The good news is the hardest part of the process is over, hopefully you have sorted (keep, store, donate or dump) your things and deep cleaned your house, inside and out. The overall impression you have created is a positive one that highlights the unique assets of your house.
For most sellers, this is their most valuable personal asset and they are looking to maximize its value, while the buyer is looking to make the best deal they can.
The house is 100 percent clean and the rooms are well-designed and without clutter. The challenge now is to actually “live” day-to-day while maintaining this artificial environment. The perfection you will maintain is for good reason, which is to sell the house quickly and for top dollar. It will be worth it, but it may not happen immediately.
Realize that during this time, the routine you established and relied upon each day will be non-existent. Your Realtor® or agent will schedule your house on their office’s weekly tour of new listings. After this tour, the agent may ask their colleagues to suggest a list price or price range based on the tour. The agent will share this information with you, even though YOU will decide on the price, not them. In addition, your agent might host a morning coffee, buffet lunch or cocktail preview where agents can bring qualified buyers to view the listing before it hits the MLS. Other agents use the Friday before the weekend open house to schedule showings by appointment only.
Many homes do sell this way, which is why it is done and will reduce the days on the market to zero. If you prepared your asset to sell and you are lucky, this could mean no disruptive showings. It obviously does not happen with regularity for most listings, which is why you will most likely proceed to Plan B. You wait…
No one can predict how long the sales process will take. It’s based on many factors – location, presentation, price point, current market, time of year and number of qualified buyers that show interest. Your job is to wait for the offer – so stay calm and work closely with your agent as they expertly market your house and hopefully find the right buyer. It will get harder the longer you do it and I know you will start to hear it, ticking, ticking, ticking… the sound of time.
You’re in a virtual no mans land of uncertainty as you wonder what each day will bring. You must keep your emotions in check as your Realtor shares negative feedback from agents and buyers… or no information at all. Remember it’s all individual perspective and the next buyer may tell you it’s exactly what they have been hoping to find. You can’t take any of it personally. TRULY remain calm. Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. This is all part of the process.
Living in limbo without our normal creature comforts is an incredibly difficult situation for most people, so treat yourself to a little TLC and know this emotional roller coaster will hopefully be over soon.
Read more about The Sound of Time in my book: SMART MOVES: How to Save Time and Money While Transitioning Your Home and Life. Be A Smart Mover!
