You’ve Decided it’s Time to Downsize –Now What?

September 28, 2020 | Senior Living

So, you’re ready to find your next home at a senior living community. You can already picture all the activities you’ll do and the friends you’ll spend time with now that you’ll have more free time.No more home maintenance, just all the time in the world to do what you are passionate about.

But wait! Before you fill in your social calendar, there’s something that must be done first –you need to sell your current home. Before you can embark on the next chapter of your golden years, you have to first get things squared away with your current home.

What to Know Before SellingYour Home

According to Leslie Rouda Smith, First Vice President of the National Association of Realtors and residential real estate broker, there are six key facts to know about the housing market in 2020 before placing a home on the market.

1. In the current real estate climate, inventory is incredibly low, and you should expect to sell your home quickly.
2. The majority of home buyers are looking for move-in ready homes.
3. People are commonly looking to live in suburbs that are beyond city borders.
4. A home with an open concept is still very high in demand.
5. A large number of buyers are looking for homes with multiple rooms and more square footage.
6. Outdoor living spaces have become increasingly popular.

Keep these factors in mind as you complete your downsizing process and begin to move toward your next step – selling your home. One essential way to make a quicker sale and a greater profit is to stage your home before listing it.

Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home

The National Association of Realtors released some useful home staging tips for sellers to help make a house more appealing to prospective buyers and in turn help sellers make more of a profit when they sell:

Make the Home Smell Good. Most people want to buy a home that appears and smells clean. Homes that smell or appear dirty can deter buyers from making an offer. It is worth while to invest in having the carpets professionally cleaned and purchasing items like candles and room refreshers before listing a home.

Take Time to Layout the Space. When showing potential buyers a home, they will want to see a well-maintained space that appears move-in ready. Set up each room so it allows the buyer to envision themselves in the space. Maintaining landscaping around the home also adds visual curb appeal to buyers.

Make Space. A cluttered home can be less visually appealing and appear smaller based on the amount of “stuff” that is present. Remember, buyers will be opening closets to look at their storage potential. Taking the time to remove any non-crucial items will help them see the possibilities. A well-kept, decluttered home is much more desirable to potential buyers.

Deep Clean. Prior to showing your home, spend ample time cleaning. Sellers should clean their home from top to bottom, making sure everything from the baseboards to the ceilings, appliances and windows are presentable. A clean house communicates that the owners have maintained their home, making it more desirable among prospective buyers.

Create a Welcoming Mood. When staging a home, consider how a buyer will feel when they’re viewing the home. Elements like candles, fresh flowers and soft music can all help to create a welcoming atmosphere for buyers.

Start Your Next Thrilling Chapter at CC Young

We understand that moving out of the place you’ve called home can be an emotional and intimidating process. That’s why our dedicated, caring team at CC Young is eager to help make this transition as easy as possible. We offer a variety of senior living options, including Independent Living and Assisted Living for you or your loved one to choose from.

Contact us today to learn more about all of our senior living options.