Excellence in Real Estate
Don't buy your new home until you have sold your current home.
This is generally sound advice unless you live in an extremely hot market and your Realtor is sure you'll be able to sell your home quickly. Timing is crucial, so start working with your agent to find a new home as soon as yours is listed. With a little bit of luck, the day you accept an offer on your home, you'll be able to make an offer on a new home and close both deals on the same day. At worst, you may have to live in a rental for a couple of months, but most people agree that moving twice is preferable to being stuck with two mortgage payments!Show your home in the best light possible.
While you don't have to keep your house 100% clean all the time, you should make any necessary repairs and perform all major cleanup work BEFORE you start showing your home. There are hundreds of small things you can do to make your house more attractive for a showing, ranging from drawing all the blinds and tightening loose doorknobs to displaying fresh-cut flowers and baking a loaf of bread. Most importantly, you should not be present during showings so that prospective buyers can explore your home freely. Ask your Realtor to provide a checklist of things you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers.