Moving made easy? It’s not too good to be true. In fact, it can be smart, easy and – dare we say it – enjoyable.
“These may be unprecedented times, but that doesn’t mean that transitioning your life isn’t a smart move,” says Charles Benjamin, Executive Director of Harrogate, Ocean County, New Jersey’s premier active senior living community and located just minutes from Toms River and the Monmouth/Ocean County beaches. “In fact, it’s one of the best moves you can make, and Harrogate can help make it easier for you thanks to our partnership with Moving Station.”
Charles says that it’s never too early or too late for seniors to begin transitioning to a more fulfilling, experience-rich life. “Even with COVID-19, this is still an excellent time to make a move,” he says. “This is especially true in fall, because moving now means you’re able to avoid another year dealing with home maintenance in winter. Instead, you can enjoy an easy season at our maintenance-free community.”
The State of the Real Estate Market
It may seem surprising, but the real estate market is hot, hot, hot. While showings and home sales slowed at the beginning of the pandemic, they’ve made a significant rebound since then. Historically low interest rates are just one factor. Another is that “starter homes” (read: more affordable homes for young families or first-time home buyers) simply aren’t being built, making the inventory low as demand continues to rise.
In the New Jersey area, the housing market has been heating up in part due to the pandemic shutdown. People are moving from the large cities and settling in the suburbs, and as more and more companies improve their work-from-home policies, people are free to move and go where they want or need to go, whether that’s for a school system, to be close to family or simply be in a desirable area.
Preparing Your Home for Sale
Just because the real estate market is incredibly hot doesn’t mean that you can simply put a for sale sign in your yard and wait for the offers to roll in. That’s why it’s so important to hire a professional real estate agent to help show off your home in the very best light (and get you the best offer possible).
90 percent of home buyers begin their search online, so you want to make sure your listing looks as great as possible. Professional photos are a must, but also consider a virtual walk-through. Because of COVID-19, the majority of buyers will only schedule showings of homes they are seriously considering, and having a virtual walk-through will make it easier for them to literally see themselves in your home.
Consider current home trends as you and your real estate agent are staging your home for sale. These days, buyers are looking for houses with a home office space, so consider having a spare bedroom do double-duty. Finally, be sure to price your home correctly. Too high, and you won’t get any bites – too low, and you may not get the full value for your place. Again, a real estate professional will help you figure out the best way to stage, arrange and show your house in order to get the most eyes and most bids.
Getting Ready to Move
Before you put your home on the market, you’ll want to get ready for your move. Not only does this get you in the right mindset, but it also will help you purge and downsize your items (and clear out your house so it’s easier to stage). Here are a few tips from the experts:
- Give yourself plenty of time to complete the process. No matter how long you think it may take, just know it will take even longer than that. Don’t try to get through everything in a weekend – or even a week. Several weeks and up to several months is a more realistic timeline.
- Take time to reminisce. Going through your home is like going through tangible memories, and it’s inevitable that you will want to stop, go through things and reminisce about old times. That’s perfectly fine. Give yourself the time to do that and build it into your schedule.
- Don’t start with a big room at the very beginning of this process. Start someplace that doesn’t have much emotional attachment, like the linen closet or the laundry room. This will get you into the groove and be less overwhelming. Plus, completing a smaller room will give you the momentum you need to keep going.
- Get rid of rooms you won’t need. If you won’t be needing an office, third bedroom, den or other space, you can get rid of pretty much everything in them right now. Depending on what you have, you may want to hold a garage sale or take things to the consignment shop. Nextdoor and Facebook Marketplace are also great places to offload items.
- Consider giving heirlooms and legacy gifts at this time. Are there items you want to leave to your children or grandchildren? Instead of waiting for them to read the will, give those pieces to them now if you won’t have space for them in your new place. This way, you’ll be able to see your descendants enjoying them.
- Get rid of duplicate items. This is particularly true in the kitchen, where (if you’re like most of us) you have a preponderance of spatulas, spoons and silverware (just to name a few things). Consider your needs moving forward and purge accordingly.
“Moving is a big decision, but with foresight and planning, it can be an enjoyable one,” says Charles. “If you’re considering moving to a community like Harrogate, you can take advantage of our partnership with Moving Station as well as our experienced staff. We’ve helped many older adults transition into a worry-free and carefree lifestyle, and we look forward to doing the same for you.”
This Is What “Worry Less, Live More” Looks Like
Located near Toms River, New Jersey, Harrogate offers a worry-free, fulfilling and experience-rich life. Here, you’ll be free of the hassles of homeownership while having access to all of the best that life has to offer. From opportunities to engage, enrich and challenge yourself, to the peace of mind of future care, socialization and so much more.
No matter what your needs may be, we can meet them, ensuring you are worry-free for years to come. With our Life Care, you can enjoy independent living, home health, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, memory support and more for one entrance fee and a monthly fee that covers everything our lifestyle has to offer.
Worry Less and Live More at Harrogate!
Call for information at 866-606-0178 or visit our website.