Longtime Westchester County homeowners contemplating a downsize move already have a lot to think about. But serious sellers need to stop fixating on the when, or ‘how much?’ because none of that matters if being ready to sell isn’t addressed first.

17 years in, I’ve found angsting over which possessions get whittled down, or even when to sell are secondary. TRH suggests two things to help downsizers keep their equilibrium:

• “IF” comes first. Simply, all the other questions are moot if you’re not ready, willing, and able to sell.
• Getting ready to sell, and being ready to sell are two different states; and not the same thing as putting your house on the market.

The actual mechanics of a listing going live-signing papers, and scheduling photos can happen pretty quickly. What takes time is editing, packing, and lining up any needed repairs or updates. In other words, getting ready to sell.

And the state of being ready to sell means you’ve done the heavy lifting: Culled and organized. Cleaned and updated, polished and photo-ready.

Once you decide to sell, there’s no downside to starting the process of getting the property market-ready. You are more in control:

• Emotionally, you acclimate yourself to the decision. You can work at your own pace, and ideally, you’ll have fewer rushed decisions to make pre-listing (or regrets afterward!).
• Financially, you’ll be in a better position to shop around and schedule any needed repairs or tradespeople.
• If your house is market-ready, you’ll be able to act quickly should there be a significant change in the economy or your local market….but you’re still not committed to anything.

Home Staging-i.e. getting a property ready for sale- is much more pragmatic than many realize. The Refreshed Home defines Home Staging this way:

Whatever is done to improve the market position of a property, supports your goals and price point, and eases your mind.

We know experience matters, and that kindness counts. And that a little help can make all the difference.

Our pre-listing consults are interactive and fluid, user-friendly with exchanges of information, ideas, and options. We break things into manageable segments, so homeowners and their families can think things through, and make their own best decisions.

Thinking about, maybe torn about selling? Having a plan, and starting to get ready could be your best strategy. Talk to me today about how easy it is to get started!