Chances are, you probably remember every home you’ve ever lived in. Whether it was for just a few months, or if it was for thirty years, once you call somewhere “Home”, it stays with you indefinitely. Homes are so much more than a building with a few rooms and a backyard- they’re memories, emotions, and can often feel like a part of the family. A dining room isn’t just four walls surrounding a table: you probably think of the memories made sitting around that table with friends and family. For a homeowner, it feels good to be surrounded by these emotions- but for someone else, looking to buy a home, they’re not going to be invested in your memories or emotions.
For that reason, when selling your home its important to get your emotions in the right place. You have to reconcile your own past and come to terms with moving on, all while helping convince buyers that this house is going to be their home in the near future. That same dining room will look different to them, as they imagine their own furniture, friends, and family in that space. That’s why one important step in selling your home is depersonalizing it. While you don’t want to make a home look sterile, unloved or empty, you also want it to be a bit of a blank canvas for potential buyers. Give them the physical space to picture their personalized items instead of yours. This process also gives you an opportunity to realize that, as you move out mementos, that you’ll bring your memories with you even after you leave the home. Moving on doesn’t mean letting go of all the good times you shared in that property.
Another way to help manage your emotions is to view your property as a product. Approach buyers with the confidence and assuredness of a salesman, ready to sell a product he wholeheartedly believes in. You know your home better than anybody else, and you are uniquely qualified to make your home look its best. Help your home speak for itself. The more attractively your home can present itself to buyers, the more likely you are to get good offers.
Don’t let your personal feelings impact the pricing of your home, either- focus on the realities of today’s market, and not the heart and soul- and many weekends- you put into home improvement projects like landscaping or painting. Chances are, the next owner will probably appreciate your work too… but they may not be willing to pay top dollar for it.
While it can be difficult, it’s imperative to keep emotions to a minimum while in the selling process. Save that energy for turning your next property into your dream home. Much as you remember the first place you called home, you’ll make so many more memories in the future, that when the time comes to move on, don’t be afraid to follow the changing winds- your heart will follow along for the ride!
