conflicts. Hopefully, a compromised model of what might work will eventually materialise.

However, once this agreed implicit model is in place, a different set of concerns arise. You find a house you all like but it is too expensive or you can’t get a mortgage or the survey is problematic or you have made an offer and someone has gazumped you at the last minute. So initial excitement leads to disappointment and frustration. The worry lingers that you missed the perfect house and will never find another one as good.

This, of course, is not true and such feelings can be managed by being patient and understanding that there will always be another house around the corner, sometimes quite literally. You can also employ the following coping strategies:

Work with your partner/family to determine the high priority aspects of the ideal home, then you can afford to ignore the lower priority aspects if necessary.

Lower your expectations about how long it will take to find the right property.

Have a plan B. Find another property you are also interested in, so that if your offer on the ideal home is not accepted, you have something else to think about.

Take control and make sure all parties involved, including estate agents, are motivated to find you what you want. Don’t just rely on property websites: go and talk to local agents about what you are looking for.

In short, you need to be visionary and action-orientated at the same time. Remember the old Japanese proverb: Vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare. Don’t allow house hunting to become your nightmare.

Further information

'Helping children to cope with a family move' is part of our new series of blogs, 'Moving Stories', inspired by Savills new advertising campaign. Each week, the pre-eminant psychologist, Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE, will be writing on a range of topics, from how to deal with the stress of movingwith a young family to just what it is that makes a house a home.

Moving Stories will also be exploring the complex relationship between home and home-owner with funny, sad and bittersweet personal reflections on moving out, moving in and moving on.

We invite you to submit your own Moving Stories and will donate £50 to Dreams Come True for every one we publish on Savills UK Blog. We'll also make a donation for every story submitted for consideration.