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HOW TO HANDLE SELLER'S REMORSE
For years you have been toying with the idea of moving out of the house, and enjoying a
newer home or perhaps a different kind of lifestyle. Finally you make the move to
interview agents, stage your home for better presentation, and get it on the market.
The reality sets in as you pull in the driveway and are shocked to see a "for
sale" sign in your own yard. Could this finally be happening? Confused, depressed and
out of sorts, you sit yourself down to think this out a spell. "I can't believe I
want to leave my home, after all the years and memories that we have had here." Yet
you have discussed the move and made the decision, so why are you feeling so insecure?
Congratulations on being totally normal. Although
the anticipation of relocating to a new place in a new neighborhood is exciting, leaving
behind your present comfort zone can make for emotional lows.
Feeling a
sense of loss and discomfort are normal reactions when families relocate to new
surroundings.
Displacement is caused by upsetting the habitual places we have our things. Frustration
and confusion mount when you are unable to perform daily tasks like finding the right
frying pan when everything is differently arranged and in unfamiliar surroundings.
Concerns about how you will find new places and streets may make you worry a little.
Questions arise that you are making such an important investment and wondering if you have
done the right thing. You understand on a conscious level that the home represents a
product of inventory to the consumer, but it is sometimes difficult not to project your
own emotional attachments and prejudices. Comments from the buying public are those made
for a myriad of reasons, and should not cause insecurity and disappointment.
One of the most common problems we have with sellers is their
inability to disconnect from their own home to be objective. When
other homes that are similar in style and age sell before theirs,
they have difficulty understanding why the buyer chose the other
property. The things that make your home attractive to you may not
be appreciated or needed by the new buyer. Although "extras" do
support a stronger price, these items will only be important to the
buyer some of the time. Upgraded faucets or decking are nice to
have, but generally won't be the singular reason for a purchase.
The buyers tend to buy when "feeling" right about a property and back the
decision up later after making the emotional commitment first. The extra touches tend to
reinforce the decision to purchase, rather than create the impulse to buy. Arguing that
fencing and decking and other improvements should have made the difference in similar
housing doesn't make the buyer's decision wrong, but right for them.
A good sales agent will help you "stage" your home for maximum appeal. This
might require your packing up and taking down photos, and mementos that you are quite used
to seeing on a daily basis. Your home may appear stark and severe to you without these
accents. Just remember that you must live in your home one way, but that you offer it as a
product in quite another way.
You can help make the moving transition more comfortable by keeping your focus on your new
home. Get familiar with the new area by meeting some of the neighbors before moving in.
Familiarize yourself with the new streets and shopping areas so that you won't feel lost
and uncertain. If the area is quite a distance from your present home, have the agent take
some photos of the new schools for the kids and some good photos of your new home to keep
you focused. Give yourself a few days to settle in after the move, relax and enjoy your
new home.
Copyright REEPco, Inc. 1998
*Article by Dennis Smith, visit www.SanDiegoHomes4u.com for more original content like
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