St. Joseph Prayer to Sell House
When you decide to sell your house, you normally follow these steps:
- Decide whether to sell your house yourself through For Sale By Owner (FSBO), or work with a real estate agent;
- Arrange a pre listing inspection to find out anything that needs to be6 fixed prior to the sale;
- Assess your financials to decide whether you can afford to spend upfront for the repairs, or you'll be selling the house as is;
- Set a competitive listing price by researching market trends or doing comparative market analysis to avoid pricing yourself out of the market or attracting lowball offers;
- Stage the house for open houses and private showings
- Field calls from interested buyers and evaluate the offers you receive;
- Once you find an offer to your liking, don't be afraid to negotiate; and finally,
- Close on the sale and settle all the commissions and closing costs.
Once you put your house in the open market, it typically takes between 60-75 days for the house to sell.
But months pass and you're still waiting for a buyer. Your listing is about to expire, and unfortunately, the longer your house sits unsold, the higher the chance it would sell for less. Things are getting dire and maybe you're wondering if there's someone you could turn to for help.
Is There a Powerful Prayer to Sell a House Fast?
You may have heard of this, but many homeowners and real estate salespeople turn to St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of Workers and Real Estate, for help in selling their house fast. So revered is St. Joseph that in fact, in a housing market downturn, it is observed that there is an uptick in sales of the statue of St. Joseph.
Whatever your religious affiliation, it can't hurt to ask for help from a higher power.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, "Ask and you shall receive," so in this guide we'll walk you through making the St. Joseph prayer strategy work so that you can have the help you desperately need to sell your house fast.
Who Is Saint Joseph?
Saint Joseph (also known as San Jose to Spanish speakers, and San Giuseppe to Italians), is the husband of Mother Mary and foster father to Jesus Christ.
Known as a skilled carpenter and craftsman in a town called Nazareth, he is the patron saint of fathers, working people, craftsmen, engineers, and house sellers and buyers.
Much of what we know about St. Joseph came from the Scriptures. He belongs to the house of David, a tremendous patriarch and the greatest king of Israel. He was engaged to Mary, a virgin born without sin through Immaculate Conception.
Shortly before his marriage to Mary, he found out that she was pregnant despite not having relations with her. He knew that women accused of adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to quietly break the engagement and send her away in order to spare her from public disgrace.
However, an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him that Mary is pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel assured him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because he will be raising the only son of God. St. Joseph faithfully trusted the Heavenly Father and willingly took on the mantle of being the earthly father of Jesus Christ.
The angel again appeared to St. Joseph in a dream, warning of a threat to Jesus's life, so he packed up all their belongings and fled to Egypt with his wife and son. It must've been hard for St. Joseph, leaving everything he had known--friends, family, livelihood--to go live in a foreign land.
Once it's safe to return after two years, St. Joseph took his young family home, where he eventually taught the carpenter's trade to his foster child Jesus and always kept Him properly housed and provided for.
Raising Jesus certainly isn't an easy task: at the age of twelve, Jesus disappeared for three days--imagine St. Joseph's despair and worry! A very patient man, he and Mary combed through Jerusalem and found the child Jesus Christ sitting among the elders and wise men in the temple.
The finding of Jesus in the temple is the last mention of St. Joseph, and nothing is known about his later years.
It is assumed that he died before Jesus started his public ministry, in the presence of his loving family.
Dear Saint Joseph as the Patron Saint of Real Estate
An overwhelming majority of Americans believe in God or a higher power who is all-seeing and all-knowing. In times of need, believing that there's someone up there in His heavenly home gently guiding all of human history can provide great comfort during our ordinary lives: especially someone who is readily accessible through a prayer.
A prayer is simply defined as talking to God. Through prayers, we adore and praise Him; we thank him for his continued blessings; we say sorry for all our shortcomings and wrongdoings; and, we ask him for help, surrendering all our problems and troubles.
In specific cases, we ask for help from saints to pray on our behalf. Saints are ordinary people like us who have led exemplary lives in this world, and thus earned a spot in heaven with God. Asking for a saint's intercession is like having someone with a direct line to God to vouch for us, in order to increase the chances that our prayers will be heard.
