Seller Remorse

If you’ve ever moved out of a home that you’ve lived in for some time, you know how hard it is to say goodbye. That one last tour of the house, where you soak up all the memories that were created in each room, saying goodbye to neighbors and realizing you’ll never step foot in the home again, is enough to make even the strongest among us remorseful.

Understanding your motivation for selling, and keeping it top-of-mind during the sales process, will help fight off seller’s remorse, a malady symptomized by that little voice inside that keeps asking: “Do you really want to do this?”

What Is Seller’s Remorse?

Quite simply, seller’s remorse happens to people when they begin having second thoughts about selling their home. You may feel apprehensive, as if you may be making the wrong move. You may be filled with doubt about selling the home. Overall, you’ll feel stressed out over the entire process.

When Does It Happen?

We see a few cases of seller’s remorse, but when it does occur, it’s typically a homeowner who is overly emotionally attached to the home. This is understandable when one has lived in the home for decades, has raised a family here or perhaps lost a spouse while living in the home.

Speaking of loss, seller’s remorse has much to do with the psychological resistance to loss. Selling the home may mean finally having to face up to a loss or letting go of living in a place where you are surrounded by memories.

How to Deal With It?

• Get clear on your reasons for selling. Keep those reasons in mind when an attack of misgiving hits.

• Trust that you have established a good, market-driven sales price. This way, if a quick sale happens, you won't be beating yourself up, wondering if you should have priced it higher.

• Focus on the home you will be moving into when this one sells. Decorate it in your mind, play with different furniture arrangements, and have a virtual barbecue in the backyard. If you build enough excitement about your future, the present will be something you want out of the way so you can move on.

When it comes time to sell your home, it’s important to get clear on your motivation for doing so. If it isn’t obvious, such as taking a job in another town or because of a growing family, you may need to dig deep to discover just why it is you want to sell. A strong focus on that reason will help stave off seller’s remorse.