Can there be Serenity in Real Estate?

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

We’ve all heard (and likely said) the Serenity Prayer in one form or another, but leave it to the KCM Crew to apply it to real estate.   Their article this morning was focused on selling your home, but you can easily apply it to the stress of buying a home as well.

Accept the things you cannot change.   The truth is, we are all struggling to accept this one – we can’t change the current economy or make the inventory of distressed homes disappear.   Buyers and sellers alike are often frustrated by short sales and foreclosures for different reasons.  Sellers are faced with the impact these homes have on market value and buyers struggle with the length of the process and often the condition of the homes.

Have the courage to change the things you can    Have the courage to meet with a real estate professional (or multiple real estate professionals!) and allow them to help you determine the true market value of your home today.   Only you can decide if it is the right choice for, but it takes courage to face the reality of your home’s value and attract the knowledgeable and price savvy buyer in the market today.

The wisdom to know the difference   Many homeowners are playing the waiting game right now.   Waiting for the market to improve in their neighborhood so they don’t have to make this difficult – and sometimes impossible – choice.   The reality is, no one knows when the market will improve.  We hear estimates from industry experts that range from one to ten years.    Weigh the reason you would like to sell your home agains the extra money you are hoping to get from that sale in a different market.   Only you can decide whether is wiser for your family to act now or wait.

So what does this mean in a nutshell?  You can’t change the reality of today’s market –  but you can take back control over whether your home sells or not.   Use the market knowledge a real estate professional can provide and get ahead of the curve.