Today’s tip is for sellers: don’t take it personally!

For many people, their home is their refuge. It’s a place that completely reflects them and who they are. As a result, most people think that their home is pretty amazing, has wonderful decor and is worth a lot of money.

Reality does not always line up with this. So don’t take it personally when an agent gives you an estimate of your homes value and it is lower than you thought it would be. It has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with market conditions.

Also, if an agent suggest changing around some furniture, or perhaps painting a wall or two - again, don’t take it personally. Even though that is exactly how you liked it, an agent deals with tons of buyers and they know what the “general” buyer is looking for. While there may be that one other person out there who loves the colors and set up and much as you do, you really don’t want to limit your potential buyer pool to just them.

Lastly, once your house is listed, your agent will probably call other agents who have shown the house and ask them for feedback. When they pass that feedback on to you - don’t take it personally. If buyers are saying that there is a funny smell, maybe lay off cooking with so much garlic and onion for a while, open some windows and light a pretty candle. If buyers are saying that they just don’t like the bright red kitchen, consider painting it a lighter color.

Bottom line - if you are going to sell your house, you are going to need a thick skin. So remember, it’s not personal. And as soon as you get to your next house, you can personalize it as much as you want again!