Downsizing doesn’t have to be a complicated ordeal. Here are three tips that will make your move smooth and stress-free.
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If you’re thinking about downsizing in the near future, here are three tips you can follow to make your move hassle-free.
First, start preparing as soon as possible. Many sellers underestimate how long it takes to pack up everything before they move, so start sorting through all of your belongings and choose what you’ll keep and what you’ll get rid of. If you’ve lived in your home for a long time and have raised your children there, you probably have a lot of family memorabilia to sort through. If you or your kids don’t want any of that stuff, make a plan to get rid of it.
If you’re moving from a large home to a townhome, you might also have a lot of tools and yard equipment sitting inside your garage, so you need to make a plan to get rid of that stuff as well. Speaking for myself, I have a ton of stuff stored away in my attic, crawlspace, and all the closets throughout my house that I need to ship to the Goodwill.
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Price is always important, but it may not be the most important factor to you.
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Second, test out your moving plan. If you’re thinking of moving from a large home to a townhome, try renting a VRBO townhome for a week and testing it out—you might find out that you don’t like having to share a wall with a neighbor. If you’re thinking of moving to another city, rent a property there for a month or so and see what it’s like being a full-time resident.
Lastly, negotiate the terms that are most important to you. Price is always important, but it may not be the most important factor to you. Many downsizers have a lot of equity in their home, and because of that, they have the ability to be patient and negotiate just the right offer for them. If you’re building a home in another state, you may need to negotiate a closing date that’s simultaneous to your current home’s closing date. Or, you might have to rent your old home back from the new owner to make your move easier.
As always, if you have any more questions about this topic or you have any other real estate needs at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.