Melissa Harmel - LESS HOME, MORE LIVING

and eventual sales price. Also, the current market conditions will affect pricing strategy (seller’s market vs. buyer’s market vs. neutral [balanced] market). So where do you come into play? The partnership relationship between the seller and the agent will factor in in a major way when pricing a home and getting the desired results. The keyword is “partnership.” Even the very best real estate agent’s efforts can be derailed when the seller doesn’t cooperate. For example, the agent can market the property professionally and bring in several qualified buyers, but then the deal is blown because the seller didn’t uphold their end of the bargain (didn’t clean out the garage, didn’t add a fresh coat of paint, forgot to remove the pets, etc.). It’s not all up to the agent you hire. It’s also up to you. In fact, the seller’s time, effort, and investment are the most important components of the home-selling process, and this cannot be overstated. You should be willing to do what it takes to showcase your home in pristine condition in order to get it sold in good time, at a great price. If you can’t do it yourself, then find some help. Of course, you should be working with a real estate agent throughout the entire downsizing process; they can often recommend people who can help you with all the tasks you need to do to get your home in show-ready condition. You might also have friends and family members who can help.

Key Takeaway:

Downsizing the right way means understanding the basics of the home-selling process, whether you’ve never had to sell a home before, or it’s been years since you’ve done so. A lot has changed, and there’s a lot to learn. This starts with setting the right price for

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