Tips For Successful Downsizing

Are you starting a new chapter in life but have no idea how to downsize your home? Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of moving to a new place? Paralyzed by all the unknowns that come with downsizing? Or maybe you feel overwhelmed by all the work you feel your home needs before it goes on the market.

Downsizing to a new home can be a real opportunity for those looking to save money & enjoy the equity freed up from their home sale. It’s often a decision made by those who now have an empty nest & are struggling with the upkeep of their home or the costs associated with it. Or you may just be eager for a change, want to simplify your life, move closer to family or friends, or start a new phase in life.

We get it! We’ve got plenty of tips & resources for making wise decisions throughout the downsizing process. We’ll help you with a clear plan & together, we’ll calm your fears. When it’s time to sell your home, you won’t feel stressed or rushed. Instead, you’ll feel confident!

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DOWNSIZE YOUR STUFF BEFORE DOWNSIZING YOUR HOME

Make the Big-Picture Decisions First

The best & least overwhelming way to downsize is room by room. Try making big-picture decisions first, then move on to minor details.

Develop a Decluttering & Organizing System

Downsizing your home also becomes more manageable when you start early. You might not be ready to go as far as packing your stuff into moving boxes yet, but you don’t have to wait until the weeks leading up to the move to start decluttering your current space.

Sort Belongings Into 4 Main Categories

Giveaways: These possessions will go to friends & family who want them.
Donations: Anything you or your family won't keep, but still has utility.
Sale Items: Auction, consignment, yard sale, or online sale.
Trash Pickup or Dump: No matter how much we want to think otherwise, some things just don’t have a second life.

Downsize Your Furniture

When you are downsizing, chances are you’ll have to part with certain pieces of furniture. Instead of focusing on what to eliminate, set your sights on what you can’t live without or what you would need to replace if it were gone. Once you have narrowed it down, start finding new homes for the furniture that won’t make its way to your new space.

Think Through Kitchen Items

More than any other room in your home, your kitchen contains items you use every day. Downsizing here might be daunting, but approach it with the same strategy as any other room. Kitchens are home to everyday odds & ends like can openers, corkscrews, glassware, coffee makers, & other small appliances. Don’t focus on what to eliminate, instead, pull out the pieces you can’t live without.

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HOW MUCH IS YOUR HOME WORTH?

It's important to understand the value of your home & how it can assist you with deciding when to downsize. There are MANY online sites that claim to deliver the value of your home but in reality, they are grossly inaccurate. To get a true understanding of your home's current market value, contact a reputable REALTOR® who knows your immediate area & has the experience and expertise to assess your home's characteristics so they provide you with an accurate price range for your home.

Establishing Value Through the Sales Comparison Approach

There are many ways a REALTOR® can establish a market value for your home. The most common approach to accomplishing this is through a sales comparison approach. This method will compare your home & its features to recently sold homes in your immediate area, establishing a market value range as a result. The CCY Team analyzes the latest data from our MLS system so we can deliver an accurate market value of your home, which in turn allows you to make some financial decisions.

Maximize the Value of Your Home

We will tour your home, make detailed notes about your property, & provide suggestions for updates that will yield the strongest return of investment. By considering these options, you can maximize your net proceeds of your home when the time comes to sell.

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WHAT & WHERE ARE AVAILABLE DEVELOPMENTS?

York County offers many developments for downsizers to consider. Some of the most popular locations are Longstown Village, Equine Meadows, Regents Glen, Stone Hill, Rosenmiller Woods, White Oak Manor, Ashcombe Farms, Villas at the Lake, Laurel Manor, Heritage Hills, The Fountains at Heritage Hills, Susquehanna Village, & Shiloh Ridge.

While these are some favorite locations our past clients, friends, & family have bought in, we realize that your situation is unique & may require special consideration. This is where our combined 85 years of real estate experience can help you sort through the many options & decisions necessary to make this a successful journey for you.

Making A Move Out of the Area?

Many of our clients have decided to make a move out of the area to be closer to their loved ones or move to a warmer climate or a destination location that they have always dreamed about. Believe it or not, we can help you with this process too! Our network of REALTORS® stretches across the United States & we can assist you with finding the right REALTOR® in your new area that most likely matches up with our level of professionalism, experience, & capabilities so that you can have peace of mind in knowing you are getting the best the area offers in REALTOR® representation.

Find the Right Home for You

HOW DOES FINANCING WORK & WHAT HAPPENS IF I WANT TO BUY BEFORE I SELL?

Consider Purchasing Your New Home Before Selling Your Existing Home

Though this may seem like a risky proposition at first, this may be the best option when deciding to downsize. Here are some of the key reasons why this may make sense:

Security of knowing where you are going to live
Knowing the size, space, & amenities of your new home
Allows you to buy the home in your desired development when one comes up on the market without rushing to sell yours
If you wait to buy a home after selling yours, there may be the chance that a home in your desired development isn't available & then you would have to consider temporary housing.

Financing Options to Buy Before You Sell

The timing between selling your current home & buying the next one does not always line up the way you want it to. With a little bit of planning & working with our seasoned team of professionals, we can help make both transactions run smoothly.

One of the easiest ways to achieve the goal of purchasing a new home before selling your current home is to unlock the equity of your current home.

Through our relationships with financial institutions & our many years of experience, we can help guide you through the many options available that will suit your financial needs. Our lenders are well versed in offering products like a home equity line of credit, bridge loans, reverse mortgages, & other custom financial options to aid in making your move with ease & without financial burden.

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CONCLUSION

As you can see, the process of downsizing can be overwhelming without proper planning & the use of the right REALTOR®. We pride ourselves in having accomplished this very task with many clients over the years & have made it a priority to be in the forefront as an authority when it comes to downsizing & helping our clients achieve their goals. Who you work with matters! Selecting the right REALTOR® for this task makes all the difference in a successful & positive experience. You will find that we are always available to answer your questions, take your phone calls, & offer helpful suggestions along the way. We even are there for you AFTER THE CLOSE of your home & have a series of vendor contacts for any of your housing needs. We take it to heart & want to be YOUR FOREVER AGENT!

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Meet Your Downsizing Team

We're here to help! As experts in the market with years of experience, we're here to answer any questions you may have. Let's chat so we can help you make better decisions during the selling process!

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