What are the first steps in the buying, selling process?

Are you on the fence about moving? The thought can be quite daunting. Getting yourself emotionally ready for the move is not always easy.

There are many reasons people move, including buying your first home, upsizing, downsizing, relocating for a job or to be closer to family or friends. While any one of these reasons is the start of a new chapter in life, getting emotionally ready is another story.

Just as in other areas of life, you need to have a plan. Having a plan will take a lot of stress off the move, and will keep you focused on taking the necessary

steps to help you to move forward.

For the seller, if you’ve lived in your home for 10-plus years, you have surely acquired many things along the way. The first step is to go through your home and decide what furniture and treasures you would like to bring with you to your new home and what you will leave behind.

Having a sense of what style home, size and number of bedrooms your new home will have will help you decide what you can and cannot take. This is a good exercise to get you in the mindset of moving forward.

Next, discuss with your Realtor what a fair market value is for your home to determine your list price. Stage it and make sure it’s show ready.

For the buyer, I’m sure you have been on the internet searching for your perfect home. Before getting too far ahead of yourself, speak to a mortgage representative and get pre-qualified or better yet, get pre- approved so you are a more desirable buyer.

There is no sense looking at homes that may not be in your budget. Lastly, know that while our goal as a Realtor is finding you everything you are looking for in a home, the reality is, if you get 80 percent of your wants and needs, you will have done well. Helpful hint: Prioritize a list of your wants and needs in a home, so your Realtor can focus on what’s important to you.

While I touched on the very basics of buying or selling a home, my suggestion would be to consult with a professional real estate agent that can answer any of questions or concerns. With their knowledge and expertise, they can advise you best, given your specific situation.