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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Selling houses and mental health

11 replies

firefirefire · 22/04/2019 13:34

Does anyone find the process of selling your house has a really detrimental effect on your mental health?

The uncertainty, the threat of it all going wrong, the tidying and cleaning before every viewing....

I honestly feel like it's making me very low.

Anyone else?

OP posts:

dimmu · 22/04/2019 14:40

Oh yes, the whole process is so draining!
We have only just accepted an offer after 8 weeks on the market and more than 30 viewings and I feel exhausted already. Also haven't heard anything from the buyer since accepting their offer which is of course stressing me out, even though I know It's a bank holiday weekend and nothing is gonna happen until later on on the week.

greatandpowerfulozma · 22/04/2019 14:55

It’s awful, so tense! I’ve only done it twice and both times the entire process was months and months of uncertainty. I wish it was like the Scottish system everywhere where you make an offer and as far as I know people sign contracts there and then and they can’t back out. It would save so much anxiety and messing about!

jemihap · 22/04/2019 17:25

The good news is as long as you've got it on for a sensible and realistic price then it should sell in weeks rather than months in this current supply starved market.

If it's on for an unachievable and unrealistic price then you could be in for a long haul of (self induced) stress and anxiety.

CoffeeConnoisseur · 22/04/2019 17:27

Yes. I’ve told DH that if he ever wishes to move again he will need to divorce me and sign over the house to me and he can crack on.

Skylucy · 22/04/2019 17:30

Argh, it is stressful and can certainly take its toll. We went under offer 2 months ago but couldn't find anywhere to buy. We saw something great on Saturday and emailed an offer - of course but heard yet. Our buyer's gone quiet too. I have a history of poor mental health so all this (especially with 2 children under 2) is a big worry. Take care of yourself, and be consoled by the fact the market is bizarre and unpredictable at the moment - it's not you, and you will get through it! I'm sure your sale's fine, and I hope you secure somewhere lovely.

Jeggie · 22/04/2019 17:40

Oh my god yes. We haven't bought fir 12 y and put ours in before xmas but the house needed a massive de clutter and clean / touch up before I could even bring myself to let agents take photos. Something about houses represents your psyche I think. Letting people in means dropping barriers you have in place to feel safe. So we have found it a a very unsettling time even before you factor in viewings paired with family life, then offers that fall through in a week. We now have buyers who have instructed survey etc so going somewhere.... but now we can't find anywhere to buy. Stress stress stress.

Skylucy · 22/04/2019 17:51

Agh, sorry @firefirefire I confused your post with @dimmu 's! But my sentiment is the same - yes, it's stressful. Solidarity!

@Jeggie it's bloody tricky at the moment isn't it? Where we are, the 'good' houses go within 24 hours for waaaay over the asking price, and everything else lingers for yonks because it's overpriced and, well, weird. I'm worried that if we go for something we'll be massively overpaying, simply to get it. I really don't want buyer's remorse! We're considering renting until the market picks up, but I've no idea if/when it will...

Jeggie · 22/04/2019 21:38

Ah I hope your offer gets accepted @Skylucy ! Yes, it's rubbish when you feel that they know you're desperate so inflate the asking price with you in mind. Happened just the other week, house mysteriously exactly at the price we had offered on another of agent's properties (that offer was refused). Hard not to be suspicious. It wasn't the one for us luckily, would have been overpaying otherwise I reckon.

Moomin12345 · 22/04/2019 22:30

Buying is bad for the mental health too. The successive governments have rendered the housing market dysfunctional beyond belief and voila. The perfect storm of dire supply, huge demand, shoe-like new builds, high streets consisting only of coffee shops and parasitic estate agents... No legal protection for either side until exchange. I'd happily leave this country but I'm not sure Canada will take me, so will probably need to put up with the sheer insanity of it all.

Shopperami · 22/04/2019 22:35

I am wanting to sell and buy and have been dreading it.

Still haven’t got it on the market. How can you have a life with kids if you have viewers all the time? And where am I supposed to put all our ‘stuff?’

sandybayley · 23/04/2019 08:25

Definitely bad for mental health and also bad for marital harmony. DH and I have had some terrible arguments since putting the house on the market. Mainly about what we are prepared to compromise on with the new house and what we'll compromise on with our sale.

We've already lost one sale and purchase and are progressing with a new sale and purchase. We're a bit more sanguine now having had the chain collapse once already.

We took a decision when trying to sell for the 2nd time that life has to go on and that we wouldn't put life on hold. So we've been on holiday and made plans assuming we'll be in current house. That's helped a lot.

I also think selling is hard because of the constant feeling of being judged. The negative feedback is crushing to start with but you learn to live with it.

Stay strong everyone and rant away on here!

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