Getting an Older Home — and Homeowner — Ready for Market
What’s the opposite of “never asking a barber if you need a haircut?”
When the barber says you can wait a couple more weeks . . . you probably can.
Or the real estate equivalent: When a commission-based (and closing-driven) Realtor advises a client to wait (a bit) to put their home on the market.
First Things First
At least, that was my counsel the other day to an upcoming Seller who’s waiting on his new (as in, “under construction”) condo to be completed sometime this Fall.
Given the risk of delay — plus the decades the owner’s been in his current home — it makes sense to: 1) close on the condo; 2) completely empty the (now) box and packing-strewn home; 3) do cosmetic updating; and finally 4) virtually stage the home with computer software.
The added virtue(s) of such an approach — especially for my older client who doesn’t have voice or email?
Vastly simpler showing instructions for Buyers to access what will by then be a vacant home.
Plus, less stress for the Seller prepping and clearing out in advance of each showing.
P.S.: The clincher: mid-Fall is usually as good (or better) time to sell than August, when — at least in Minnesota — many people’s attention shifts to squeezing in some last Summer downtime, getting kids ready for school, etc.
