Moving can be stressful, especially if you are selling your old home at the same time that you are buying a new one. Fortunately, partnering with Sell Save Move can make navigating the details of buying and selling your home significantly easier. Here are several other ways to make the process of finding your new home less stressful!

Your ideal home may evolve as you tour multiple homes and learn more about what features are becoming the most sought after among today's luxury living spaces, but going into the process with a good idea of what you are looking for in mind is an important step in getting the most out of the time that you spend visiting potential new homes. Making several lists of what features your new home and its neighborhood must have, what luxury options would be nice to have, and what you definitely do not want before you even begin browsing the options that are currently on the market in your desired areas can help you avoid wasting your and your real estate agent's time by visiting homes that you will know are not a good fit for you as soon as you walk in the door.

 

For example, you likely already know that your new home must have central air and be located within a short drive of a good grocery store, you would like to have plenty of space for an in-ground pool and all energy-efficient appliances but know that these are not deal-breakers, and your home cannot have stairs or be located along a major street. By compiling this information ahead of time, you can make sure that you only visit homes that have a reasonable chance of being a good fit for you and your family. Touring as many homes as you need to to make an informed decision is important, but visiting more than you have time for because you do not have a good grasp of what you actually want will likely be more stressful than productive.

Getting started as soon as you know you plan to move is an important step in making sure you have plenty of time to get everything done without rushing, which can make the entire process significantly less stressful. By starting the process as early as possible, you will often be able to spread your research, cleaning, repairs, and other items on your to-do list out over several months instead of attempting to do everything at once and not having enough time to do things you enjoy that are not related to buying and selling your home.

 

As a home buyer, starting early gives you plenty of time to understand exactly what you want in your new home and its neighborhood, which allows you to more thoroughly browse the options that are currently on the market and create a concise list of homes to tour that comes close to what you have in mind. Knowing that you do not need to make a decision immediately also gives you the flexibility to wait and see if something that might be an even better fit for you comes along, while you might have to choose from what is currently available if you wait too long to start considering your options. Starting early also gives you more time to explore your financial options to make sure you are going into the process with the best possible understanding of your budget and the steps you need to take to secure the funds you need as soon as you are ready to make an offer on a home.

 

As a seller, starting to prepare as soon as you know you plan to sell your home gives you more time to deep clean your home, make repairs, minimize clutter, consider having it professionally staged, and otherwise get it ready to look its best for the professional photos you will need to list it on the market to create the best possible first impression for your potential buyers. You will also have more time to organize your finances, which can be particularly time-consuming if you are also buying a new home at the same time.

Having a solid understanding of what your budget looks like before you start looking at homes is an important step in making sure you know what you can afford and what luxury features you would love to have someday but may need to add on later. You do not want to fall in love with a home you thought was within your means only to find out that it is not, in fact, a good fit, and making this mistake once can make searching for other options even more stressful.

 

Considering the money you currently have available, your total household income, your credit score, the type of mortgage you are likely to qualify for, and whether you may be able to get pre-approved for your mortgage can give you a more accurate estimate of the budget you are most realistically working with to help you limit your search to properties that fall comfortably within your means. By only visiting properties that fit into your budget with your current income and that you are likely to be able to get a mortgage for, you can save yourself the frustration of becoming invested in a home that has a lower likelihood of working out in your favor and having to settle for a home you may not like as much.

 

If you are selling and buying a home at the same time, keeping careful track of your finances becomes even more important. Getting a mortgage approved for your new home before you have completed the sale of your old one can be more complicated than you would like it to be, but you may be able to make the process less stressful by making a contingent offer on the home you are interested in. This option allows you to only commit to your offer once you actually sell your old house, which can help you avoid balancing two mortgages and increase the funds that you have available when you are ready to put them toward your new home.

 

Although a home inspection can add to the total cost of buying a home, it is a crucial aspect of avoiding complications from undisclosed or unknown problems several weeks or months after closing on your new home. This step can help you avoid the stress of not knowing what potential problems you may have to deal with down the road by identifying and addressing any issues prior to making a final decision.

Buying a new home, selling your current one, packing, and finalizing other aspects of the moving process are probably the most important things on your mind right now, but that does not mean you should allow them to consume every minute of your time. Managing any stressful situation works best when you are intentional about scheduling time to do something you enjoy every day, especially during a process that is as long and complex as buying and selling a home. Reading a book, playing games with your family, and getting out of the house to get some exercise and fresh air at a nearby park can be easy ways to get your mind off constant thoughts of offers, mortgages, packing, and other less interesting parts of the process that you may not enjoy thinking about.

 

This concept can also be a natural way to spend time enjoying as many of your favorite things about your neighborhood and town as possible before leaving. Sipping the last latte at your favorite coffee shop, jogging on the trails you most frequently use, visiting your favorite local boutique one last time, and simply relaxing in your backyard can help you savor the things you love about where you are living right now to make peace with leaving over time and get your mind ready to find new favorites in your new neighborhood.

Taking the time to research top-rated local real estate agents and carefully select one that is a good fit for you can save you a significant amount of stress throughout the process of selling and buying a home. You will be spending a significant amount of time with your real estate agent throughout the process and sharing important confidential information with them and making sure you trust them to be available when you need them, reliably handle their responsibilities, and thoroughly understand the local market of the city and neighborhood you currently live in or are looking to move to is an important step in making sure you will not have to handle more work than you are expecting yourself.

 

Making this decision several months before you are ready to actually list your home or begin touring homes you are interested in is an important step in making sure he or she is able to help you as much as possible throughout the preparation process.

 

At Sell Save Move, our CT real estate agents are experts when it comes to understanding everything there is to know about moving into or out of Connecticut to provide knowledgeable and personalized assistance for each of our clients throughout every step of the home buying or selling process. We know that making decisions about your new home can be stressful, especially if you are navigating the selling and buying processes at the same time, and we are here to simplify every stage of the process. Contact Sell Save Move today to learn more about what sets us apart from other Connecticut real estate agents or to start the process of buying or selling your home!

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