Question:
“Gary, my wife and I want to move near the beach. We need to sell to afford a new home. But we’re afraid of selling and not finding a home and becoming homeless. You must run into this all the time. How do we handle this?”
Answer:
Great question! Rest assured that in my almost 30 years in real estate, I’ve never made a client homeless…unless they didn’t want to buy another home.
Here are the steps I recommend:
- Market Analysis
Have me determine what your home will sell for and how much cash you’ll net from a sale. - Prequalify
Talk with my preferred lender to see how much mortgage you want and qualify for. (Skip if you’re paying cash.) - Scout the Market
See if homes you like are out there. You’re not buying yet—just checking if a move makes sense. We help by finding homes fitting your needs. Drive by some and go inside a few. Not loving what you see? Adjust parameters: Condo vs. house? 2000 square feet vs. 2500? 3BR vs. 4BR? Different location? - Decide If You’re Moving Forward
If you’re finding homes you like (even if not THE home), go to Step #5. If not, stop and stay where you are, if that’s an option. If you MUST move, go to Step #5. - List Your Home For Sale
Time to take the big step. You can add conditions to give you flexibility. That includes “sale subject to seller finding suitable housing” (big turn off to buyers) or “seller may require rentback up to 60 days” (small turn off). Or many people are OK with or even want to rent in between buying and selling to give them more time. - Sell, Buy, & Live Happily Ever After
I didn’t want to write a book here, so yes, I’m leaving out a few details.
Let me know if you have questions or need help with any or all of these steps!