Brief History of the Prayer
The St. Joseph prayer has its roots in the 16th century when a group of nuns are having a hard time buying more land to grow crops and raise livestock. Out of options, the nuns appealed for divine intervention and turned to St. Joseph. They buried a St. Joseph statue near the plot of land they wanted to buy, and then sent out an earnest plea to God Almighty through the intercession of St. Joseph, the words of which are reproduced below.
In a short while, the nun's prayers were answered and they obtained additional land to sustain their cloister. From then on, St. Joseph is regarded as the patron saint of Real Estate.
Prayer to St. Joseph to Sell Your House Fast
O, Saint Joseph,
you who taught our Lord
the carpenter’s trade,
and saw to it that he was always properly housed,
hear my earnest plea.
I want you to help me now
as you helped your foster child Jesus,
and as you have helped many others
in the matter of housing.
I wish to sell this house quickly, easily, and profitably,
and I implore you to grant my wish
by bringing me a good buyer,
one who is
eager, compliant, and honest,
and by letting nothing impede the
rapid conclusion of the sale.
Dear Saint Joseph,
I know you would do this for me
out of the goodness of your heart
and in your own good time,
but my need is very great now
and so I must make you hurry
on my behalf.
Saint Joseph, I am going to place you
in a difficult position
with your head in darkness
and you will suffer as our Lord suffered,
until this house is sold.
Then, Saint Joseph, I swear
before the cross and God Almighty,
that I will redeem you
and you will receive my gratitude
and a place of honor in my home.
Amen.
Novena Prayer to St. Joseph
In addition to the St. Joseph prayer above, you can also consider praying the St. Joseph novena. In the Catholic tradition, a novena is a prayer said for nine consecutive days, imploring God for a specific intention--in this case, to sell a house fast--through the intercession of St. Joseph on our behalf.
A novena prayer is known to bring blessing and wonderful gifts to the supplicant. As long as you say it from the heart and have faith that's unwavering, your prayer holds tremendous force and can accomplish great things!
Day 1
Oh God, guide of those who listen and helper of those who hear your voice, speak to me, as you did to St. Joseph, and help me accomplish the things you give me to do .
Day 2
O God, you love your people and bless the ordinary lives we quietly live. As you blessed St. Joseph, bless what I do, however hidden and simple it may be, and let all I do be done with love.
Day 3
O God, ever faithful, you remember us always and in time reveal your blessings. Help me trust in you, as St. Joseph faithfully trusted, and never let me lose faith in the wonderful gifts you promise me.
Day 4
God of families, bless the family that’s mine. Keep us safe from harm, and never let evil come between us. Let peace remain in our hearts.
Day 5
O God, who loves children, be kind to our children today. Give them eyes of faith for seeing far, a loving heart for welcoming life, and a place always at your side.
Day 6
God of our heavenly home, bless our home on earth. Let the spirit of Mary and Joseph rest at our table, shape our words and actions, and bring blessing to our children.
Day 7
God, our Father, give your fatherly spirit to those who are fathers now. Like Joseph, give them hearts of devoted love for their wives and children and strength for forgiveness and patience.
Day 8
Give shelter, O God, to those who need it, and bring together families divided. Give us enough to eat, and decent work to earn our bread. Care for us, O God.
Day 9
Bless all families, O Lord especially those in need. Remembering the life of your Son, we pray for the poor, for those who lack a good home, for those in exile. Grant them a protector like Joseph, O God.
The Ritual Asking Saint Joseph for Help to Sell a House
When you're looking to sell a house fast, you can supplement the prayer and the novena to St. Joseph by doing exactly what the nuns did. Below is a walkthrough of the ritual to help you find a good buyer so that you can sell your house quickly and profitably.
The Elements of the Ritual
To do the ritual as per Catholic tradition, you're going to need the following:
A Statue of St. Joseph
The St. Joseph statue can be purchased from common online retailers or Christian bookstores. They usually come bundled with the St. Joseph prayer (known as the home seller kit) in a card with an image of him in his workbench. It costs around $15.
The kit includes instructions on how to use it, which may vary slightly depending on where you purchase the kit--but don't worry about it, there isn't an exact protocol. As long as you don't lose faith and pray with all your heart, this would let St. Joseph know that someone is in need of assistance and will come to your aid.
A Small Shovel or a Garden Spade
Since the practice involves planting the St. Joseph statue in your property, you're going to need something to dig with.
