How to lessen the pain of selling a cherished family home
20 April 2006
Most people form emotional attachments to their homes, and the longer they live in them, the stronger these become.
However, this can prove be a real problem when the time comes to sell the property, says Berry Everitt, MD of the Chas Everitt International property group.
“It is a fact that very few people are able to dispassionately and objectively value their own properties – and that the majority will tend to over-value a home, especially if they have lived there for a long time and leaving is going to be a real wrench.
“But, in all fairness, you can’t expect a buyer to recompense you for the happy memories a home may hold, and there are ways to get through the tough experience of selling a cherished family home with your sanity intact.”
Writing in the Property Signposts newsletter, he says the best strategy is to take a very businesslike approach – “starting with the appointment of a trained and professional agent able to give you expert advice on the timing of your sale and some impartial perspective on how much your home is really worth”.
This agent, Everitt says, will also act as a buffer between your sensitivities and the sometimes-critical appraisals your beloved home is bound to elicit from potential buyers.
“Your agent should also ensure that you do not have prospective buyers tramping through your home at all hours of the day. A professional agent will make viewing appointments and give you enough notice to tidy up and to make yourself scarce, comfortable in the knowledge that the agent will look after your interests in your absence.
“And, once you receive an offer to purchase, the agent will be able to guide you through the necessary legal requirements and keep you informed of progress, leaving you free to focus on your plans for your new home instead of pining for the old one.”
Issued by Chas Everitt International
For further information call Brenda Smith at
Chas Everitt International Bryanston on 011 463 2033
or visit www.chaseveritt.com