Update: Since this article was published, Sheri's inspections have been completed and the buyers of her home have requested one repair - there is a small area of wood rot on an exterior door frame. Sheri's contractor has taken care of it at a cost of less than $100. 

A customer I've been working with for some time, I'll call her 'Sheri, ' worked diligently to prepare her home for sale. She had been maintaining it well over the years and before listing it she called in outside help for things like window washing, pressure washing, refreshing the flower beds and touching up interior paint. She wants potential buyers to love her house so much that she's even considered having trees removed to create a larger lawn, and replacing newer kitchen appliances with some of a different color. 

Her house went under contract recently and inspections are scheduled for this week. Poor Sheri is a nervous wreck. While she has been diligent about maintaining the home and its systems, she's afraid the inspectors will find something that she overlooked or wasn't aware of. I've advised her that every home inspector finds something to report, even in new construction homes, but that we can work through whatever comes up in her inspection. I've reminded her that her roof and HVAC are relatively new and her plumbing was inspected prior to listing her home. She has contractor receipts for every single home repair and update she has made in her 30 years in the house. I'm certain that the things this inspector finds will not be troubling or expensive to fix. And still Sheri worries. I took her to a vacant home for sale in her neighborhood that hasn't been maintained well. I pointed out differences in upkeep between this house and hers and yet she is still stressed. She isn't able to leave her home during the inspections and has asked me to be there with her. After speaking with the buyer's agent I've agreed to attend and will do my best to ease Sheri's anxiety, even if the best I can do is to distract her.

Selling a home can be nerve-wracking. And stressful. I wanted to think that my assurances and anecdotes about past inspection experiences relieved Sheri somewhat but from our text exchange this morning it seems maybe they didn't.

Do you have some spare brain power for positive thoughts, prayers, good juju or crossed fingers? If so please send them Sheri's way.

Julie Bentley has been helping people buy and sell homes since 2012. During that time she has calmed many fears, answered thousands of questions, celebrated new chapters, anticipated concerns, resolved difficult situations and laughed a whole lot with her customers.