A "For Sale" sign
You can either make this yourself or purchase it online. In any case, a yard sign is an essential part of your marketing strategy, so it is a must-have when selling your home.
How Does the Ritual Go?
Once you have all the elements, simply dig a small hole in your yard while reciting the prayer. Positioning and locations on where to bury the St. Joseph statue vary, such as:
- upside down, vertically, near the "For Sale" sign
- right side up, vertically
- in the backyard
- on its back, with the head facing towards the house
- vertically, facing the house in the front yard
- vertically, facing away from the house in the front yard
- three feet away from the rear of the house
- 12 inches deep
If you live in a condo and don't have a yard, burying the statue in a pot would do.
Don't overthink the positioning or the exact location, your intention in invoking St. Joseph's devoted love through a sincere and honest prayer is all that matters. Being persistent in our prayers could work wonders, so don't forget to pray the novena.
Once you get the house sold, remember to thank St. Joseph for his intercession.
Additionally, it is recommended to retrieve the statue and place it in an altar or a place of honor in the new home so that St. Joseph's fatherly spirit will watch over the inhabitants.
Clarification Regarding the St. Joseph Prayer
The Catholic Church maintains that Saint Joseph, or any other saints for that matter, isn't being prayed to. Rather, when reciting the novena to ask for help in selling or buying property, we are merely asking St. Joseph to intercede on our behalf.
Children are taught to be obedient to their parents, and as St. Joseph is the foster father of Jesus, the same logic applies. Wouldn't St. Joseph's request on our behalf be looked at favorably by the Son of God himself?
Tips to Help Sell Your House Faster
While most of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of praying to St. Joseph for help in selling a house is mostly anecdotal, it certainly can't hurt to perform the ritual and fervently believe in it while doing so. After all, belief in a Higher Power, or "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen."
Faith, coupled with action, can get you places.
Here are some more things you can do to increase your chances of selling your home quickly:
Clean and Declutter
Piles of junk and a terrible smell can be an instant turnoff to buyers. Get rid of that ratty old carpet! Peel off that yellowed wallpaper! Give your façade a power wash to get rid of all the accumulated grime and dust to boost your curb appeal and attract interested buyers!
Additionally, pack your personal stuff into boxes and do a deep clean of your home so that anyone entering your property can easily envision what it's like to live there.
And while you're at it...
Take Care of Minor Repairs
Even if you don't have the budget for extensive and expensive upgrades such as a bathroom remodel or a kitchen renovation, replacing broken light bulbs and fixing leaky faucets can leave potential buyers with a wonderful impression that your property is well maintained.
You can also consider giving your interiors a fresh coat of paint so that the rooms look brighter and feel bigger.
Create a Captivating Listing
The internet is the usual starting point for most buyers when searching for their dream home. Consider hiring a real estate photographer (around $300) to take stunning photos of your property. Don't forget to open your windows and let in lots of natural lighting during the shoot! Additionally, draft a killer caption to go with your professionally taken pictures.
Be Creative With Your Marketing
In addition to yard signs, online listings, and social media postings, you can offer limited-time freebies to encourage buyers to close fast. For example, you can throw in some free gym equipment or something even more extravagant (i.e. a car) if you have the budget for it.
Be bold!
Remember, the longer your house sits unsold on the market, the more money you lose: you have to keep up with your mortgage payments, utilities, property taxes, and all the associated costs that come with owning a home, so selling fast is really in your best interest.
Does the Prayer Work?
If you're a home seller dealing with a tight timeline and has a dire need to sell your house fast, just looking at all the steps you need to take can be daunting. You wonder if there's an easier, faster way to get a guaranteed sale. You can no longer take the uncertainty of having to wait for a buyer to come along.
Consider praying to St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of Real Estate to help you in your endeavors, while doing all you can on your end. Once you have done everything, there is a good chance that you'll find your buyer.
As the saying goes: "We must do our best and let God do the rest."
Therefore, it isn't bold to assume that the prayer works if we work too!
Closing Thoughts: St. Joseph Prayer to Sell Your House Fast
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What's more, we buy houses in absolutely any condition! You have nothing to worry about even if it's in terrible shape; you can sell as is and get money for your property without the headaches and hassles that come with overseeing repairs.
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If you'd like to know more, just call us at (855) 835-2544 and we'd love to talk with you!
