Love it or List it? Three Unconventional Ways to Know for Sure
A Klopas Stratton blog by: Bridget Chambers, Life Coach, Writer
This time of year calls for resolution overload, where our only goals seem to revolve around doing more, better – and faster. Naturally, then, prospective home buyers (and home sellers) might be in the mood for movement, too. However, it can be confusing to sort out the realities of the market, the push to buy (or sell), and the pressure to find the right agent. Change can be invigorating but overwhelming all at once, and there can often seem to be more questions than answers.
To be sure, the most imperative ticket to these coveted answers comes in the form of a Rockstar agent. (See previous blog posts on how to decipher the right one!) But what happens when decisions about our homes seem too cloudy to begin contemplating at all?
Outside of due diligence, research, and planning, we may need strategies that outlast overdoing and overthinking. The decision to sell or buy a home isn’t a small one – and like any major decision, it takes more than a few steps to make it all feel right. How can we get ourselves in good emotional shape? How can we feel confident that our decisions are being made from our healthiest point of view? As with most things in life, the best place to start is from the inside out. Here are our best recommendations:
1. After you declutter, decompress
The cleaning, detoxing, and revamping that comes with this season can unfortunately lead us to becoming exhausted and on edge. Being on edge makes us edgy, and in time, our toleration threshold for otherwise frivolous annoyances dwindles to nothing. During times like these, decision making becomes tricky because we are working with less clarity. So… what does that mean for your next best move?
In terms of real estate, it is smart to take the time to overhaul your current home and get rid of junk and excess mess. This helps you to decipher between the actual space – and the stuff that’s in it. But how about giving yourself the added bonus of an emotional decluttering, too? Utilize your resources and take an evening or weekend to decompress alone. Read, exercise, binge-watch a TV show, or… sleep! Mini “me” retreats re-energize your spirit and make you more grateful, less irritated, and better equipped to predict and plan a future that makes sense for you.
Making a good decision hinges on your mind, body, and spirit. Do yourself a favor and spend a little time on YOU. Your future real estate decision will thank you for it!
2. As you revise, reflect
The winter season tends to bring with it new habits and routines. If you feel like you’ve been climbing the same tedious mountain, without ever reaching its peak, you're bound to feel bored, tense, or anxious. Restlessness is often your brain’s way of telling you that you're overdoing the wrong things. Instead of running nowhere fast, it might be time for a spiritual revamp that begins with self-reflection.
This is pertinent to home-buying and selling because self-reflection paves the way for analyzing next steps. How will a new home impact you and your family? What are your most important considerations? What do you want more of? Less of? How can you tweak your methods and try something new or make something better?
Househunting shouldn’t feel like a hamster wheel. You should feel purposeful, directed, and armed with knowledge. Clarity of mind begins with concentrated reflection.
3. Before you consult, ASSESS.
During this time of year, we often look for answers as to how we can improve our lives via external sources. We all need outside advice and guidance every once in a while, and there are great sources for free opinions. However, if you find that small decisions about your next move cannot be made before consulting others, you are probably setting yourself up for a decision disaster. Spend some time alone assessing what would be best for you, your energy, your time, and your interests. In the end, you cannot do right by others if you cannot do right by yourself.
Here are some additional internal questions to consider:
-What research must be done before I can make a decision?
-What am I looking for that I do not currently possess?
-Am I working with people I trust and believe in?
-What must I know for sure before making a move?
-What if I put this decision on hold for three months. Would be the cost? What would be the benefit?
Of course, all meaningful life decisions require a thoughtful plan. However, there is almost no decision as deeply important as where you choose to root yourself and your family. Even with the most useful resources and research in place, a plan means nothing without your own confidence in it. Five years from now, it might not matter that you made a decision quickly. It might matter more that you made a decision carefully.
To put it simply, let the details come second. Start from the inside out, and that will lead you home.
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