Crafting Your New Year's Real Estate Resolutions
As we reflect on the past year and think ahead to the future, many of us are working on our resolutions to make the new year a fantastic one. If you are planning to buy or sell in 2021, adopting these resolutions will make that experience a lot easier and less stressful.
For sellers:
Purge unwanted items from the house. Decluttering in advance will make it that much easier to prepare your home for sale.
Never got that leaky sink in the basement fixed or replaced that lightbulb in the garage? Find time to complete light handiwork tasks that might have fallen by the wayside over the years.
If your house is in a trust, make sure to have the paperwork handy to provide to the title company when you sell your home.
Have your next move planned. Instead of scrambling to find a place to live after you sell your home, having a strategy in place will alleviate the worry of what to do next in the midst of moving.
Hire a Realtor who is familiar with your neighborhood so they can offer the best advice on how to sell your home quickly and for top dollar.
For buyers:
Create a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves ready so you can be more precise with your home search.
Get your credit score up. Your credit score is the most important criterion used in getting a loan, so make sure to pay off debts, pay bills on time, and be careful about opening up new lines of credit.
Scout out neighborhoods you are interested in and attend open houses to familiarize yourself with different areas.
Shop around for local lenders and have financial documents (like paystubs, W2’s, bank statements, and recent tax returns) ready. Getting a letter of pre-approval before seriously starting the buying process is essential.
Hire a Realtor who knows the areas you are interested in living and who can help you write a great offer, which is paramount when searching for houses in a competitive market.