Housing hypnosis: Expert reveals how to cure house-selling stress

Selling your home can be one of life’s most exciting periods, with the prospect of starting a new chapter in a new home filling many with hope and anticipation.

However, as we all know, the process of selling your house (particularly when you’re buying a property at the same time) rarely runs smoothly - and can be a stressful time for homeowners.

In fact, recent research from Legal and General revealed that moving home is considered the most stress-inducing life event you can experience, ranked more stressful than starting a new job, going through a divorce, or even having a baby.

With over 12,000 searches every year for “moving house stress”, it’s clear that house-sellers are searching for solutions to reduce house-moving tension, and so we wanted to help…

While a glass of wine or bubble bath may feel like it’s helping reduce property pressure in the short term, hypnosis is widely regarded as one effective and simple way to reduce stress and help to build a positive mindset over time.

Hypnosis for home movers

Our previous research found that it takes 95 days on average just to sell a property in the UK, let alone handle the paperwork and moving logistics.

With this in mind, and in order to support property owners through the house-selling process as much as possible, we’ve partnered with Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) mindset coach and trained hypnosis expert Rebecca Lockwood, who has provided her top tips on reducing anxiety in particularly stressful times.

Rebecca has also recorded a custom ‘Housing Hypnosis’ 10-minute hypnosis track, which is designed to be used in times of pressure and stress for anyone either buying or selling a home.

Rebecca Lockwood, Master NLP Mindset coach and hypnosis expert comments:

“Hypnosis works really well in supporting people when they’re experiencing feelings of stress and anxiety, and in times of uncertainty. When we feel stressed about how something is going to resolve itself, stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol build up - which can cause the body to go into fight or flight mode.

High levels of these hormones in your body can have a significant impact on your appetite, sleep and mental health, and so it’s incredibly important to manage them as much as you can.

During hypnosis, you are taken on a relaxation journey to release these stress hormones from your body. You’re encouraged to focus on the positive outcomes, and trust in the process, and this is why hypnosis can be an ideal technique to aid relaxation and cause a reduction in stress and anxiety for those selling a house.

There are so many things outside of your control when you move house, whether you’re selling or buying a property, and so taking time out of your day to listen to a hypnosis track could be a great way to re-centre, focus on the positives and trust that your journey will work out in the end.

However, bear in mind that hypnosis is most effective when you stay open to the process. It’s important to remember that hypnosis is supposed to support you to feel relaxed and comfortable, and to help you achieve feelings you want to feel.

When listening to a hypnosis track, sit somewhere comfortably, with your head supported, or lay down somewhere comfy if this is preferable. Avoid any distractions by turning your phone off and go to a place where you won’t be easily disturbed; the more you can immerse yourself in the experience of being hypnotised, the more likely you’ll be able to reap the benefits.”

Listen to our Housing Hypnosis track now!

Our Housing Hypnosis track is great to listen to on a regular basis while going through the process of selling your property (eg. every other night before you go to sleep). However, if you find the strain of moving becoming all too much, there are a few things you can do to instantly reduce feelings of anxiety.

Rebecca advises: ‘If house-sellers (or buyers) find themselves in a particularly stressful situation, there are a few quick fixes I would recommend to feel calmer and reduce anxiety almost instantly:

• Listen to a short meditation audio that helps relieve stress.
• Place your hand on your heart and breathe deeply: in through your nose and out through your mouth for five breaths.
• Put on your favourite music and just listen - dance if you feel compelled to!

Five Steps To Selling Your Home Stress-Free

While some causes of property-related stress are completely unavoidable (and unpredictable), others can be prevented or minimised with a bit of forward-thinking and preparation. Here are our top five practical tips for preventing stress while selling your home:

1. Find a reliable estate agent

You can sell your house without an estate agent, but finding the right agent can help make the process of selling your home significantly less stressful – as agents will handle key elements from marketing your home, liaising with solicitors, handling viewings and negotiating your final sale.

Choosing the right estate agent is important because a good one can help you achieve a quicker sale for a better final price. When picking your agent, don’t just pick the agent with the lowest fee, don’t rely on the highest valuation (as this could be an attempt to win you over), and don’t rely on hearsay – use hard data to pick the best estate agent for you and your needs.

2. Decide if it’s really the right time to sell your property

There are several factors that can affect how quickly your property will sell, including: the time of year, the state of the property market, local market conditions and your personal circumstances. In particular, the time of year you decide to sell can have a huge impact on how successful your sale will be – for example, most buyers are too busy and less inclined to move over the winter months, thereby diminishing the chance of a quick sale.

Our recent Sellers Report revealed that March, May and June were the most popular months for sellers to put their homes on the market. Keep these trends in mind to achieve a quicker sale, and ensure your schedule is clear – moving house can take over your life for a short while!

3. Get necessary house checks and surveys completed early on in the process

Few properties are perfect, so it’s very common for a procedural property check or survey to throw up some unexpected issues – from smaller, more manageable issues such as damp or blocked gutters, to bigger problems such as damage to the structure of the property or asbestos. The sooner you can get these checks completed, the quicker you can deal with any problems and minimise the impact these issues could have on a sale.. \

4. Ensure your property is valued accurately

A property valuation is an estimate of how much your property will sell for in current market conditions, and there are two main ways to calculate your property’s value – either online using a house price calculator, or using an estate agent’s in-person valuation. Getting an accurate property valuation is essential, because it’s the basis of your asking price and will affect how much you make in a property sale.

A common reason for a sale to fall through is when a buyer’s mortgage lender decides that a property is worth less than market value, and consequently offers the buyer less than needed to purchase the property. To avoid this stressful situation, get an accurate valuation by seeking multiple opinions from several estate agents – this will help you price your property accurately and give you a better idea of which agent you might like to work with.

5. Choose the right buyer

Finally, receiving an offer for your property can be incredibly exciting, but it’s important to keep your cool and consider your options before making a final decision on your buyer. While it might be tempting to go for the highest offer, there are other factors to consider which could affect how smooth the remaining process will be.

Try to consider how confident you are in a prospective buyer, as their financial position and logistical situation (and overall reliability) could affect how successful the final sale is.

If you’re thinking about selling your home (and taking on the excitement and inevitable stress that comes during this process), see how much your house could be worth with our online house price calculator.