For older homeowners, the question of whether to downsize will probably come up at some point. After a lifetime of raising a family, a larger house might become a burden or seem unnecessary once children have left home. Other impulses could be wanting to be closer to children and grandchildren if they have moved away, wanting to live in a warmer climate, or wanting to sell and move into assisted living or a specialized senior living community.

If this is something you’re considering, here are tips for getting ready to sell.

Tip #1 – Have a Plan. If you are looking to sell your home, you should proactively start planning your next steps. It can be nerve-wracking when you are trying to sell your home while simultaneously looking for a new home. Even worse is selling your home without having a clear idea of where you will go next!

Before you put your current house on the market, we suggest you come up with a plan. First, put on your “buyer’s hat” and write down what you’re looking for, in which area you’re looking to buy, and then do some research to get an idea of the price of homes that match these requirements. Second, put on your “seller’s hat” and have a few real estate agents come by and give you a valuation of your home. Once you have an idea of the current value of your home, you can look at your mortgage to assess how much equity there is in your home. Considering these factors together will help you develop a realistic plan.

Tip #2 – Prepare Your Home for Sale. Before selling, take the opportunity to do any minor maintenance and repairs. But be careful! On the one hand, you can maximize your selling price if your house is in top condition. On the other hand, spending a lot of money on improvements will cut into your profits. So don’t go spending large sums on ambitious projects! You probably don’t need to redo the kitchen, but you should fix the leaky tap.

However, if you don’t have the time or the money to tackle maintenance and repairs, it is possible to sell your home in as-is condition. There are buyers out there that will take on houses that need a lot of work. Zvestors will even eliminate the need for you to find a qualified buyer. Zvestors will give you cash for your home. Quick, easy, and commission-free!

Tip #3 – Decluttering. If you are downsizing, chances are you’ll have to reduce the amount of stuff you have because it won’t fit into your new, smaller place. Also, if you are selling a home through a real estate agent, where potential buyers will be coming to view the home, it’s a good idea to remove items and items that reflect your personal taste. Doing so allows buyers to imagine the space as their future home, while at the same time making the space look larger and more customizable in the eyes of buyers.

Tip #4 – Decide on a Strategy. The traditional option is to call a local real estate agent and list your house with them. The real estate agent will then start marketing your home to hopefully find a buyer and get you a high price offer on your home. Selling your home through a real estate agent also means you’ll need to pay a hefty commission.

But this isn’t your only option. If you are looking to sell quickly or if your house has maintenance issues that you don’t want to deal with or won’t pass a home inspection, you can consider other methods of selling your home. Check out our website where we describe our simple 3-Step Process for selling your home fast. Requesting a no-commitment cash offer from Zvestors costs you nothing, and it may be just the solution you’re looking for.