Whether you’re just moving across town or to the other side of the country, the whole process of selling your old home, purchasing a new home, and moving can be stressful and overwhelming. When you’re older and embarking on this process it’s even more daunting. However, Home & Company and guest blogger Sharon Wagner offer the following guidance to make the process a little easier and less intimidating.
Motivations for Moving
Although some of us move after the death of a spouse or because they need more support, others move for happier reasons. For example, they may want to live closer to their family, especially if they have grandchildren. Perhaps they decide to move because their current home is too much to maintain, and they wish to downsize. Perhaps the garden is too much work or the house itself is just too large.
If physical abilities are changing, the decision to move can be sensible. A home with many stairs or with narrow door frames isn’t a good option for many older people. Lifestyle is another reason to leave an old home. Living within walking distance or a short drive from amenities is often an important aspect of where we choose to live. It can be great to have access to public transportation when we’re no longer able to drive.
Upgrading Your Old Home
When you’re preparing to sell your home, there are some obvious things you’ll do. You’ll dust the furniture, vacuum the rugs, and replace anything that’s broken. But don’t stop there. Many upgrades can be completed at a low cost, and they can help you sell your home faster and maybe even for more money.
Paint
For starters, you can refresh any room with a new coat of paint. Whether your walls haven’t been painted in years and need a spruce up or you’re removing an all-too-bright paint choice, painting is a simple and relatively inexpensive upgrade. To add colour to boring stairs, install a DIY stair-runner.
Lighting
Replacing light fixtures is an easy and inexpensive way to bring new life to a room.
Older Kitchen
Nothing can turn a homebuyer off more quickly than an outdated kitchen. Replace the hardware on your cabinets and give them a fresh coat of paint to completely change the look of your kitchen. Don’t forget the outside of your home; planting a few fresh flowers can add curb appeal.
As-Is
If time and money is an issue, there is always the option to sell your home as-is, and when it’s a seller’s market, this can pay off. But it’s wise to bear in mind what an as-is home means for a buyer, and what, if any, expectations they can have from you.
Another Consideration
Come moving day, remember to take care of yourself. Make plans to hire movers far in advance to reduce inevitable stress on the big day. If you have flexibility on the date you plan to move, consider doing so on a day when the fewest people are moving. You’ll be happy you decided to avoid the rush: your movers will be more relaxed and rested and will consequently be able to take more time and care with your move.
Selling your old home, purchasing a new home, and moving are all individually stressful events, and doing all three at once can cause tremendous stress, especially when we’re older. Help take some of the stress out of the equation with a few simple upgrades to your old home to help it sell faster, and you may get a better price.