How one team member bought and sold her own home...in 9 days
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If you would have told the 2019 me that I would be selling my house during a global pandemic…
…with a 4-year-old and an 8-month-old
…with schools being closed
…and without a nanny,
I would have said: Absolutely. No. Way.
But we did. Willingly!
There are a couple reasons our situation is noteworthy:
I am a planner and love organization. (A benefit when preparing to move.)
I am kind of a germaphobe. (A detriment when trying to do anything at the onset of a pandemic.)
Like many couples, my husband and I bought our current home with the intent of starting a family. It was/is a great place: very open, tons of light, on a quiet, dead-end street. But once two kiddos came into the picture, we needed more space and craved a yard.
We looked casually for a while, and when we found The One, we pulled the trigger immediately. We made a strong offer, listed our home for sale, and were under contract on both within one week. Sounds great, but also kind of makes your head spin, right??
Here’s how you do it:
1.PREP YOUR HOME FOR SALE. Say you’re a year out from even thinking about buying a new home. This is an opportune time to tackle that list of miscellaneous home projects. You want your home to show well, and if you have time on your side, use it. The list can vary, and your real estate agent (ahem!) can always consult with you on what to do.
Here’s what our list looked like:
Fresh paint throughout
Refinished hardwood floors
Replaced patio and roof doors (since old ones were showing signs of deterioration)
Installed some new light fixtures
Your list may be longer, or it may be shorter. But the sooner you get it done, the better.
Also think about decluttering and purging, even early on. We did, and it was a life saver. Going through closets, selling furniture or rearranging storage can be time consuming, but it is so worth it in the end!
2. BE OPEN MINDED. For about 2 years, I was 100% convinced I was moving to a specific neighborhood. I knew the school, I loved the restaurants, and I could picture us walking down the sidewalk on the weekends to head to the park.
Guess what? That’s not where we ended up.
Even though I really loved that pocket of the city, I kept my eyes open in other neighborhoods. At first begrudgingly, but eventually more eagerly, I would venture into another part of the city I hadn’t really considered to check out a home that caught my eye. It really forced me to think about our family’s lifestyle and how we could fit our way of life into different neighborhoods.
Think about what’s really important to you – a yard? More bedrooms? Room to host family for holidays? When I didn’t find that perfect home in my “perfect neighborhood,” opening up our search eventually led us to a new perfect neighborhood for us.
3. UNDERSTAND THE MARKET. These days especially, you can find any number of news stories that talk about economic uncertainty and home prices fluctuating. It’s important to have a real estate agent (hi!) who really understands the Chicago market. That means knowing the nuances of different neighborhoods, price point and seasonality. Once you understand the lay of the land, you can develop an appropriate strategy to sell, which is vital because you don’t want to waste any time.
4. KNOW YOUR TIMELINE. Let’s say you’re like me, and in the midst of looking “casually” you stumble on a home that you know just has to be yours. What happens next? Well, you need to act. Fast. Chicago can be competitive, and more and more buyers are looking for the same things.
Here’s what our timeline looked like:
Day 1: Found house. Fell in love. Freaked out that we were in the midst of a pandemic. Decided we were going to move anyway.
Day 2-3: Wrote offer on new home. Prepped current home for professional photos (with kiddos, without school or childcare, with end-of-day glass of wine). Offer accepted on new home.
Day 3-4: Professional photos taken and floor plan drawn for current home. Began pre-market (off-MLS) marketing.
Day 5: Began showings. Due to the pandemic, every potential buyer that entered our home wore gloves and masks, and we spaced out showings so no one felt crowded. And hubs took kids for a nice long walk and a picnic.
Day 6: Went live on MLS.
Day 7-8: Whirlwind of showings. Trooper kiddos napped in the car up and down Lake Shore Drive. Received multiple offers.
Day 9: Accepted offer on current home.
Phew!
We were lucky this went as fast as it did. Getting listed ASAP and pricing for the market were most definitely key factors.
I thought I wouldn’t be packing boxes until next spring, but here I am, headed out to Home Depot to pick up a stack and some bubble wrap. Now that I’m in the midst of the transition, I feel so grateful that I was able to act quickly because we were prepared. My kids will have the summer to enjoy more outdoor space and my husband and I can spread out in our new home offices.
There’s nothing I love more than helping people navigate this process so they can achieve their next chapter in life. If you’re thinking of a move, let’s talk!
