Stressed is desserts spelled backwards. So let’s start the meal with pie and ice cream. With proper planning and timing your real estate transaction should go down like a homemade apple pie at a Sunday picnic. On the other hand it could be like waking up late for a vacation, missing your flight, your luggage finally arrives two days later, getting your wallet stolen and losing your cell phone. I will take the picnic and pie any day of the week.

If you are thinking or even considering purchasing or selling a home, I have five tips that will help you stay away from stress and enjoy delicious real estate desserts. BTW there’s no calories in my real estate desserts so you can eat as much as you would like.

Here are my five tips to relieve stress from a real estate transaction.

1. Find a pro. Begin by looking for a real estate broker that is in close proximity to the area you are looking to purchase or sell in. Read their online reviews or ask for references. Once the word gets out that you are thinking of selling or buying the real estate brokers come out from the woodwork. Everyone knows someone or has a friend and then there’s that family member who’s a broker. Do some homework and set up some interviews.

2. Don’t obsess about timing. Many buyers and sellers attempt to anticipate the pricing of homes and inventory levels so they can time their purchase or listing. In reality, the right time to buy or sell is when you are ready to buy or sell.

3. Keep emotions in check. Most of us will only go through a few real estate transactions in our lifetime. Buyers strain themselves to find that perfect home. Buyers put too much pressure on themselves while house hunting. Selling your home can also be a mixed up stress cake. All the nice things you have done to the home and the memories made in the home. When emotions are involved buyers can over pay, and sellers always over price.

4. Check your expectation. A person who is 195 pounds would not make a good jockey. Your friend’s experiences and those crazy home reality shows may appear to be a sunny day real estate deals then reality determines in just partly cloudy. Be honest with yourself and what you can afford. Learning more about the market and the process will help you set realistic expectations.

5. Follow tips one through four. If you’ve used the same broker before and you liked them, great use them again. It’s always good to get a second or third opinion. Don’t necessarily try to time the market. Many clients say they wished they would have acted sooner. And don’t let your emotions get out of control because it could cost you thousands of dollars. Lastly, be clear about what you can do and how long it might take. Starting a journey that you think will only take 40 days then ends up taking four months is never fun.

Todd Fahlman is a local real estate agent who writes a monthly column for this newspaper.