1. Proceeds of the sale of my home.

2. Do I sell before buying or buy before selling?

3. How do I choose a Realtor?

4. Why do I need one? 

These questions need to be answered in reverse order.

There are many people involved in the sale and purchase of a home and there are many areas of expertise needed to ensure that the title changes hands easily. Realtors have the education and experience to know what to watch for, how to avoid problems and how to solve a problem if one arises. The purchase of a home is one of the biggest investments that a person is ever likely to make. To make that move without the advice of a professional is simply not sensible.

Not all Realtors have the same level of experience. It is best to choose a firm that has built a good reputation within both the industry and history of your town. Each Realtor works within a firm and gains their own clients through referrals from friends, family and most importantly, from satisfied customers. Make sure you choose someone who listens to you when you speak, understands your needs and is familiar with your neighborhood. Perhaps most important, is finding an individual who instills that sense of trust that they will negotiate for you and work with you.

This can often be a difficult question to answer as it depends on your reason for moving and the condition of the real estate market at that time.

For example if the market is moving very quickly, you may be in a poor negotiating position if you find your "dream home" and still have not listed or sold your present home. If the market is moving fast enough to have multiple offers coming in on one property (as it was last Spring), then then an offer conditional on the sale of the purchaser's property will not be accepted.

On the other hand, if your requirements for your next home are very specific, you may want to be sure that you can find what you want, before selling your present home.

There is no hard and fast rule about which comes first. We as Realtors have to advise each individual client based on our experience and knowledge of the real estate market.

To determine the proceeds of the sale of your present home we need to start with a market evaluation.  Take some time to identify a reputable Realtor who has built a good reputation within your community. Once you find and contact a Realtor, with their help, you can establish an idea of the price you might obtain, then the figures can be worked through.

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