Much has been written about how to prepare your home to go on the market, fresh paint, staging, etc. I always give my sellers a “To Do” list and you can find helpful hints on almost every real estate website. But I don’t see much written about an absolute must in selling in this market, and that is the mental preparation.

I love going on a listing appointment with a motivated seller. They have closely followed the market and have a very good idea of the value of their home. They want to price their home competitively and do whatever it takes to sell in this market. Generally the motivated sellers will get an offer- or multiple offers- shortly after the home is listed and will close in 3-4 months at most. So why are so many homes sitting on the market for 6 months, 12 months, 18+ months? Generally it’s because the sellers aren’t ready and motivated to sell their house. They think they are, but in reality, they aren’t ready to move on.

I run into this all the time on listing appointments. Here’s an example of what I am talking about. Last week I met with potential sellers who have outgrown their current home. Their current home was lovely but the bedrooms were small and they really want a more desirable school district as well. They knew what homes in their area were listed for, and expected me to give them a market analysis that showed a similar value for their home. What they didn’t realize- and what many potential sellers fail to realize- is that homes are SELLING for much less than their list price. The sales price per square foot for homes in their neighborhood was a real shock to them. They couldn’t grasp it- they weren’t ready for an honest assessment of what buyers would be willing to pay for their home. They weren’t ready to see their home as a commodity- but in order to sell your home you have to look at it through a buyers eyes and divorce yourself from the emotion.

So how does a seller get mentally prepared to move on? Know your neighborhood. Stop by open houses- agents love to meet the neighbors. Check out areas where you are thinking of moving- if you don’t want to hire an agent at this point then call the listing agent and ask them to show the property to you. Most listing agents are happy to do- just remember that they represent the seller and don’t tell them anything you don’t want the seller to know. Sign up to receive market data from a Realtor® that you respect.

During this process you may find a house that you love, and are ready to do whatever it takes to sell your current home. You will be in a buyer mindset- and be better able to assess your home as a potential buyer would. You will see what has to be done to your home to be competitive in this market and you will have a realistic idea about what your home is worth. Now you are ready to move out and move on to your new life in your new home.