When you are considering a move and you have a home to sell, it is best to connect with an agent at least three months prior to listing. We understand that sometimes you aren't afforded the luxury of advance notice, and we do know life happens. Just reach out to a REALTOR® as soon as you know you'll need to list your home.
Connecting with a REALTOR® at the beginning of your preparations will give you the opportunity to avoid costly mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes we see homeowners make is repainting their homes or doing other costly updates that ultimately don't provide a good return on investment. For example, if you paint your home a color that is not in line with current buyer preference trends, you lose out on the cost of the paint plus you will have done a lot of labor in vain. Furthermore, if you spend a lot of money to upgrade to high-end countertops or you splurge on custom cabinetry, you need to be sure that you aren't going to then price yourself out of the neighborhood/size/style of home to recoup the investment.
Your agent can also give you tips on staging, organizing, and packing before you start the process. It will be a lot easier and more efficient to have a plan on how to stage the house for the most buyer appeal before you begin packing, organizing, and moving out clutter. Starting early means you'll have plenty of time for yard sales or donations to charity for those items that need purging. It will also help you spread out the work over time, keeping you more sane and less exhausted in the process.
Lastly, if you are moving away from the area, it's good to ask your local REALTOR® to connect you with an agent in your new hometown. This advance notice gives the other agent the chance to start looking for property that will suit your needs before you actually have to arrive in town for good. You can be set up to receive notifications on properties as they become available and get to know a bit about the area and the market before you are forced to decide on a permanent residence.
Even if you find out that you need to move at the last minute, please just reach out to your favorite agent as soon as you know you will need to sell. Our Hall & Nixon REALTORS® are skilled and trained to handle both advance-notice situations and last-minute quick sales. No matter your situation, we will be with you every step of the way!
