Praying people out there please pray for me. My anxiety over selling inherited house is overwhelming. I have to function through this. Any advice?

My problem was Moms house needed a lot of work. The Realtor was a friend and because of its condition I don't think she really pushed it. Contracts are usually 6 months. When that time is over, get another realtor. You have valid complaints. Put down plastic stripping in the rooms that have carpet. It comes on rolls in places like Home Depot its about a yard wide. Tell the Realtor that no one is to step off tge plastic. Leave closets open so the inside can be seen. I didn't get much for my Moms but I got rid of it. My second Realtor was very good.

Hi PJDela, I am praying for you. There’s a support network called Griefshare. It’s not about home sales but it might help you. See if they are in your area. These support groups are often held in churches for weekly meetings of people who have lost a loved one to death. It is open to all, but many of those who meet in churches are believers too. If you can find one to join it might help you especially during those times when you don’t have cbt. I find it comforting to meet with others who have similar anxieties coming from grief, loneliness, difficult tasks that must be handled after such a loss, etc etc.

Here’s a big hug! I also agree with others posting here who recommend you get another realtor that you can trust. It will lift the burden from your shoulders and you’ll get a MUCH needed mental break because you’ll feel that a “professional” is in charge.

When doing a contract with a realtor you usually sign on for either 3 months or 6 months for them to sell the home, but it is crucial that this contract enumerates what the dealer will DO. Will he or she PERSONALLY show the home? Will they hold open houses? How often. Because they can just enter a home in multiple listings and let others show it or not. They need to be held accountable to a contract. Some will pay for cleanup and cleanout and staging. Many will give you the costs of that.
Speak with someone you know who has EVER sold a home. There must be many, whether at your faith based community, a senior community or even in your grocers. Time to get out and get talking with folks. The internet will be full of what information you need as well, on what to expect of a realtor.

Again, sure do wish you lots of luck.

Talk to your Realtor's broker and tell them you either want their best listing agent on this house, or you'll be taking your business elsewhere.

This guy working for you is incompetent. Someone from his office needs to be at every showing, because it is HIS responsibility that the house is locked, the A/C off, etc.

Pam’s posting in response to your response to funkygrandma is excellent.

Hire a new realtor. Your current realtor isn’t up to par. Selling a home wouldn’t be this stressful if you had a realtor who handled things properly.

Let a realtor handle it ALL for you. They will get comps, discuss things you must disclose that you know are wrong, will help you with fixing, staging if you wish to. Will take 5% to 6% commission, guide you through all the paperwork making certain it is safe for you.
Make it fun for yourselves. Look at homes that are comps (comparable) to yours, see what they are going for, and etc. Talk with folks about what realtor they used and liked. They will help you figure out value of home and guide you every step of the way.

I feel the same way. I just have to get up the courage to definitively call a realtor in the neighborhood that I know, and see if he will assist me selling this house.

He has been over several times, but I haven't made anything definitive yet

Now that it is Spring, I think that it would be a good time to list the house, once and for all.

I see a house in the neighborhood that seemed to be sold within weeks, but I don't know what kind of prep work they did.

My mother died in March 2020, and I've been looking at places to relocate.

There's a lot of new construction being done where I live, as these homes were built in the 1950s. Some have been renovated, and some totally torn down and large new houses built

I understand your anxiety, as I share it however I would very much like to downsize to an area more conducive to senior people. I am currently 68 years old, and things are always breaking in the house. Last year I had new sidewalks and a new driveway installed

Also had a leaky kitchen faucet and two new toilets installed

Last year part of the underground sprinkler broke, and I just had a section replaced, as tree roots were overgrowing the lines and damaging them.

I was told that the whole system is getting old, and they weren't sure how long the repairs would last.

Moving is such an enormous thing to tackle, but I do not want to put any more money into this house, and just need to make that call to list it with a realtor

Ive had vague cash offers ...with no definite price set, and I didn't pursue it.

