Benjamin Franklin once hinted that the only certainties in life were death and taxes. And while I’m hardly one to question the wisdom of ole’ Ben, it seems he forgot one other: change. But whether it’s an unexpected curveball or a preconceived uprooting, your home, both its location and disposition, should be at the top of your priority list when weathering a move.
We sat down with Robin Smith, owner of Robin’s Nestings, to find out what you need to know when considering a big move.
Location, Location, Location
As far as neighborhoods and communities go, picking the right one can make all the difference. But for all the research, visits and opinions you can garner, sometimes it’s a simple gut reaction that really tells the story.
When Smith moved to Doylestown two years ago, she admits to having decided to settle in Doylestown on the basis of a somewhat unorthodox rule of thumb, yet one that she finds herself relaying to clients over and over again: “I have always thought that if a town can support a good independent bookstore and theater, it has to be a nice place to live.”
And while your criteria may differ, the message remains simple. “Many people make the mistake of falling in love with a particular model or floor plan and don’t give much consideration to how where it is will impact their day-to-day life,” she continues. “Decide what’s most important to you about your new home. Perhaps you want to be near good schools, or maybe you want to be close to entertainment and shopping. There are lovely communities around, but sometimes you have to consider, ‘Where am I going to go food shopping?’ or “Am I going to spend my life in the car driving the kids to their activities?”
Sprucing up for the Sale
No one likes moving. From the packing to the cleaning to the missing role of duct tape when you need it most, it all adds up to a headache. And we haven’t mentioned selling your house yet. Still, while you can’t avoid the hassle, there are ways to make it more manageable.
Home staging, a type of interior design that prepares model and resale homes to go on the market and fetch the highest possible prices in the shortest amount of time, is a specialty that Smith has cultivated over the years. “The goal of home staging is to improve the home's appearance in the eyes of potential buyers,” she says. “Plus, it forces you to get organized for your eventual move, easing that process as well.
Your New Digs
You know where you’re moving, your house is looking its absolute best and you’ve even managed to get rid of the boxes that haven’t seen the light of day in a few decades from your attic. It’s time to find your new home. According to Smith, who recently obtained her real estate license in Pennsylvania after 20 years as a Realtor in Newport, RI and the Connecticut shoreline, there are a few things you should look for when making your big purchase.
“One of the most important jobs of a good agent is to educate the buyer and the seller and keep everybody on the same page,” she says. “It’s the only way to keep everybody moving toward their ultimate goal: a new home in a new community.”
And since your new environs play such a pivotal role in your life, Smith says an outside perspective is often beneficial. “The decision to buy or sell a home is usually an emotional decision because people’s homes are where their hearts are,” she adds. “Things can get tense along the way, but if you can remember this, it will make the transition smoother”
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