Ten Tips on Reducing the Stress of Selling Your House

Selling your home and moving house have long been regarded as two of the
activities which sharply increase stress levels. Here are ten tips to help you
reduce the stress associated with trying to sell your home and having to keep it
spotless for potential buyers.

1. Sort your clutter early

A neat home is easier to sell than a cluttered home. If you know in advance
that you may be putting your home on the market – start sorting out your
clutter well in advance. Then when you put it on the market all the preparation
is done and all you have to do is to keep it clean. The less clutter there is,
the less cleaning there is to do – a double bonus. It also makes it easier for
when you move.

2. Get help with your garden

If your garden is full of weeds and needs a good sort out – get it done –
so that it looks beautiful for prospective buyers. And get help to do it if
you're short of time or stamina. I've employed my teenage Godchildren before now
to help with the weeding – what a relief that was.

3. Find a good real estate agent

A really good real estate agent should have the skills and the passion to go
through your home, before it goes on the market, to tell you everything that
could be altered to create the best impression. It may be to make more space in
the kitchen, to stop a door from jamming, to alter the position of the furniture
or to put flowers in strategic spots. Get their professional advice instead of
trying to work it out yourself.

4. Reduce home entertaining

Entertaining at home produces mess. When real estate agents can just pop
round at any time, avoid producing too much mess. Instead, encourage your
friends to invite you to their places so their homes take the mess! Remember you
owe them when you've sold your house though. We've offered to bring
"take-away" to their places.

5. Employ a cleaning lady

Every morning you have to leave the house looking perfect – a hard task
just for one day for most of us. Get some help. Have someone come in to help you
keep the place tidy. Your sanity must be preserved to enjoy your new home, after
all. And relative to real estate agents fees, stamp duty and settlement agency
fees – the cost of home help is little.

6. Sort out your furniture

Have you got too many chairs? Too many tables? An over supply of beds? All
this furniture can leave your house looking small and cluttered to a prospective
buyer. The more space there appears to be, the more attractive it can appear. So
get rid of surplus furniture now, don't wait until you move. There are charities
in Britain and Australia, and probably in other countries too, that will come
and pick up second hand furniture for free. Of course, the less furniture, the
less you have to clean.

7. Organise outside activities

Weekends can be particularly busy times for people to want to come and
inspect your home. Organise yourself to go out on the weekends and stay in
during the week.

8. Wash during the week

If you're working full time and used to leaving the washing until the weekend
– change your routine. A washing line full of undies isn't too enticing for
would-be buyers. As they're most likely to visit on weekends – do the washing
during the week and keep your weekends free.

9. Let your friends know

The quicker you get a good buyer the better, so do everything you can to
help. Get hold of the Real Estate agent's flyers and send them to all your
friends – they may not want a new house but they may know someone who does.
Tell everyone. Help to spread the word.

10. Don't overload yourself with other things

Selling your house is a big deal. While you are doing this put other
responsibilities on hold. You might resign from a committee, get someone else to
help coach the T-ball team, stop your music or dancing or French lessons.
Whatever you do – make space in your life because there's a lot to do when
you're selling your home. Make the time to do it instead of fitting it in to an
already squashed life.

Further information

There are other tips on our website to help you stay healthy and free from
tension. Click here for more tips: http://www.rachelgreen.com/cgi-bin/a.pl?articles

There is a two CD set will help you relax your mind and body, stay calm and
not let things get to you "Happy not hassled: Using meditation to manage
your emotions and find contentment. Click here to order: http://www.rachelgreen.com/products_hassled.html

Rachel Green, award winning communication specialist and executive emotional
intelligence coach.

Phone: +61 8 9390 1188. Fax +61 8 9390 1199

Web site: http://www.rachelgreen.com

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