Selling a house is nearly always a challenging process. Selling after losing a loved one can be particularly heart-wrenching. Letting go of the home you shared often feels like saying goodbye over and over again as you revisit each room and begin to sort through those treasured belongings and keepsakes. 

Everyone grieves differently following a loss, and there is never any one correct path. For some people, living in the space they shared with their loved one allows them to feel connected, which is a source of comfort and solace. For others, walking through rooms filled with memories can be too much to bear. Selling can be a stressful and painful process at the best of times, but staying can feel even worse. In this post, we’ll talk about how to successfully navigate a transaction while facing one of the most challenging moments in your life.

Give Yourself Space

For any home sale, it helps to start with a plan. When you’re grieving, this step is even more critical as it will keep you focused. You don’t have to rush into anything right this moment. You can simply begin by etching out a plan for your future. Your list may look something like this:

• Connect to a local real estate agent. Many professionals have been through this situation before and will guide you through the process of selling with empathy and compassion.
• Begin collecting boxes to sort through items and pack. You don’t have to do it all at once. Just start with the boxes. Taking small steps will help you to build momentum so you don’t get overwhelmed.
• List any minor updates that could make your home stand out. It could be something as simple as a coat of paint, a thorough clean and declutter, and not much else.

Start weighing your options for your next steps, particularly if this is the home you and your loved one shared. Will you search for a new home in the same city or relocate elsewhere? What type of home would you like to live in once yours sells?

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When you’re ready, here are some resources you will also find helpful when selling your home:

• What Is the Art of Letting Go? How to Declutter Your Home At Last
• Why Are Family Homes in Ottawa in High Demand?
• Why Sell Your Home When You’re Living Mortgage Free? 

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Reach Out for Support

If time is on your side and you are not in a rush for the transaction to be over, taking frequent mental or physical breaks may be beneficial for your well-being. You may not have this luxury if you must sell the home quickly. In either case, always remember that you don’t have to tackle any of these to-do items alone. 

Reaching out for support means having someone there to comfort and encourage you. Plus, everything will be done faster, allowing you to move on to the next stage of your healing.

During this time, your friends and family members can help you clean the home inside and out, take care of any yard work, and even perform any minor repairs. A local real estate team can take care of everything else. Through their network of reputable tradespeople and contractors, you can step aside as professionals quickly get your house ready for the market.

Easing the Process of Decluttering

Decluttering a house before selling is a double-edged sword. A sparkling clean home is more appealing to potential buyers, which can mean a faster sale and higher return. On the other hand, the task of decluttering can feel draining at the best of times, and is even more heartbreaking after a loss. And yet, this is one part of the process that often requires your direct involvement. 

No matter how good they may be, professional cleaners cannot always know the difference between a keepsake with priceless sentimental value and an everyday item to be discarded. Nothing anyone can say will make sorting through your loved one’s belongings easy. However, the following tips may help make it easier to bear:

• Start as early as possible so you can walk away if you need to.
• Before sorting through anything, try to think of what you’d like to keep from memory. If you can think of them unprompted, you know they have value. Otherwise, you may want to keep everything you see and touch.
• See if a family member will hold onto any belongings you feel conflicted about. This saves you from having to decide before you’re ready while allowing you to move forward with preparing your house for sale. Then, you can revisit them later when the urgency and the pressure have passed.
• Giving away items you love but no longer need will feel better than donating or discarding them. 

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What happens after your house sells? The following posts can help you plan your next steps:

• Is It Better to Rent as a Senior in Ottawa?
• What are the Best Ottawa Neighbourhoods for Retirees?
• Ottawa: More Than Meets the Eye

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Stay Focused on the Outcome

It’s one thing to understand the importance of focusing on the outcome when selling a home. However, grief knows no timelines and respects no agenda, and emotions can run high at any point. As real estate professionals, we never discount the emotional turmoil you will feel at various stages of selling your home after a loss. 

That’s why we won’t insist that you focus on the goal, let us take that burden from you. We understand that you may be depending on a successful sale to empower your next steps even if you don’t feel like engaging in the process. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or that it’s all too much, remember that your real estate agent is standing by to handle it. If last-minute repairs or hiccups arise, we will press forward and do everything in our power to ensure a successful sale and seamless transition.

Do you need extra support when selling your house during a difficult time? We are here for you and will ease the process in every way we can. You can reach out to us anytime at 613.829.7484 or email mail@chellteam.com with any questions you may have.