10 Tips for Selling your Home When Preparing to Downsize
Credit: Amanda Turner
Did you know that people in the United States are downsizing their homes in record numbers? Studies say this number is only going to increase in years to come as more and more people move into retirement communities. But those who are currently in the process of trying to downsize know that it’s not as easy as it sounds. In order to downsize to a smaller home, you must first sell your current one. Here are 10 tips for selling your home when preparing to downsize.
1. Consider Offering Some of your Furniture to the New Owners
If you plan on moving to a smaller home, there’s a good chance that all of your belongings may not fit comfortably in your new space. In order to avoid making your move more difficult (and give the home’s next owners a cool bonus), you can offer some of the furniture you’d otherwise be getting rid of. Of course, this will only help the sale if your furniture is in good condition so remember to only offer things that are still fully functional.
2. Make Sure All Appliances Are Functioning Correctly
Trying to sell a home with appliances that don’t work can prove to be pretty difficult. Having appliances in tip-top shape when trying to sell is a huge selling point. Consider investing in complete appliance protection so you can feel confident that these machines are working the way they should.
3. Declutter
Not only will decluttering make things much easier when you downsize, but it can also help your current home become more desirable to potential buyers. If you plan on having an open house, it’s important for your house to be clean and clutter-free before asking people to tour the home. Depending on the amount of stuff you have, you may want to get a storage unit to hold your things.
4. Remove Personal Items from Your Home
Your personal belongings are what makes your home yours, but they can also be what turns buyers away. When people tour a home that is full of someone else’s personal belongings, it can be difficult to envision the space as their own. When putting your home on the market, remember to remove things like family photos, trophies, etc.
5. Hire a Real Estate Agent
No one knows your home better than you, but that doesn’t necessarily make you the most qualified person to take the lead on selling it. Hiring a real estate agent will allow someone with professional knowledge to introduce your home to the market properly. A real estate agent can also help answer any questions you have about selling the property. Before picking an agent, you’ll want to do some research to make sure you find the person who will best fit your needs.
6. Consider Making Small Upgrades
The last thing you want to do when getting ready to sell your home is put a lot of money into it, however, making minor (and inexpensive) upgrades can be a way to make your home attractive to buyers. Kitchens and bathrooms are the best candidates for these types of upgrades. Things like new hardware and light fixtures can really go a long way in making your home more appealing and more valuable.
7. Keep Curb Appeal in Mind
The outside of your home is the first thing people see, so it’s important that your curb appeal set the proper tone. Before putting your home on the market, be sure to take care of any external fixes. This includes things like lawn care, repairing damaged shutters, and applying a fresh coat of paint if necessary.
8. Price Your Home to Sell
For many sellers, listing their home at the highest possible price seems like the best idea. However, that may not be the case. Having the house sit on the market for a while isn’t an issue for people who don’t mind waiting, but if you’re looking to sell your home quickly, you’ll want to make sure the property is priced to sell. This means finding a price that will leave both you and the buyer feeling satisfied. Finding the perfect price will require a bit of research into what other homes in your area are going for.
9. Have Professional Photos Taken
Selling your home is also the perfect time to brag about how great it is. What better way to do that than with some high-quality photos that can be included in the listing. You may feel like you can easily take the pictures yourself, but bad photos can actually do more harm than good. Unless you have some serious photography skills, it’s better to hire a professional.
10. Utilize Your Home’s Lighting
Did you know that something as simple as lighting can change the look and feel of your home? For that reason, it’s a very important element to keep in mind when selling your home. Remember to keep your home bright and welcoming so visitors can feel good. To take advantage of natural light, keep blinds and curtains open. If your home doesn’t have a lot of natural light, you can invest in some brighter bulbs to add some extra light.
Now that you’re getting ready to downsize, the last thing you want to do is be stressed out about selling your home. With the help of the tips above, you can sell your home more quickly and get started on your next chapter.
Lifestyle Advisors By Your Side
The role of our Lifestyle Advisors is to advise support and counsel seniors and their families about the benefits of a senior living community, whether it’s at Senior Living Communities or elsewhere. Establishing a timeline with the Lifestyle Advisor team at your new retirement community is a helpful first step so that the checklist is broken into small, manageable projects. During the ‘information-gathering’ phase, seniors and their families are researching, touring, conversing with staff and current residents, while attending events and working to find the perfect fit for their needs. While the ‘determination’ phase is when they have agreed upon a particular community. During this phase, the future resident will work with a financial advisor to determine their assets, a moving consultant to sell and pare down their current home/belongings, and the team of Lifestyle Advisors to establish their new home and meet their future-neighbors.
