Fear the ultimate obstacle
The biggest obstacle getting in the way of my clients is Fear.
Am I ready to move on with my life? Can I trust the people I hire to be honest and have my best interest in mind? Can I have faith in the process and be at peace with my decision to move on? Can I have faith that I will be happy in my new home and life?
How do you help your clients get off the anxiety loop?
How do you help your clients get off the anxiety loop and start taking steps toward putting their house on the market? Listen to their fears and anxiety -- then step back. Seniors can feel defensive when they fear they are losing their independence and authority In the world. Big life changes are vulnerable-making. Empathy, encouragement, and respect are the key things to help a senior or anyone feeling stuck move forward. I allow my clients to set the pace and decide where to start unless they are stuck and need me to take the lead. When you encounter resistance to slow the pace.
Patience you can not let go of a lifetime of memories in a week
The first step is to encourage a senior to start early. It takes about a year to downsize a house. There will be starts and stops during the process. Unless your client is in a financial or health crisis -- having realistic expectations around when the house will get on the market are essential. Expect setbacks. Selling your family home is stressful. In my experience, one spouse will have a health crisis during the process. A client might hit a wall or fall into a depression. Ultimately the client and the broker want the same thing. A house that gets on the market, sells quickly at the desired selling price.
Filter out the audience
Adult children often leap in with their own fears that add to seniors indecision and anxiety. They are too far away physically to help or are close by and displace their own fears, resentments, and feelings on to the situation. I see my role as a guide. When it comes time to sell a house adult children will often leap in with their opinions and try to control all decisions. Neighbors and friends will throw in their two cents. It is so important to set boundaries. I coach my clients with the tools and language to set limits and boundaries with their children and circle of friends.
I help my clients create a plan and trust their own decisions
You can never feel good about your decisions in life when some else makes them for you. Downsizing a house is not a process to tackle by yourself either. It is both physically and emotionally intense. Hiring a compassionate Senior Move organizer is the right move for both the senior and the broker. It reduces anxiety for the senior and allows the broker to continue networking and building their own business.
