We understand that in many cases, you are not just selling bricks and mortar but leaving decades of precious memories and emotional attachments linked to your home behind. This is exactly why we never forget the emotional side of moving (which can’t be underestimated!), and why anyone who sells with us receives not only an empathetic service but a ‘critical-friend’ who is with them every step of the way, to guide you through each part of the moving process. And do try to remember, that all those precious memories go with you!
Below, we share the three most common factors that people looking to downsize their living, and/ or financial commitments should consider.
1) Understand your motivation for moving & ideal timescale
Knowing the fundamental why behind your desire or need to move and having an ideal timescale in mind is the biggest first step you need to take.
Work backward from your end goal/ ideal timescale and map out the baby steps that need to happen along the way in order to get you there!
We find by focussing on one step at time, it is much easier to manage than trying to think about everything you need to do all in one go. The task can seem like trying to climb Mount Everest otherwise, which is when the anxiety and fear can kick in.
2) Get prepared for a move
Once you have decided to take the plunge and make the big move, start making your life easier as early as possible in the process, so that come moving day you won’t be as stressed! Start to do any jobs that may need doing before you decide to put your property onto the market and de-clutter your home in well enough time, remembering the concept of ‘down-sizing’ and the practicalities that come with this. Understanding that getting rid of certain items of furniture could be necessary as they won’t fit where you are going and asking family to help with the de-cluttering exercise can be an enjoyable experience to reminisce over all the amazing memories.
Get your legal paperwork in order in advance, and any guarantees you hold for the property for any works that have been carried out for example, as a buyer’s solicitor is likely to request these during the conveyancing stage. Also, consider how a downsize move could support your finances and how you will fund your onward purchase. This will put you in the best possible buying position when it come to finding the right home to move to, and if you need to sell your property in order to buy, this step is fundamental to your onward purchase. An experienced estate agent will be able to guide you through the tricky process of finding the right committed buyers for your home that will work with your desired timescale, while helping you to find the right property to move to.
3) Never the right time, always the right move.
As with most things in life, there is never the perfect time! It is a case of understanding your reasonings for needing to or wanting to downsize, doing extensive research, and then going with your gut-feeling. It more about the right home/ right move as opposed to waiting for the perfect time.
We’re not just saying it but choosing the right estate agent can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to moving onto a new chapter in your life, so make sure you do your research and go with your gut-feeling on the agent you truly feel you trust the most to get you your desired outcome by providing the right tailored solution.
To put it all into perspective, a former down-sizing client of ours (now more like friends) have got in touch with us very recently to advise of the sad passing of their father.
Although it was extremely upsetting for us to hear the news, what was encouraging is that they advised us of the following….
‘’We had a wonderful year with him after moving here - so a huge thanks to Harper Williams for making that happen and also for making it such an easy experience for us. We went out all the time here and enjoyed life with him. So, no regrets.’
So, whenever you decide to take the plunge and embark on your down-sizing journey, we are here to help and whatever you decide to do, make sure you are left with no regrets!
