Another year, another real estate resolution. It’s 2019, which means it’s time to come up with a game plan for the next 365 days. What are you hoping to accomplish in the new year?
If “finding a new place to live,” “selling your home,” or “upgrading your lifestyle” have been swimming around in your head for the past few months… it may be time to get the ball rolling. It’s a great time to set a goal for the new year, especially if your goal has anything to do with the Triangle real estate market.
Not sure what the best way to get started is? We’ve got your back. Let’s dive right in.
Consult Your Finances
Thorough financial planning is key to a successful home purchase (or sale). Begin by taking a hard look at your savings, outstanding debt, annual income, and spending habits.
If buying a home is on the horizon, it may even be worth your while to meet with a mortgage lender to get pre-approved. The pre-approval process is a great way to consult your finances, and you’ll leave the meeting with a clear picture of what exactly you’ll be able to afford in a home.
Get Your Home in Order
Before you can buy a new home, you’ll have to sell the old one! While the decision to buy or sell first is completely up to you, prepping the home you currently live in to sell as soon as possible will make your life easier in the long run.
Begin by going through every room in your home and decluttering it. Aim to reduce your overall belongings by half. Not only will this make your home easier to stage, it will make it much easier to pack up when the time comes to move.
As popular “Tidying Up” author Marie Kondo says, “if you pick up an item and it does not spark joy within you, throw it away.”
Study the Market
Research, research, research! As you work on getting your home in order, be sure to spend some time taking a careful look at the real estate market in your area. Investigate current housing prices, sold reports for your neighborhood, and what kind of homes are for sale in the Triangle.
We offer a variety of helpful tools for keeping up to date with the market. Whether you’re hoping to sell a home in Clayton and buy a home in Raleigh, we have in-depth and specific reports to help.
Find the Right Real Estate Agent
While it is possible to sell a home or buy a home by yourself, it is undoubtedly more stressful, time-consuming, and expensive. Working with a professional real estate agent is a surefire way to achieve a successful real estate transaction, whether you’re buying or selling a home in the Triangle.
Interested in learning more about the real estate process? We would love to be there for you as you plan your new years resolution! Give us a call today to get started.