I really think that it would be worth the realtors commission, to just have them in my court, a d take some of the emotion out of this thing

My very best to you.....I feel the same way that the house is a burden, and I just wish that I could get up the courage to list it for sale, once a d for all!

I'm borrowing from Bundle of Joy's comment on another thread - basically to reduce what stresses you.

Offload, hire out, delegate.

Other strategies I use are to do half as much, or allow myself twice as long.

Your can't sell half a house.. and you don't want to extend things any longer so I would suggest hiring out (as Alva suggested). Everything you can.

Ask your agent. What service can pack up the house? Sort it, donate etc & clean? Provide staff to be present for viewings? How would viewings & a sale be conducted for an out of state or overseas client? Do like that.

Take the personal items you want. Take photos if you wish. Walk through the rooms. Say goodbye & thankyou to the house if you wish too.

Then release this house to agent, to sell to the next family.

The thought of doing this with my folks' place one day is a crushing nightmare to be very honest. I have siblings but they will be unable to help. I will hire it all out to make the task as streamlined & quick as possible. If it comes down to my life vs sucumbing to house stress - I choose my life.

Wishing you the contacts & help you need.

Then renewed energy for the task to find a new place, to fit in & attach to.

Thank you Riverdale, that sounds like a good suggestion. We have this agent for a while so I may request him to attend to showings. It would take some weight off.

Why is the thought of selling your moms house causing you such anxiety? Are you not wanting to? Or are you afraid that when you do it will be like losing a part of her all over again?
You probably should seek out a good therapist so you can work through the issues causing you this anxiety as no this isn't normal, and then find a good realtor that will take the ball and run with it, and sell her house, so you can get on with living and enjoying your life.
You know that your mom wouldn't want you all stressed out over her house and stuff, nor does God, so turn it over to Him and start enjoying your life again.

I am a bit perplexed by your post. Your heading states that you have anxiety over selling your mom’s house.

You go onto say, “I have no kids, no family or friends nearby, husband is overwhelmed at work. Mom died in May of last year. You are lonely and scared and feel like you are under spiritual attack.”

Tell us what are you most concerned about, the sale of the house or the other things that you have mentioned. You seem to be stuck and not sure where to go from here.

An agent can sell the home. How long has the home been on the market?

Maybe you should make an appointment with a licensed therapist to discuss the other issues that you are struggling with. Nothing will improve by itself.

I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. You are grieving and I bet this has magnified all of your other issues.

Sometimes, husbands don’t know how to handle or help their wives. He isn’t a therapist and according to you he has a lot of responsibilities at his job. All the more reason to speak with a therapist who will help you find the tools to heal.

Wishing you peace as you move forward in your life.

Maybe selling Mom’s house made you grieve again to the extend you cannot cope.
Maybe therapy will help, as you stated husband is busy and you have no friends.
Any chances of going places to make new friends or get involve in something, job, volunteering?

Why are you anxious about selling the house?

Do you have a Realtor? It's their job to sell this house, not yours. It's what you pay them for.

I sold my parents' house last year, and it was probably the easiest part of dealing with their estate. Get a really good Realtor and make them earn their money. It's all the better if they specialize in estates, because they'll have contacts for companies to come in and do the estate sale, clean out what doesn't sell, and they'll also have contractors who can spruce it up for you. Many real estate companies now have programs where they'll loan you the money to do the fix-ups, then you pay them back out of the proceeds.

Just save all the receipts and copies of checks if you pay for anything to fix it up to sell, because it can all come off your taxes. I just came from my tax appointment to do the FINAL tax return for my parents' trust, and I was very pleased to learn that little tidbit.

I would hire someone to do stuff for you. An attorney. If there is a home here to sell, then there is money in the estate to handle that. You are making yourself ill trying to do everything. Turn it over the the attorney to do the sale and distribution of the state and pay for it as executor/administrator of the estate.