Use These Resources to Help You Downsize
Written by Mary Shannon – seniorsmeet.org
You’ve spent years pouring money, sweat, and love into your home. But lately, the reasons to sell may be outweighing your desire to stay. As much as you cherish your home, maintaining it is starting to feel burdensome. Whether your move to a smaller home is motivated by financial reasons, because you’re tired of spending your weekends mowing the lawn, or a little bit of both, these tips (presented by The Reserve at Daleville) will help you downsize to a home or apartment that’s just right for this stage of life.
Parting With Your “Extras” Quickly
With an eye on downsizing, the goal is to shrink not just your dwelling but your possessions. The first step is to declutter, perhaps one of the most difficult things you’ll do in the process. Choosing what not to keep can be a heart-wrenching decision, especially if you’ve lived in your current home for a long time. Most items have memories attached, but decluttering calls for making those hard choices.
Start with dedicating four boxes for items that you label “donate,” “trash,” “sell” and “keep.” BecomingMiminalist.com suggests building momentum with just five minutes of decluttering a day, and, to speed things up, fill up an entire trash bag of unneeded belongings and donate to Goodwill right away. Besides the benefits of not living amongst extra stuff — such as decreased anxiety — you’ll make some much-needed cash that you can use when you move. Consider putting your unneeded, gently used items on sites like eBay or Poshmark.
Prepare Your House for Sale
Decluttering is also an important factor when it comes time to show your house. To streamline the process of prepping your house for sale, use a checklist and create a timeline. A number of apps are helpful in this regard, apps that you can program to set up calendar reminders.
Now is also a good time to learn how to take real estate photos worth of a magazine spread. Photos play a huge role in encouraging potential buyers to come to see your property. Professional real estate photographs sell listed homes 32 percent faster than all other listings, according to a new study of Chicago-area real estate sales by VHT Studios, the nation’s largest real estate photography network for homes and businesses. It’s possible to stage your home and shoot like a pro, but there’s some legwork involved, such as learning how to best light specific areas and what type of camera equipment is needed.
It’s a smart move to sell your house online, which includes photography and, ever more popular, virtual home tours. According to the 2020 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 52 percent of home buyers found their new residence online. Just be aware that if you sell your home on your own, you’ll still pay a real estate commission fee; it goes to the real estate agent who represents the person who buys your home (unless they’re working without an agent as well).
Senior-Specific Selling Tips
The downsizing process for seniors presents unique challenges physically and emotionally. Below are several resources specific to seniors to help ease the moving process:
Make the move easier for seniors. Steps to approach the moving process with sensitivity to ease emotional tension include hiring a professional senior mover and organizer, giving seniors plenty of time and space for the move, and surrounding them with familiar furnishings after the move.
Technology can help seniors. Some seniors embrace technology, others may run from it. Either way, technology can help during their move — plus, it can have many other benefits as well.
Smooth the transition. Moving a senior loved one across town or across the country into a new home or transitioning him or her to a senior living community is tough. Learn ways to ensure the transition goes smoothly while tending to their health, finances, and logistics, including planning effectively and enlisting the help of relatives.
There’s nothing easy about saying goodbye to a home you love, but sometimes it’s undeniably the right choice. When you’re ready to downsize, declutter, prepare your home, and connect with a real estate agent who understands your needs during this major transition.
The Reserve at Daleville offers the largest new apartments in Daleville. To learn more about The Reserve, please call us at (540) 966-2500.
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