Have you been casually thinking about selling your home lately? Maybe you’ve been poking around the internet looking at the homes for sale in your neighborhood to see what the going rate is. Or have been looking into a different city and daydreaming of starting a new adventure?
Selling your home is a major decision, and according to the National Association of Realtors, more than half of the homes that go on the market sell in less than 40 days. That means that you have to be one hundred percent confident that you are ready to sell your home.
Thankfully, there are ways to tell if you are, in fact, ready to take the plunge. If more than three of these signs sound familiar and reflect your current situation, you are probably ready to contact a real estate professional to have your home evaluated for sale.
1. Your Home Doesn’t Serve Your Needs Anymore
A backyard swing set, a playroom loaded with toys, and bedrooms with children's decor may have been exactly what you used to need from your home, but are your house needs still the same today? If all the reasons you bought your home no longer reflect your current lifestyle demand, you may be ready to downsize your home. Conversely, if you purchased a starter home that your family is rapidly outgrowing, it may be time to size up.
Other reasons why your home may not suit your needs may be a new job that means a considerably longer commute, a changing neighborhood that no longer suits you, or a desire to be closer to premier schools for your children.
2. You Are Debt-Free and Have Money Saved
If your current home offers everything you need, but you are getting an itch to see what else is out there, you may be feeling a desire to exercise your home buyer skills and see if there are any upgrades out there on the horizon.
Once you have been through the process of buying a home, you are generally in a far better place to make more knowledgeable decisions about your next home. One of the biggest hurdles that buyers face is getting their finances in order, but if you have relieved yourself of home, credit, and loan debt and saved a pretty penny or two in the bank, you are in an excellent position to consider selling your current home if a better opportunity presents itself.
3. Your Home is in the Best Shape It’s Ever Been In
If you had given your home a lot of time and attention to transforming it into a way better space than it was when you bought it, you might be in a great position to sell. If you have upgraded a fixer-upper, added a new roof, revamped a tired floor plan, or completed major repairs which have made your home far more valuable, you have done your part to take a plain old house and turn it into a dream come true.
Your home now may be an attractive house to real estate buyers, but is it now your dream house after all that work? Or is it a completed masterpiece that would be better suited for another family?
4. You’ve Studied the Home Market
If you’ve been reading up on the current real estate trends in the United States, you may have seen that Tucson’s housing market isn’t just healthy, it’s one of the top ten most active markets in the country. If you have equity on your side and want to turn your home from a living space into an investment in your future, you need to keep a close eye on the home market in your area.
The only way to know for sure if your home is worth what you hope is to know your market. Understanding what the current average home price in your area is, the types of homes that are being scooped up by buyers, and how fast the sales are going means that you are doing your due diligence. That way, you will not only ensure that your home is as valuable as it can be, but that you are also primed to get top dollar for it should you choose to sell.
5. You’re Not Feeling Love for Your Home Anymore
When you first bought your home, you may have been head over heels in love with it, but... is that still how you feel about your house? Your home should be a refuge for you, and not a place where you feel uncomfortable or simply not at home.
There are a million reasons, both little and big, that can lead you to fall out of love with your home. If it’s not something that you can narrow down to an issue or two, but more than a general feeling of unease with your current living situation, it would not be at all uncommon to consider moving to a new home.
What is important is that you thoroughly explore your feelings about the situation before making any permanent decisions, and when you’re ready, consult with an excellent realtor who can help you see if it is the right time to sell.
