As surely as the sun shines in the morning a real estate transaction will produce pressure situations for you, your family and your Realtor. It goes with the territory. There are a number of reasons for this.  Usually there is big money exchanging hands, there are multiple people involved in executing the transaction, there are lots of things that can go wrong and often time-lines are set without extensive consultation. In real estate contracts “time is of the essence”. Therefore stress is going to be a part of the transaction even if you are calm cool and collected 99% of the time.

So how does one manage that stress? Here are a few suggestions that can help you through the transaction without losing your hair. Indecently, most of mine was gone before I began selling real estate.

1. Give yourself realistic time-lines to both find, negotiate, close and move to the new location. Time pressures can be reduced simply by taking the appropriate amount of time to get things done. Don’t rush things unnecessarily. Try to stay in control of the time-lines making sure that you have enough to achieve your objectives.

2. Solicit the services of a Realtor who has experience under pressure situations. It doesn’t really help to have your Realtor freaking out at delays, inaction from third parties to the transaction or any other situation that is unexpected. You are best served by a Realtor who knows real estate well, stays calm and in control of his or her emotions and who is able to move things along without carrying the monkey on his or her back. If s/he is calm it will help you to stay calm as well.

3. Stay alert and on the ball. Throughout the house hunting, buying, selling, process you should be proactive with all the people involved. Know what has to be done and keep in touch with those that you depend on to get them done. A call once a week to your Realtor and other professionals involved will do wonders to keep your issues top of mind.

4. Build in buffers during each stage of the process. If you need cash, make sure you have more than enough cash to make the deal happen. If you will need movers, make sure you have more than enough movers. If you need help with packing, make sure you have more than enough friends to help.  Carry spare "whatevers" right up to the day of closing.

5. If you have young children use the services of a competent sitter for them on your big moving day. The kids will do fine for a day away from the parents.  Depending on maturity, some will co-operate because you are moving to a new house. Let the worry of looking after them this day go and leave them in the hands of good help.

6. In my view, this is a big one. Prepare for a delay on closing day. If you can build in a few days buffer on when you have to be out of your current residence then a delay won’t push your stress meter quite as far into the red. Arranging interim financing in advance may be necessary but it sure makes the move more manageable. Don’t expect to close the deal and move everything in on the same day. Moving over a couple of days if possible will be a big help.

7. Finally, think about the big picture. Most and likely all of the issues related to the move will get resolved and in a few months they will begin to seem like a distant memory. Don’t allow yourself to get unnecessarily stressed over the transaction. A little self talk will go a long way. Deal with each obstacle with serenity, common sense, good advice from your Realtor and lawyer and then clearly communicate with all the parties to the transaction in a timely manner.

As a Realtor I try to help my clients keep their cool and not let the unexpected throw them into a spin. Buyers and sellers can help themselves by being reasonable, in control of their emotions and willing to roll with the punches just a little. In my view, life is too short to ruin a day over a real estate transaction.

As a friend of mine says with a little levity and a glint in his eye, “Breathe deeply in through the nose and out through the butt.” Whatever the stressors may be, things usually do get resolved reasonably and you will be in your new home in due course.

R. Greg Osmond is a Platinum Award winning Realtor serving St. John’s and surrounding areas, Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years and can be reached at 709-895-2500. Visit http://www.rgregosmond.com/ for further information.