Here’s how to know you’re ready to sell

WITH the real estate market being on the up, now might seem like a good time to sell your home, but you shouldn’t put up the “for sale” sign until you’re absolutely ready to commit to the process.

The best way to check whether you are ready:

Firstly, assess whether you are able to detach and view your home as a commodity or product that needs to be sold so they can move on with the next stage of their lives. People who are still emotionally attached often aren’t really sure they want to sell and they will often “sabotage” the idea by failing to spruce up their homes or make the repairs that may be necessary to achieve a speedy sale at the best possible price. They probably won’t listen to their agent when it comes to pricing either, and will be reluctant to invest any time or energy to get the deal done.

Secondly, serious sellers tend to have a game plan – or at least a very good idea of where their next home will be, what they want it to be like and how much they intend to spend on it. They usually have a good reason to want to move, like a new job, or a desire to live close to a particular school, or a plan to downsize and save for retirement, and that is always a motivating factor to get their current home sold.

Thirdly, you will know you’re ready to sell when you’re already checking out listings or starting to visit show houses or making contact with local agents.

“If you’ve already prepared all your financial documentation, consulted your mortgage originator and obtained pre-approval for your next home loan, you’re more than ready – you’re really keen, and your home should sell soon,” says Berry Everitt, the MD of the Chas Everitt International property group.