PART 1: Get Your House Ready to Sell! (part 1 of a 3-part series: part 2. part 3.) Thinking about downsizing your home? Getting professional help can save you a barrel-full of money and keep frustration and uncertainty at bay. A good realtor and a good professional organizer can be your new best allies. A good realtor will help you with critical decisions around your property’s value, suggest realistic financial steps as to whether to rent, lease or buy your next home. And of course, help you to acquire your new affordable dream home. A good professional organizer will help with critical decisions around downsizing your possessions by helping you edit, organize, arrange and remove belongings. Essentially, a realtor deals with the fixed structure of the home while the organizer deals with its movable contents.
Downsizing can be overwhelming for those who have lived in one place for many years. However, it can be done with good planning and careful preparation. Your Real Estate
Agent can help you design a plan of action.
Before you sell, consider whether you will rent or buy. This decision is uniquely personal
for everyone, so seeking professional advice can be very helpful. A first step is to find
out the market value of your property. You need to know the value of, what is for most people their biggest investment, your home. An Accountant may be able to tell you about
the value of your investments and your financial picture, but, a Realtor is in the best position to estimate the market value of your house and will generally provide a market value letter
at no cost. Realtors can also tell you what your rental options might be versus buying a home in the local market. Ask them for an analysis of rent versus buy and then decide on your plan of action. Most importantly a good realtor will help you find your ideal home within your budget.
To discover what your ideal home is, the realtor will assess your housing needs and desires through careful questioning and listening, thoroughly research the current market and of course take you on as many viewings as it takes to closely match you to your dream home. This is immense value. When you’ve found your new home, you will be in a better position to calculate how much of your current possessions can realistically be moved to your new place.
Don’t panic. Moving to a new home is a great opportunity to make a fresh start; to let go of things that have been cluttering your space and your life.
Good professional organizers can help you design a plan to downsize possessions. They will bring objectivity and experience to the downsizing experience helping you determine what stays and what goes. A common question is “Where will all of my extra household items go?" A resourceful organizer can offer community connections and options to consider to insure a streamlined and stress- free transition. They will help you prioritize what you want to keep, give to friends and family, donate, sell, or trash. They can also arrange for donation pick up and even help with consigning items. An organizer will make sure that on moving day you are only taking with you the things you need, want and love. And, of course that will save you money on moving expenses because you are moving less stuff.
When you are thinking about downsizing, find a Realtor and a Professional Organizer who ask you the right questions and listens to your answers. They will be your biggest allies when you make your move.
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