|
Selling
for the 34–50
crowd
By
Stacee Sledge, for The Bellingham Herald
Moving
has historically ranked high on the list of life’s stressful
events. Add kids to that equation and you have prime potential
for a parental meltdown.
Close
to outgrowing the current home she shares with two daughters,
Taya
Turner
has begun the arduous task of searching for a house to buy in
today’s blazing Bellingham
real estate market.
Although
the single mother currently shares a charming three-bedroom home
with 15-year-old Alexa and 11-year-old Emily, the rooms are tiny
and there isn’t much room for privacy — much needed when a
house holds three women but only one bathroom.
Taya
needs to think about her girls’ needs — social, academic and
geographic — while also focusing on what’s best for her
current and future financial health.
“I,
like everyone I suppose, want to get the most house for my
money,” said Taya. “But not at the expense of our other
activities. I don’t want to get caught up in a crazy market
where I would have to make a split-second decision, because
it’s not just me I need to think about.”
Taya’s
situation is far from unique. Growing families of every stripe
often find themselves in need of more space. But where to start
in the quest for bigger digs, especially in a market as hot as
our current one?
Some
suggestions for dealing with a family move:
Kids
have a tendency to wreak havoc on a home’s décor, but once
you’ve made the decision to sell, get in the habit of keeping
the house tidy – and that includes kid spaces.
Control
clutter by keeping decorative storage handy and instituting
rules banning left-behind detritus. Do a once or twice daily
sweep to keep your house looking its best, so you’re always
prepared, no matter how little warning a Realtor gives when he
or she is on the way with prospective buyers.
Once
you’ve purchased a new home, it’s important to keep family
lines of communication static-free. Talk to your children and
let them voice their opinions about the move. What are they most
anxious about? What might be exciting about a move? Help them
look for positives, while assuring them you understand their
worries.
Do
something special to mark the occasion before you leave your
current home. Plant a tree or let your child write their
initials or a short message in a hidden space. These symbolic
gestures can help with closure for your children.
|
