Ready to Downsize Your Home? Here’s How
Are you finding yourself suddenly ready to make a change and downsize? Most of us think about it from time to time, but suddenly when faced with home repairs and yard work you are ready to make a change and it can’t happen soon enough! There are a few things you can do to make this process more profitable.
The problem is that for many is simply knowing where to start. Boxes stashed in the attic suddenly demand sorting. It can be overwhelming, and that is just the beginning. Enlist the help of family to sort through a lifetime of cherished belongings. Decide together what to keep, what to give away, and what to discard.
Prior to listing your current home comes a series of important tasks. To prepare your home for top dollar you will need to see your old house through new eyes. There are two factors to consider: price and presentation. You need the advice of a professional on how to assess your home’s worth. It doesn’t matter what your neighbor sold a home for just last year—your home’s unique features your location, and current market demand will determine the asking price. Find a good realtor or appraiser to give you a realistic expectation.
Just as important is presentation. A good realtor knows how to stage a home to ensure viewers like what they see and can envision themselves living there. Listen to their advice. Not sure where to start? Others who have made this transition offer pointers:
- Give clutter the heave-ho. Those endearing knickknacks turn off buyers.
- Spruce up your exterior. Look at curb appeal. Sweep away old cobwebs, plant a few flowers.
- A fresh coat of paint may do wonders in some spots.
- Organize your cupboards. Shoppers look, and they need to see a well-organized home.
- Fix the obvious. Broken tiles and leaks in the roofing are going to drag down your price point.
- Rearrange your furniture. Too much squeezed in a room doesn’t, “Buy me!” It’s all about the openness and flow.
You have a huge impact on what you earn and can then re-invest from the sale of your home. Some of these things should be considered before you put it on the market, because you’ll find yourself in the eye of the storm once you do. The happiest transitions take place with forethought, planning and preparation.
