It has become increasingly difficult when deciding your next house move - be that upsize or downsize.

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Getting realistic

When you’re upsizing, it can be easy to get carried away and start dreaming of huge homes with massive gardens. Even when downsizing, it can be easy to find yourself viewing properties that aren’t really any different in size to where you live at the moment. Many buyers fail to remove their rose-tinted glasses when downsizing their home, which can leave you out of pocket and right back where you started.

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Be clear on what you need (not what you want)

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This point follows on from letting your emotions rule when looking for a new home. Sit down and create a list of essential criteria when you’re downsizing/upsizing. You need to look at this from the point of view of what do you need, as opposed to what you want: How many bedrooms should the house have? What sized living room/kitchen/garden suits your needs? What are your reasons for moving? For example, are you downsizing to reduce your mortgage repayments?

By being clear – with yourself about the kind of property you’re looking for, you can make the right decision for you and your family. It can be difficult to look at something like a home objectively, but remember the reasons why you’re upsizing/downsizing and focus on these to avoid disappointment.

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Sell before you buy

Many homeowners wonder whether they should wait until they’ve brought a new home to sell, or if they should sell first and then start looking. We would recommend selling before you buy, as this will give you a significant advantage when making an offer on a new home. You won’t be pressured by time constraints to accept an offer that is below market value, and you can buy your next home with ‘no strings attached’.

You will also know what you are shopping with - having your home sold allows you to know exactly what you are happy to pay for next. In this current market you may be surprised what you end up with.

To give yourself some security, we suggest selling with a long settlement which gives you plenty of time to find a new home.

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Improve your home before you move

Everyone wants to get the best possible deal when they sell their home. By spending a little now and making some smart improvements, you can really boost its value.

Speak our team to find out how much your property is worth now, and what changes you should make to improve its value. Do what you can preparing your home for sale and you will certainly reap the benefits; whether you’re upsizing or downsizing your home. Getting it done well in advance is also key so you are ready without too much stress at the end!

We always suggest getting a full building report early so if there are minor defects noted you can fix this prior to coming to the market. A LIM Report is also very useful so if there is anything that needs sorted it can all be done. This means when less barriers for any prospective purchasers.

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