived there, and that you’re letting it go to move on to your next.
3. Redefine your concept of home
Don't forget the old adage “home is where the heart is” to help you think of home in terms of the people you love rather than a place. Whether it's your spouse, children, parents, or even friends whom you treat as family members, remember that your real home is wherever the people you love are. Take photos of the property, revisit old memories with them, and reminisce about how you all loved living there. The process will hopefully aid in accepting your emotions throughout the home sale.
4. Focus on your why
It's natural to be anxious and stressed about moving. It’s even natural to grieve when thinking about the old memories you’ve had at your home. After all, you won’t just be letting go of the home per se, but you’ll also be leaving a community you’ve grown with.
But no matter how hard it seems, remember the reason why you’re selling in the first place and what you’ll gain afterward. List these things out, then look at that list whenever you’re feeling down about relocating. If you’re selling so you can downsize, think about the extra money you’ll be able to save. Same thing if you need money from the home sale to pay off other debts. Whatever reason you have – whether it’s to downsize, upsize, for retirement, or just be closer to an adult child or to other family members – try to focus on that instead of entertaining the feelings of losing your beloved home.
It might be difficult at first. But once you think positively about these changes, you’ll look forward to moving on to a new home like it’s another adventure that’s bound to happen.
Always here to chat!
Tammy Eickhoff
919-610-2366
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