| Is it better to sell my current property before looking for a new one? |
| Unless you can afford to carry the cost of two homes, it is usually better to have a contract on the home you are selling before obtaining a contract on a replacement home. That way, you will know how much you have available to spend and your agent can negotiate the time you need for each settlement to ensure you continue to have a roof over your head until both transactions are complete. |
| Is staging my property really all that important? |
| "Staging" - the art of preparing your home for viewing so that it will appeal to the mass market - is critical to obtaining a quick sale at the best price. While it may be difficult to think of your home as merely a product, this is how the buyer will see it. Proper staging includes cleaning, decluttering, painting and making other subtle changes to make the product more appealing. Think of it as that "new car smell" for your home. |
| Is there a particular good or bad time of year to sell a property? |
| In general, the spring (March-June) and the fall (September-October)can be the most lucrative, since buyers tend to be out in force. Remember, however, that you may also have more competition from other sellers during that time, making it critical that no matter when you put your home on the market, it be clean, in good condition, well-staged and properly priced. |
