Selling Your House to Downsize: Tips and Tricks To Know Before You Move
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably considered downsizing your home at some point. Maybe your kids have moved out and you don’t need as much space anymore, or maybe you just want to simplify your life or have gone through a divorce. Whatever the reason, selling your house to downsize can be a great way to simplify your life and get rid of some excess baggage. But it’s not always easy, so before you put your house on the market, be sure to read these tips and tricks!
How To Prepare to Move to a Smaller Space
The most important thing when downsizing your home is to declutter and get rid of anything you don’t need. This can be a daunting task, but it’s necessary if you want to move to a smaller space. Start by going through each room in your house and getting rid of anything you don’t use or need. This includes clothes, furniture, kitchen, garage, and other places where your personal belongings tend to accumulate.
Select The Furniture To Be Moved First
The first step is to identify which furniture you are taking and which furniture you are leaving behind. This is important because clearing out furniture that you know isn’t coming with you can give you extra space to work, and pack, and is an easy way to remove some of the more bulky items that take up the most space.
Consider Donating Items You Haven't Used In The Last Year
This is a great way to get rid of things you don’t need and declutter your home. If you haven’t used an item in the last year, chances are you don’t need it and it can be donated. This can be anything from clothes to furniture to knick-knacks.
Plus, when you donate items you haven’t used in the last year, other people might get the chance to get use out of the items plus, you can get a tax deduction!
Have An Estate Sale
If you have a lot of stuff that you want to get rid of, but don’t want to just donate it, then having an estate sale is a great option. This is where you sell all your unwanted items in one big sale. You can advertise the sale online or in your local paper. Plus, this is a great way to make some extra money!
Consider Hiring An Organizational Professional Before You Move
If you’re finding it difficult to declutter and get rid of your belongings, then you might want to consider hiring an organizational professional. This is someone who can help you go through your belongings and help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of. They can also help you pack everything up so that it’s organized and ready to take to your new home.
While a professional organizer might seem expensive on the surface, think of the time you can save and how organized your new house will be when you unpack.
Consider Who Will Buy Your House Before You Move
When you are selling your house due to downsizing, you want to take the time to identify who is likely to buy your current home and how you will go about selling your current home. Most people tend to think about options like listing with a realtor, selling to a neighbor or family friend, or maybe selling to a real estate investor.
Selling With a Realtor When Downsizing
If you will be listing your house for sale with a realtor, your house will likely need to be empty and cleaned. If you decide to list your house for sale with a realtor, they will want the house ready for showings and to have future homeowners walk through the house.
However, making sure you empty the house completely and get everything cleaned and presentable can be a challenge. Downsizing in and of itself can be stressful enough. Worrying about where all of the extra items go is enough to deal with even if you have followed our downsizing tips!
Selling To A Neighbor or Family Friend When Downsizing
Many times, when people are downsizing, they want to try and sell their house to someone they know. This is a great idea because you can work with someone you know and hopefully that will make the negotiations and paperwork less stressful. The main thing you want to make sure of if you go this route is that all of your paperwork is done properly so the transaction goes smoothly.
Sell Your House To A Cash House Buyer to Downsize
You may also choose to sell your house for cash to a local “we buy houses” cash buyer. This can be a great option when you are downsizing because when you sell to a company like Capstone Homebuyers, you don’t have to worry about any of the cleaning or making sure the house is empty.
Cash buyers are purchasing the home for a real estate investment. They will normally allow you to take all of the items you want and leave the rest behind. So if you aren’t going to spring for a professional organizer and don’t want to have an estate sale, this might be a good option for you.
Conclusion
Downsizing doesn’t have to be a stressful process. By following our downsizing tips, you can make the process less daunting and maybe even enjoy the process of decluttering your home.
When you are ready to move and downsize your home, we would love to help! Capstone Homebuyers is a local cash buyer that buys houses in as-is condition. We don’t require any repairs or cleaning and we can close on the sale of your house in as little as 7 days!
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you downsize your home, please give us a call at (210) 793-4448 or fill out our online form and we will walk you through our process.