How to reduce the stress of buying and selling a house

It’s a pretty close call which out of buying or selling a house is the most stressful.

Fortunately, there are a few simple steps that both sellers and buyers can take to cut the stress.

Sellers: find a reliable estate agent

Probably the best way to cut the stress of selling a house is to find the right estate agent. They recommend that you do your research, draw up a shortlist and, above all, remember the agent works for you.

De-clutter your home

Another smart move is to have a major clear-out. If you cut out the clutter, prospective buyers can see your property’s full potential as their future home.

Good communication is also important. After all, your solicitor and estate agent are there to help you take the stress out of selling a house, so always respond to any questions they have quickly to avoid any delays.

Preparation is key

But no matter how well you plan, something will always wrong. If you let it get to you, your stress levels will just go through the roof.

Psychologist Dr Sandi Mann says it helps to remind yourself about the positive reasons behind your move. She also recommends giving yourself a bit of TLC.

So make it clear to your estate agent when you are available for viewings and when you are not. Laying down those ground rules early on will take a lot of the stress out of selling a house.

And last but not least, aim to put your house on the market to coincide with the peak selling season. According to property website rightmove.co.uk, spring is the best to nail that sale.

Buyer beware

But just because selling a house can push up the stress levels, it doesn’t mean you can forget about house buying stress.

A recent survey by Aldermore bank of first-time buyers found that almost half (47%) felt they had to “rebuild their lives” after the experience.

Blast the buyer blues

Fortunately, there are a few commonsense, easy steps you can take that can slash house buying stress.

First-time buyers especially might want to read up on the house-buying process so that you know what to expect from it and, more important, what can go wrong.

Because nothing pushes up the stress levels more than not knowing what to expect next.

Another great way to bust house buying stress is to set up a viewing calendar so that you can organise your time.

Not only will this simple step mean that you don’t double book an appointment, but it will also let you plan some quality time away from the stress of buying a new house.

Call in the professionals

One of your most important allies, when you are buying your new home, is your conveyancing solicitor, so take time to find the right one.

Personal recommendations are a great place to start, or you could try an online search tool.

Just tap in a few simple details about the purchase and it will instantly come back with a range of quotes to choose.

Making an offer

Once you have, the next step is to put in an offer.

It’s important to be tactical, so research the local market and find out what the local asking prices are for similar homes.

The key is to be realistic. If you put in an offer that is too low, you could find yourself gazumped — a major cause of house buying stress. On the other hand, if the property has been on the market for a while, you could strike it lucky.

Last but not least, you will need enough cash set aside for all the extras that it’s easy to overlook such as new furniture, repairs and any commitment fees that your broker might charge to get your mortgage application pre-approved.

Although no-one can promise to eliminate completely the stress of selling or buying a house, following these simple hints and tips should help to keep it under control.