For some people, just the thought of selling their home is stressful under normal circumstances.  Add in the safety concerns about COVID-19 and that stress can be enough to bring you to tears.

The stresses of selling a home can be caused by a multitude of things.

• What is the RIGHT price to list at? To accept?
• Getting the house ready, cleaning, repairs, etc.
• Finding an agent
• Dealing with attorneys
• Coordinating the move (purchasing a new home, packing, movers, pets, kids, etc.)
• Will my belongings be safe during showings/open houses
• Inspections

The list goes on and on, but as you can see there are lots of things that can cause stress during the sales process.  But through some thought, preparation, a little elbow grease and having the right agent representing you can help avoid much of the stress and (hopefully) keep away the tears.

Here are a few ways to avoid things that can come back to haunt you

• Make sure that your motivation to move is there, do your homework and stick to your plan and what your end goal is.
• Have a pre-inspection done.  Many home inspectors can do an inspection and give you a list of things that will come up during a buyer’s inspection.  Fixing them now (or at least knowing that you’re probably going to have to give a credit to the buyer) will ease much of that anxiety.
• Declutter.  This will be difficult and time-consuming, but will make the house much more “showable”. You may want to consider a storage unit if there’s a lot of “stuff.”
• Do a thorough cleaning, or hire a cleaning service to do it for you.
• Paint where needed.  Use neutral colors. Hiring a painter will likely save you time and will result in a superior job.
• Spruce up the landscaping.
• Do your research when hiring an agent to make sure that you choose an agent that will do the best job for you.
• Disinfect doorknobs and any surfaces before and after showings.
• Leave the house whenever there are showings. This makes sense because of COVID, but buyers can say things that you might find offensive or displeasing.  You also don’t want to “give away” anything inadvertently by discussing your motivations with the buyer or their agent.
• Always make sure that the house is spotless for showings. Keep it clean, so you don’t have to be like Gayle.
• Ask your agent for professional referrals, you’re going to need an attorney and other professionals along the way.  It’s likely that your agent will be able to point you in the right direction.
• Make sure that your attorney is well versed in Real Estate.  The buyer is not the enemy, you’re both working towards the same goal, so your attorney should have that same attitude.
• Review the offers and consider everything, sometimes a higher-priced offer isn’t as good as one that’s less, because of the terms (closing date, downpayment, seller’s concessions, etc.)
• Plan and be prepared to meet the dates as outlined in the purchase contract.

If you have any questions or would like to speak with an agent who can help you have a stress-free (or at least less stressful) experience selling a home, contact Team Zuhl!

All opinions, information and data provided is deemed reliable but is subject to errors and omissions. Not intended to solicit other Brokers’ clients. We cooperate with them fully.