Six Steps to Overcome the Stress of Buying a Home

In life there are three things that cause more stress than any other: Death,
divorce and moving.

When moving, people have two types of needs. First, there is the transactional kind, which involves finding the ideal home and finding a realistic seller who is willing to negotiate the price, fill out the paperwork, handle the escrow and arrange the move. The most stress, however, comes from the emotional needs that are present when moving.

A proficient realtor will take care of the transactional needs, however if you are not
emotionally comfortable, you may become frustrated and not act in your own best
interests. A skilled real estate agent will not only be skilled with numbers and paperwork, but also guide you through the emotional roller coaster of moving. We have found six common sense steps to curbing the stress associated with moving.

1) Keep the Goal in Sight

Make a mental picture of where you’re planning on being. How will your life be different from what it is like now, and how will it be better? With this image in mind, write at least a page about how this image fits in the new place. This step is pivotal. Keeping the goal in front of you provides you with energy and motivates you to do what needs to be done to reach it. Frustration and setbacks can drain you and this will help you stay focused and positive. This method is also used in childbirth, and teaches you to focus on one spot to overcome the pain of labor. Similarly, you must keep your eye on the prize. When dealing with anxiety or emotional duress.

2) Flexibility

When calculating the monetary aspects, overestimate by about a thousand dollars. Between contract acceptance and closing, much can happen. Perhaps the interest rates will change and result in different closing costs and affect the down payment. Additionally, the inspections may uncover issues that the seller is unwilling to fix, or the repair costs more than the maximum stipulated in the contract.

A good real estate agent will strive to make the transaction go as smoothly and quickly as possible. However, many buyers feel overwhelmed when they take on a new mortgage and all of the duties of owning a new home. At times the buyer may be upset because it seems like the costs just keep rising. This happens when your expectations don’t correspond with reality. If you anticipate these issues ahead of time, you are likely to get less frustrated. It will probably be better than you thought.

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3) Have Faith in the Process

It is easy to panic when there is so much to do. Feelings of doubt and anxiety may overcome you. It feels like you are taking a big risk, but in reality, you are giving yourself an opportunity. Although some of the steps are invisible, as you come closer to your goal, you will notice all the progress. I know that moving is a major disruption of your regular life, but I’ll be looking out for you. Have faith in that I know how to get you through to the end.

4) Be Knowledgeable

It is quite possible that during the transition you will have a sense of being out of control. Like everyone else has taken over your life. The lender, seller, appraiser, inspectors …all can change your moving plans in a heart beat. I will do my best to keep the unknowns to a minimum, and keep you filled in on what the expenses will be. I will try to get your loan approved as quickly as possible and educate you as much as I can to keep you from feeling out of control or helpless.

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5) What are My Options?

When the going gets rough, don’t let the emotional toll affect you. Stays clear headed and ask yourself …What are my options?? Let’s say the lender is taking longer than agreed to approve your loan. He keeps hounding you for more and more paperwork, until it seems like he wants to know how many gold fillings you have! You’re upset because you want to have a sense of certainty about the move and now you are forced to live with doubt and uncertainty. You want to just give up, but what are your options? If you found a new lender, you’d have to start the entire process over, and this could take weeks! Not to mention that you’d have to provide all the paperwork again. If the lender is honestly trying his hardest, it may just be better to give him a couple more days. Each case is different, but during a setback, I have found that considering your options helps you stay clear headed and diffuse the situation.

6) Find Entertainment

When the situation is out of your control, do something to keep your mind off it. Perhaps you were expecting loan approval on Friday, but now you won’t receive it until Monday. Nobody likes feeling powerless, so engage is something that helps you relax or something you have control over. Go for a hike, play tennis, take a trip out of town for the day. Watch a movie or do some work.

Whatever activity helps you, now would be a good time to do it. Forget the situation at hand and take one day at a time. To keep your stress at a minimal level, here’s what I’ll do to help you when you work with me: I will give you my expert advice and do this with your best interests in mind. I will help you clarify your goals and channel your motivation, to help you decide whether moving is the wisest choice at this time. I will provide recommendations and information to help your kids cope with the changes. I will negotiate efficiently and comprehensibly to get you the overall best deal. Your money I will treat like my own, and save every expense possible. I will protect your interests during escrow and keep a detailed report of the transaction. I’ll be your clearheaded anchor in times of stress, and I will guide you through all to common ‘feelings of buyers remorse’. I will keep you alerted to every possibility to help you feel in control. Buying a home is huge thing in ones life and I will do my utmost to make it a pleasurable experience.

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