You are not alone! So many folks are watching the news about the real estate market and retreating from putting their home on the market now. The general consensus from the seniors I work with is that the market is flat and therefore they are putting off the sale of their home until next year, hoping the market will recover. Typically, we experience a slowdown in activity as we approach Thanksgiving. The buyer traffic usually picks up in February with a gradual buildup of purchasers entering the market, peaking when the children are finished with the school year in mid June. As you can see, there is a direct correlation between the time of year and the volume of potential home shoppers.

With today’s uncertainty, many buyers and sellers are in a quandary as to when to purchase and when to sell. None of us wants to leave money on the table by selling in a down year, nor do any of us cherish the thought of moving in the winter. How can we best utilize this time gap between now and spring? What can we do to position ourselves to attract an acceptable offer in a relatively short time span?

My best advice for those thinking of selling in spring would be to begin to prepare your home for sale now! I would not wait until spring to (more…)

I have been blessed to speak to thousands of seniors at seminars designed to enlighten folks who have been in their homes for many years. In these seminars I talk about reasons for procrastination, how to prepare and start the downsizing process as well as the actual process of selling and moving from a home of many years. The average time spent in a home for attendees of these seminars is 33.7 years, however the range of years lived in their current home is 20-76 years. Yes, I had one wonderful lady who had lived in her home from birth until the day she moved into a senior community (and by the way she is very happy she made the move).

Without fail several of the people attending the seminar will want me to stop out and help them begin the process of downsizing and preparing to put the home on the market. They put a deposit down at a senior community fully intending to simplify their lives and make the move. Then hesitation sets in. Doubt and confusion begin to dominate their thoughts, and the next thing you know (more…)

The first step in downsizing, is know the number. The number I’m referring to is the value of your personal property. Many of your belongings may have little to no value in today’s market, but some items may be of great value when appraised by a professional.

For instance, here is a list of items that will bring the most money at an estate sale or auction: Gold, jewelry, model cars, oil paintings, antique posters, water color and other art, antique dolls, toys, games, antique lamps, World War 1 and 2 items, metals, etc, ivory pieces.

General Items:
Funiture: Sofa’s love seats, chairs, recliners, tables, cocktail and end tables, table and floor lamps, piano’s, card table and chairs

Antiques: All furniture, fine (more…)

Last month’s article dealt with the question of selling your home ‘as is’ or fixing/updating the property prior to marketing the property. The answer requires proper pricing and dealing with structural defects if selling ‘as is’. If you are looking for the best possible price, then updating should be done throughout the home. Proper preparation must involve an expert such as a real estate professional to help decide which path is best for you.

This month’s article deals with the interactions between child and parent when confronted with the parent’s home sale, after many years in the home. I will discuss the observations I have made after guiding hundreds of families through the process of selling.

The call comes in and on the other end is a stressed voice asking for a sympathetic ear. The voice asks for direction and hope in a situation that many times may feel (more…)