It’s Never The “Right” Time

Real Estate Tip: It’s never going to be the perfect time, and it rarely goes according to plan. 

And that’s OK! We’ll help you every step of the way,

Here’s the deal: in your mind, you may have an idea about the perfect time to sell your home, based on your work schedule or your kids’ Baltimore County school schedule, or the month that your flowers are in full bloom and your gardens look beautiful. You’ve got the timing down perfectly. You will finally be ready to move when x, y, and z happen and everything will fall into place. You will list your home, find your new home, and all will be right in the world. 

As a buyer, you might feel like your life is crazy at the moment and you want to start looking for your dream home “when things settle down.” Maybe you are currently renting in Baltimore City and you want to perfectly time your house hunting with the end of your current lease. Or perhaps you are trying to save up just a little more money for your down payment. It’s possible you are waiting for that big promotion at work so you can afford a little more house than you initially intended. You just know your dream home is going to come onto the market at the perfect time, and you are going to make an offer and the house will be yours.

But let’s face it: life throws us all curveballs all the time and we are forced to change our plans and adjust our expectations.

Here’s how it’s more likely to happen: You planned on moving in the Spring, but it’s the dead of winter and a house in your price range in the neighborhood you’ve always had your eye on just came on the market and it’s perfect for you. Or, your neighbor’s house just sold for way over asking price with multiple offers and you want to take advantage of the hot market and the large pool of buyers, so you decide to list before you know exactly where you are going to move. Trust us, it’s much more likely to happen this way. Unpredicted. Inconvenient. Not ideal. 

So how do you deal with the unexpected? We have tips for you!

First, if you are thinking about selling your home even if it’s a year or two away, start thinking about those projects you’ve needed to do but have been putting off. A new hot water heater, a more neutral color in your living room, some mulching or new landscaping. How about a few visits to the local dump and some trips to Goodwill? Have you had your furnace serviced yet this year? Do you have a bunch of burnt out light bulbs? Staying on top of these things and tackling some pesky projects now will make your to-do list a bit shorter when it’s time to list your home. And we can’t emphasize this enough: tap into us early on what you should and should not invest in before you sell your Baltimore home. We can guide you to make the best investments with a high return. 

If you’re a first time buyer or are currently renting and don’t have to worry about selling a home, you can focus solely on the process of searching for a new home. But in case your dream home comes up before you are “ready,” be sure that you have found a great mortgage lender to talk to, you’ve been pre-approved for the amount you need to borrow, and you understand the process of financing your new home. Great homes in Baltimore move quickly, so having your financial “ducks in a row” is hugely helpful. It’s better to be early than to be late! Check your annual free credit report to be sure there are no surprises on there, and work on increasing your credit score so you can get the lowest interest rate possible. If you’re thinking of buying in Baltimore, reach out to us for a personal introduction to a stellar mortgage professional so you are prepared. 

We’ve got lots of experience dealing with the unexpected, so we are more than ready to help you navigate whether you are a buyer or a seller, or both! Feel free to browse our site to learn more about the process, check out homes for sale on our live search site, or contact us for a personalized discussion on your needs. We love chatting with Baltimore home buyers and sellers before it’s “go time” so they are prepared as possible to have a successful process. Call us anytime!