Many people can time their sale and purchase so that they happen on the same “closing date.” As a buyer, you can make your offer “conditional” on the sale of your existing home to make sure you are not left paying for two homes and have a suitable property lined up. As a seller, you can try to extend the “closing period” to give yourself more time to find your next home. A REALTOR can provide advice and counsel during these negotiations.

First impressions are everything! At a minimum, you’ll want to tide the house and clean to ensure the house is looking and smelling its best. You may want to fix any visible issues and danger spots to ensure that the home is safe for visitors. A new paint job is one of the more affordable ways to give a house a fresh look. If painting the interior/exterior is not ideal, you may want to consider painting the front door and possibly the trim.

It’s essential to prepare in advance for buyers’ expectations about what you’ll leave behind and include as part of the sale. As a general rule, you’ll be expected to leave behind all “fixtures,” defined as things that are affixed, fastened to, or an integral part of the home or landscaping.

If possible, it is always best to leave and have the house wholly vacated before a showing. The best idea is to leave shortly before the scheduled showing and come back once you are sure the buyer and their REALTOR have left your home. Showings will always be scheduled.

A seller’s market occurs when there is a shortage in housing or more potential buyers than homes. A buyer’s market occurs when there is a surplus in housing or more homes for sale than buyers. The housing market tends to be cyclical and is greatly influenced by various factors that can create a shortage or surplus.