The Best Time to Sell Your House? When You Are Ready to Sell

For decades, common wisdom held that the best time to sell a house was January. But get on the Internet, and you will find highly convincing articles that make it crystal clear that the absolute best time to sell your house is May. Definitely. Or March and April. Maybe June. Definitely June. Or not. When you are thinking of selling, you have a lot to consider and trying to wait for the perfect month ends up being a distraction that you do not need.

Being Ready to Sell Makes All the Difference

It is a big decision when selling and moving. What is the best order of steps to take? Do you find a house, then try to sell your current house? Or the other way around? Real estate experts recommend that when you start to consider the process, you take stock of your current house. What would you want or need to do with it to make it saleable?

There are dozens of websites and even television series that can help you understand the “staging” process. Taking the basic steps to ready your home for sale can be a good way to see if you really are ready to make a move, or if fixing your current home to better meet your needs is a better fit. If selling is definitely in the cards, then putting your current home on the path to salability is the best first step.

Work With a True Advocate

InTouch has partnered with Member First Mortgage’s HomeAdvantage®  program to help our members sell their homes. Use HomeAdvantage to research your home’s value and the market in general, and to find an agent. Best of all, you can earn cash rewards using HomeAdvantage to buy or sell your home.
Learn More About HomeAdvantage

Questions to Answer Before Selling

Are you a DIY homeowner or do you prefer to hand over the reins to an expert? If you prefer a DIY approach, then you can take several steps toward selling before consulting a real estate agent. Otherwise, it is best to tackle these next steps in partnership with a trusted agent.

It is a good idea to research your current home’s estimated value. That way, you know roughly how much money you are likely to have to invest in your next property which can help you to realistically plan for your next home.

Make something more than a wish list for your next home. Every time something goes awry, we tend to say, “Our next home will have a ____!” Get the features that you see recurring in your declarations in a list of must-haves. Look at the way you live, the way your family tends to move through and settle in the house, and how much time you spend in each room. This helps you to see what home features you will use most.

Also, take some time to address the things that you would really rather do without. Did the shape or size of the kitchen throw off your meal preparation? Did the living room sit too out of the way to be useful? Were the bathrooms properly appointed and well-placed in the house? These items are all important when you start looking for the house you want to move to. And, starting early, before you feel like you definitely must do something, gives you the time to make a list and add to it while it is fresh in your mind.

Find the Right Agent When You Are Ready

One of the most important things to do is to find a real estate agent that shares your vision of selling and buying. It is imperative that the person who will represent your home is enthusiastic about the chances of selling. And it is equally important that they listen to your specific needs for a house to buy. Feel free to interview real estate agents without feeling obligated to sign a contract. You are not required to work with an agent just because you spoke to him or her first. Be sure that you are clear to all the agents you talk to about your intent to interview and discuss before committing to one. That will help the agent to understand your expectations and will help them understand they are not encroaching on another agent’s client.

And remember, InTouch Credit Union offers HomeAdvantage to assist members with finding the help they need, from doing market research to finding that helpful real estate agent. When you are sure you are ready to sell, the right research and the right individuals on your team can help get it done.

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