Lifestyles over 50 Finance & Money
The real estate pundits are predicting another good year for sellers in 2018. Prices are expected to rise as there is reportedly an inventory shortage. Although its cold out there right now, things will be heating up quickly. If you want to sell your home in 2018, even if its not until later in the year, then its time to prepare now. Below are easy tips to start transitioning your home to put it on the market.
• Start to remove excess clutter and the items you have accrued over the years. Whether you donate it, trash it or gift it -- get it out of the house!
• Make a list of inexpensive, small projects to improve the appeal of your home, inside and out. You will be moving soon so you do not want to dump cash into a renovation project but put a little lipstick on the pig. Invite an objective friend over to do a mock walk-through and help you with ideas.
• Make your wish list for your new home. If moving out of your old home will be contingent of finding the new home then list all the things that your new
home must have, the things you would like it to have and the things that it absolutely cannot have. Identifying this criteria will allow you to have a scorecard to identify a good fit. Buying a home can be emotional and this helps you objectively find your match.
• Start your search for a new home. Know what neighborhoods that you like, get pre-approved for a mortgage or understand your budget, and research the homes and areas that are selling. This will give you a baseline for how competitive you need to be and how to position your old home as well as the offer for
the new home.
• Contact your real estate agent. Once your house is prepped and you know what you are looking to buy, enlist an agent to provide you with a home valuation
and help you position your home in the best light. Additionally, the agent can start searching for homes that meet your criteria so that when the right one
comes on the market at the right price you can jump on it.
If you do not have a real estate agent then call me. I will be happy to guide you through the process to maximize the sale of your largest investment and transition you into your next phase of life. Elissa Clausnitzer, SRS is a licensed Realtor with Weichert Realtors and has over 30 years of experience in real estate. Elissa specializes in helping boomers and seniors achieve their goals in their next step in life. Call her at 610-573-0386.