5 Things to Think About Before Selling Your Home

Selling your home is a big decision.

For many people, a home represents years of memories, hard work and investment. So when someone tells me they are thinking about selling, I know it is about much more than putting a sign in the yard.

Before you decide to list, there are a few things I recommend thinking about.

1. Why are you selling?

This sounds simple, but it is important. Are you moving for work? Do you need more space? Are you ready to downsize? Understanding your reason for moving can help shape the decisions that come next.

2. What does your home need?

You do not necessarily need to completely remodel your house before selling. In fact, spending a lot of money on improvements does not always make financial sense.

Sometimes a good cleaning, fresh paint and taking care of a few obvious repairs can make a tremendous difference.

3. What is your home actually worth?

Online estimates can be helpful, but they do not tell the whole story. Two homes that look similar online can have very different values depending on condition, location, updates and what is happening in the local market.

This is where having someone who knows the local market can really help.

4. Where are you going next?

I always like to talk about the next step before putting a home on the market. Selling one house is only part of the move. What happens afterward matters too.

5. Give yourself some time.

If you think you might sell six months from now, that is actually a great time to start the conversation.

There is no need to rush.

We can talk about your goals, look at your home, discuss what I think could help and make a plan.

If you are thinking about selling, I would love to sit down with you. There is never any pressure. Sometimes you just need someone who knows the market to help you figure out what makes sense.

— Mary Lyn Cabral

Your Omaha REALTOR®