I REALLY don't want to do this.
My husband has been transferred and I have to put my house on the market...and soon! Today, I started making a list of all the things I need to do to prepare. As I sit here and read over my list I realize that I really DON'T want to do this! What a pain! Having to put all of my personal items away, taking the time to have my home ready and in "showing condition" every time I leave the house, having agents call at dinner time to see if they can come by in 10 minutes, receiving insulting feedback from people who don't appreciate what a great home we have to offer, etc, etc, etc.
Sellers are great. They take a lot of "you-know-what" from agents and buyers. Bless them all for being so patient with us!! We intrude upon their lives, invade their personal space and expose all of their vulnerabilities - all in a days work. As soon as they agree to allow us to list our homes we try to hurry them into getting their house ready as soon as possible, as if they can just wave that magic wand that instantly implements all of our recommendations.
Even worse, I specialize in Staging Homes as well. These clients are the true saints! They let me come into their homes and completely rearrange their cherished decorations and furniture and smile while I make their home no longer look like it's "theirs". There has to be a special corner in heaven reserved for people who smile graciously during this process. Seriously.
Maybe we should all walk a mile in their shoes. I haven't had to sell my own personal home in 7 years and I think I've lost touch with how difficult it really is (especially in a slower market). I'll be a little gentler with my sellers and staging clients from now on and remember how stressful the actual listing period is.
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