It’s a predicament many homeowners find themselves in: their preferred window for sale coincides with a busy time in their life. After all, life doesn’t always slow down to accommodate big life transitions. 

Perhaps you’re taking care of young children or elderly parents. Maybe work is putting increasing demands on your time. Or you are going through a separation. There are a thousand and one reasons to feel overwhelmed when selling a home. Luckily, resources exist to help lessen the load.   

It goes without saying that one of the best resources a busy seller can use is a high-performing realtor. A great realtor is such a self-evident resource, in fact, that you won’t find it listed below. Instead, what you will find are six other resources to use in conjunction with a winning realtor. From the early planning stages, to cleaning, marketing and navigating legal agreements, here are a few aids, amenities and helping hands you can use when life gets too busy. 

Start with a Task Management App

Selling a home is a complicated process involving many steps. Without structure, those steps can make you feel as though you’re spinning plates. 

To get started on the right foot, download a task management or time management app. The best task management apps allow you to structure your goals in terms of priority and create an easy-to-see timeline to complete each goal. You’ll never worry about missing deadlines or overlooking important facets of the sales process. 

Hire a Decluttering Company

Resetting your home to the way it looked this morning is challenging enough. Resetting it to a point where it's acceptable for viewings is a whole other challenge. 

Especially if you have lived in your house for years (or decades), chances are you have amassed a sizeable collection of belongings. Decluttering those belongings in advance of your “for sale” sign going up requires time, energy and emotional bandwidth. And if you are downsizing, it can be particularly tricky since you will need to edit belongings as well. 

If you lack the time for DIY decluttering, call in experts. Decluttering services help you sort through your belongings, choosing what to keep and what to discard, donate or sell. 

Use an Online Real Estate Law Firm

There will come a point when you need the services of a professional real estate lawyer. An expert lawyer is instrumental in several steps: 

• Coordinating commission payments with the realtor
• Reviewing agreements
• Discharging a mortgage
• And preparing closing documents

With traditional real estate legal services, you have to meet in person, which can be an added distraction in an already busy schedule. 

Luckily, you can get all the same professional real estate legal services with an online lawyer. A great online lawyer should be available seven days a week for remote advice and assistance, ideal for hard-working professionals with little time to spare during the week. As a bonus, an excellent online lawyer will also offer a fixed price quote, which means you can accurately anticipate and budget for the cost. 

Fast Track Curb Appeal with Landscapers and Cleaning Services

“Curb appeal” – the attractiveness of your property as seen from the sidewalk – is an important concept in creating good first impressions with homebuyers. According to the National Association of Realtors, homes with high curb appeal sell for between 7% and 14% more on average. Common curb appeal projects include landscaping, gardening and pressure washing the driveway and siding. 

If you have the time to do it yourself, gardening and landscaping can be a therapeutic distraction from the stresses of selling. Unfortunately, not every seller has the luxury of time. If you don’t have time to undergo basic curb appeal projects yourself, hire a landscaper and/or cleaning services. The high ROI value of these improvements more than justifies the cost. 

Invest in a Smart Lock Box

Lock boxes have long been a handy solution for sellers who are busy during viewing hours, as they allow realtors and prospective buyers to access your house without you being present. Many lock boxes use a simple code for entry, which can be changed after viewings to maintain security. 

Smart lock boxes take the concept a step further. In addition to being secure entry points for realtors, smart lock boxes also feature access tracking. Because they require sign-in from a mobile device, the lock boxes provide you with potentially valuable buyer information that can help you better market your home. 

Life doesn’t stop just because you decide to sell your home. If you’re juggling other obligations, consider support from the resources above. Let an app manage your tasks, a decluttering company prepare your home for staging, an online real estate lawyer virtually handle the paperwork, a landscaping service increase your curb appeal, and a smart lock box securely allow viewers.