If one of the goals on your list isselling your houseandmaking a movethis year, youre likely juggling a mix of excitement about whats ahead and feeling a little sentimental about your current home.

A great way to balance those emotions and make sure youre confident in your decision is to keep these three best practices in mind when youreready to sell.

1. Price Your Home Right

Thehousing marketshifted in 2023 asmortgage ratesrose andhome price appreciationstarted tonormalizeonce again. As a seller, you still need to recognize how important it is to price your houseappropriately based on where the market is today.Hannah Jones, Economic Research Analyst forRealtor.com,explains:

Sellers need to become familiar with their local market and work closely with a local agent to make sure their listing is attractive to buyers. Buyers feeling the pressure of affordability are likely to be pickier, soa well-priced, well-maintained home is the ticket to drumming up big demand.

If you price your house too high, you run the risk of deterringbuyers. And if you go too low, youre leaving money on the table. An experiencedreal estate agentcan help determine what your ideal asking price should be, so your house moves quickly and for top dollar.

2. Keep Your Emotions in Check

Today, homeowners are staying in their houseslongerthan they used to. According to theNational Association of Realtors(NAR), since 1985, the average time a homeowner has owned their home has increased from 6 to 10 years(see graph below):

This is much more than what used to be the norm. The side effect, however, is when you stay in one place for so long, you may get evenmoreemotionally attached to your space. If its the first home you bought or the house where your loved ones grew up, it very likely means something extra special to you. Every room has memories, and its hard to detach from the sentimental value.

For some homeowners, that makes it even tougher to separate the emotional value of the house from fair market price. Thats why you need a real estate professional to help you with the negotiations and the best pricing strategy along the way. Trust the professionals who have your best interests in mind.

3. Stage Your Home Properly

While you may love your decor and how youve customized your house over the years, not all buyers will feel the same way about your vibe. Thats why its so important to make sure you focus on your homes first impression, so it appeals to as many buyers as possible.

Buyers want to be able to picture themselves in the home. They need to see themselves inside with their furniture and keepsakes not your pictures and decorations.As Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at NAR,says:

Buyers want to easily envision themselves within a new home and home staging is a way to showcase the property in its best light.

A real estate professional can help you with expertise on getting your houseready to sell.

Bottom Line

If youre considering selling your house, reach out to a local real estate professional to help you navigate the process while prioritizing these must-dos.

When you're ready to make your next move, a local Realtor or Agency--like Delap Real Estate--is an indispensableresource. Contact us today to get started!

Article originally published by Keeping Current Matters at kcm dot com.