Sell Your Home; Keep Your Head

When Jeff Anderson, a fundraising specialist from San Francisco, made the decision to sell his massive 3,200-square-foot, three-bedroom Victorian, he thought he had things well in hand.

Once the decision was made, however, the nine years Jeff had spent building memories in his home did not make it easy to leave. “It was a perfectly rational decision with emotionally unexpected consequences,” he says. “Everything that was a pain becomes something you might miss.”

Home selling isn’t easy, but it’s something you’ll have to face early in the process. “Most families spend years living in their homes. It’s where they’ve raised their children and celebrated milestones,” says Dick Gaylord, President of the National Association of Realtors. “The phrase ‘home is where the heart is’ says it all.” In order to avoid feelings of regret later, Gaylord suggests sellers think very seriously about their options before they sell.

Beyond the emotional repercussions, there are other factors that may be holding you back. There’s been a lot of grim discussion about sub-prime mortgages and foreclosures of late. Don’t let it scare you! Talk with your realtor or compare local sale listings. Even if the market is slow, you can still turn your home for a profit with some patience and perseverance.