THE NEXT MOVE
Should I sell my house? 6 signs it’s time
As much as you love your home, there may come a time when you start thinking: Should I sell my house?
According to the National Association of Realtors, homeowners tend to stay in a house about 10 years before they sell. Think that sounds shockingly short? Or way too long? The fact is, people’s timeframes will vary widely based on their reasons for selling.
The choice to sell your home can come about for a variety of reasons. And it may have been something you’ve been considering for a long time, or a snap decision.
“Sometimes a sudden defining event prompts a seller to sell — a transfer, death, or divorce, which quickly starts the process,” says Bruce Ailion, an attorney and real estate agent with RE/MAX in Atlanta, Georgia. “More often, it is a slower process — children leaving the nest, a need to be closer to a relative, retirement, or the desire to be in a smaller, bigger, newer, or different neighborhood. The gestation period for this type of decision is often two to four years.”
There are many common reasons — financial and emotional — that lead you to sell your current home. Plus, you don’t always see these reasons coming, so if you’re wondering whether or not to list your house, here are some telltale signs it’s time to sell, even if it hasn’t been 10 years.
According to the National Association of Realtors, homeowners tend to stay in a house about 10 years before they sell.
1. It’s a seller’s market
Let’s start with one of the most obvious reasons to sell: It’s a seller’s market, which means you stand to make a nice profit on your property.
You need to gauge the key indicators of a strong seller’s market, explains Allen Shayanfekr, CEO and cofounder of Sharestates, an online real estate investment