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Health & Fitness

It Really Doesn't Matter Who Buys Your Home

Selling your home can be a process tinged with anxiety. Every homeowner who puts a house on the market is hoping to find a "just-right" buyer so that the transaction goes smoothly and results in a sale. And when it comes to handing over your home to a new owner, it can be difficult to separate your feelings about a home that you've lived in – potentially for years – and the expectations that you have for the person or family buying it. 

Although it can be difficult to subtract the human component from the equation of selling a home, it's necessary. A home sale is at heart a financial transaction like any other, and it should be viewed as such. One of the reasons that homeowners hire real estate agents and attorneys to assist in the sale of a home is because impartial professionals are less likely to become emotionally attached to a property. An agent acting as your representative can facilitate the sale while limiting unnecessary contact between you and the buyer and ensuring that the entire process is objective. 

When you put your house on the market, it can be tempting to assume that the new owner or owners will love all the same features about the house that you do. But since that isn't always the case, projecting your feelings about the house onto a stranger can charge the process with emotion and even lead to disappointment. Fortunately, your feelings about your home can be turned into an asset when getting the house into shape for a sale.

Remember when you bought your house? Certainly it had both positive and negative qualities, and now is the time to remind yourself of any drawbacks or flaws you noticed back then. If you haven't fixed them, now is the time to correct those imperfections in order to get your home ready for sale. Are there any projects you've "always meant to get around to" that haven't been completed? Would they improve your chances of a sale? If so, it's time to think about putting them into motion.

Look at your home with a critical eye and you will certainly see room for improvement. Concentrate on making those improvements and your home will be more likely to attract interested buyers. And open your mind to constructive criticism from your agent. Take into account his or her expert advice for repairs and updates that could help sell your home.

It's important to remember that you have decided to list your home for sale because you are beginning a new chapter in your life. Look to the future and where you going. If you can envision yourself in your new circumstances rather than dwelling on what you are leaving behind, it will be easier to let go of your old home and set your sights on something new. I always remind people they are selling the house not the memories…those go with you!

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