Jolie Abreu

Make a list of your "must haves". Then number them in order of importance. To prevent overwhelm during the house hunting process, stick to your top 3 "must haves" no matter what. Think of the features you absolutely won't give up. Whether that's a specific school district, garage size or first floor master - decide what's most important and focus on those features first. (Typically these are features that can't be changed!)

It's important to prioritize meeting with a Real Estate Agent as one of the first things you do. You want to have a clear plan before listing your home including making sure your house looks it's absolute best. So for example, If you're 30 days out from wanting to put a for sale sign in your yard and get your house on the market, you'll want to expedite your checklist! Are you moving locally? Will you need to start a home search for a new house right away? Do you have to sell to buy? Make a plan for this with your Real Estate Agent as well. Share any details that are contingent to selling your home. For example, if you need to find a new house before closing on your current home, this is something you'll want to plan for in advance.  Once you've met with your Real Estate Agent and determined the list price of your home, you'll want to get an estimate of what the proceeds from your home sale will be. Since you don't know the Accepted Offer price yet, this is only an estimate.  Be aware of the expenses you're responsible as a home seller. Knowing this up front will eliminate any surprises once you're in the middle of a transaction.  Make a list of the things you love most. Whether it's a specific home feature such as a sunny screened in porch or the bike trail that runs behind your neighborhood where you run every day - Writing these down will help your Real Estate Agent be able to best market the lifestyle of living there!