Selling Your Home: What You Need to Know

Have you been thinking about selling your home? Or maybe you've already made the decision and now you need some direction about where to start, who to consult, or what resources are available to you as you make this transition?

If you're like most people in this position, you're probably wondering what to consider when selling your home, who to consult, how to get the best offer, and how to prepare your home. Our new ebook on Selling Your Home can help you through the tough questions and deal with your emotions as you prepare for this significant change in your life so that you don't feel overwhelmed and you can be confident about the entire process.

The six main areas highlighted include:

1. How to decide when to sell your home: Eight important considerations—Whether you just want to have less to take care of or you're looking for more support and services, you may want to consider these eight factors in your decision about whether or not it's the best time for you to sell your home. Perhaps you're thinking about equity in your retirement financing or you've only just started wondering about routine maintenance as you age. You've probably thought about your family and friends, but have you thought about transportation and your overall lifestyle and what you really want? Keep these eight considerations in mind as you decide!


2. Your home selling team—You might not think of all the people involved in selling your home as your team, but rest assured these individuals are there to help and keep you from feeling overwhelmed, and make the process a little easier too! This section covers the ten most important people you should consult when selling and how they can assist you with everything from assessing how much your home is really worth, to how much you'll be able to finance to move to a retirement community, to what repairs need to be done, if you need a loan, or if you just need someone to help you pack. Make sure you have at least some, if not all, of these teammates in your plan.


3. How to choose the right real estate agent—Have you been considering a real estate agent to help you through the process? These professionals also offer a range of services and alternative methods that are generally easier and faster than going through the motions on your own. A good REALTOR will not only offer this extra guidance, but also lay out the contacts in plain English for you, give encouragement, offer special rates, and recommend other reputable professionals such as inspectors and lawyers. This section also discusses the warning signs of a less than stellar agent.


4. What seniors should know about selling their homes—So you've decided to sell your home and you may be wondering, now what? Learn here how to see your home as an investment and put together an effective action plan to get the most out of your property and determine other factors such as your listing price, under pricing and over pricing, and comparing market data. Working with a seniors real estate specialist is one of the best ways to do this and be sure you understand every angle of the selling process.


5. How to get the best offer for your home—Overwhelmed by the thought of getting your home ready to sell and not sure where to start? Check out this article for six tips to prepare your home, including decluttering and staging and improving your home's curb appeal. Also get advice on what knowledge you should already have at this point in the process, what questions you should ask, how to negotiate the sale with your agent and what your options are.


6. Staging to sell: Turning your home into a house—Arguably one of the most fun parts of the selling process, after dealing with lingering attachments to the home and some prized belongings, is sprucing up your home to sell! This doesn't mean dropping tons of cash on nice fixtures, but replacing leaky faucets and bringing in a home inspector to make sure everything is in good working order, decluttering and generally giving your home a clean, minimalist look that other families can envision making memories in. Get tips on selling faster for more money and following the basic principles of staging in this section.

Although the process of selling your home can be stressful and it can be difficult to get past those initial emotions about a home you've probably spent a good number of years investing in, with the right help and resources you can be confident that your decision to move is ultimately right for you and start to look forward to new adventures!

Download the Selling Your Home ebook for free! Also be sure to check out our other ebooks, including Financing Your Retirement: Planning Ahead and the Ultimate Retirement Tour Checklist!

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Are you currently in the process of or thinking about selling your home? What has it been like? Do you have tips or advice for others who are thinking about selling their homes? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Related

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How to Choose a Seniors Real Estate Agent