Life in Newtown, CT

When Bob and I first started our real estate careers, older Realtors in our office gave us loads of advice.  The one piece of advice that sticks in both our minds is about the three most stressful things in life:

1. Getting Married
2. Getting a Divorce
3. Buying a House

I've always thought there was quite a bit of truth to this as I have personally experienced #1 and #3.  The stress of getting everything perfect and not forgetting someone or something when we got married just about put me over the edge.  I remember when I had to order the flowers with my raging fever and ear infection, I started crying when I showed up to the florist and he wasn't there.  I called my soon to be father-in-law and he helped me with selecting the flowers.  It was awful.

We've owned a few homes over the years and every time we've moved, I have thought that "we've done this before - it won't be too bad this time".  Wishful thinking on my part!  Some unforeseen event always happens.  Like when we moved from New York to Newtown, CT, we decided NOT to use a moving company.  Big mistake!  After 7 moving trucks ... each moving truck was large enough to move a 4 bedroom home ... we were thoroughly stressed out and exhausted.  One night, we had to sneak our Rottweiler, Auggie, into a motel room for the night.  In the middle of the night, he started to bark because the people in the next room made noise!  LOL

OK - Getting back to real estate:  Over my career as a Realtor, the list of the three most stressful things in life comes to mind often.  Getting married and getting divorced are both life changing events.  Many times, people need to change their home because of a life changing event.  Many first time homebuyers live at home with their parents or in an apartment.  When they are planning on getting married, they want a place of their own to call home.  With a divorce, it is usually the separation of marrital assets that causes a home to be sold and then both parties must find a new place to live.  A life changing event is stressful enough, but add selling and/or buying a house to the list and it can create a very stressful time in one's life.

How can you keep your stress level down?  Depending on who you speak with, you'll get different information on how to choose a Realtor.  That could be a entire blog post in itself!  I do suggest that prior to choosing a Realtor, think about what you're doing, think of how you want your Realtor to help you and decide not to get on the "real estate rollercoaster".  The "real estate rollercoaster" is following the highs and lows of the transaction - elation:  making an offer and negotiating - not coming to terms: complete and utter devastation on not getting the home of your dreams.  It's tough not to get on the real estate rollercoaster, but you can do it if you set your mind to it!

Posted by: Bob & Richelle Ward, Realtors, ABR
Prudential Connecticut Realty
www.connecticuthomesforsale.com