Smart Moves

First, her husband died suddenly after a severe stroke. Then she lost her job. Then her financial planner told her she'd need to sell the house where the couple had lived for more than 20 years.

The 59-year-old engineer in this true story agrees that a move is necessary. And she's confident that her property, a custom-built place in a heavily wooded setting, will sell quickly and for a good price once it's ready for the market. But as a self-described packrat, she's worried about the enormity of the task she faces to cull through her vast collection of accumulations.

"If you're going to sell your house for what it's worth, it's essential that you clear away all your clutter. Otherwise, no one can appreciate the inherent beauty of your place or sense the size of your rooms," says Vicki Norris, an organizing consultant who heads her own firm.

"The problem is that very few buyers can envision a home's potential when it's filled with junk," says Tom Early, a veteran real estate broker and past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org).

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Determine your clutter profile.

"Everybody who stacks their house to the rafters has their own particular reasons," says Norris, author of the book "Restoring Order: Organizing Strategies to Reclaim Your Life."

Norris, a former real estate agent, tells of a wealthy client who felt shortchanged as a child during holidays. As a result, she developed an irresistible urge to acquire Christmas decor and gift wrap in massive quantities.

Another woman who rarely cooked had purchased more than 100 cookbooks before realizing she was doing so to settle a score with her mother, who refused to let her cook when she was young. Though her mom had passed away, she remained bitter about this restriction.

Norris urges clients who are selling their homes to get to the root of their packrat problems so these won't carry over to their next home.

"A move presents you with a wonderful opportunity for a fresh start. ... You've got to change your thinking to change your behavior," she says.

-- Stop the inflow to keep the purging process on track.

Shopping is a hobby for many, who relish the thrill of hunting through stores for bargains. People often resort to shopping as a mood-lifter or a remedy for loneliness.

Continuing to shop during your de-cluttering process threatens your momentum, according to Diana Thomas, a professional organizer who's worked with many would-be sellers.

"At the very least, you've got to stop buying more of the things for which you have a weakness, even if you find them at bargain prices," Thomas says.

-- Develop a timeline and a step-by-step plan for de-cluttering.

Thomas says homeowners who plan to sell their property should allow the maximum available time for de-cluttering.

"Because it's laden with decision-making, going through your belongings can be exhausting,"" she says.

Thomas can spend multiple weeks to multiple months helping her clients cull through seemingly endless numbers of belongings. But that's a realistic timeframe for people who've long been packrats.

Professional organizers estimate that 2 percent of all Americans are "chronically disorganized," meaning they have deep-seated psychological issues related to the acquisition and handling of material items.

"For them, it's a much longer process to clear through their things. They might need a full year before they can move out of a house where they've lived a long time," Thomas says.

An increasing number of professional organizers are trained to work with the chronically disorganized. To learn more, and find out if you fall in this category, you may wish to contact the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (www.challengingdisorganization.org).

-- Approach the purging process systematically.

Most prospective home sellers can plow through their belongings without the intervention of a professional organizer, though the help of a non-judgmental friend or family member is often useful.

For those tackling the process alone, Thomas offers several tips.

She recommends you work on just one room at a time, or a small part of that room if it's crowded. Make sure you take an ample number of breaks to avoid fatigue, and don't pass up nutritious meals that help keep you going.

Do you find it hard to part with memory-rich items, like a collection of trophies your son acquired during his teenage baseball years? Then Thomas suggests you assemble your treasures and, before letting them go, take a photo of these to hang on the wall of your new place.

She says bibliophiles who struggle to part with an overflow of books often do well to donate them to an organization that will put them to good use. Other collections with intrinsic value, such as antique teacups, can be easily sold through an Internet marketplace such as Craigslist or eBay.

Thomas also advocates using a reward as an incentive to help spur your de-cluttering project. This could be a brief vacation or a festive party at a restaurant. But the best motivational tool for many people is to begin visiting the kind of home where they'd next like to live.

"If you must make an involuntary move, it's a lot more helpful to look forward rather than back," Thomas says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Many retirees are counting on funds from the sale of their home to supplement their Social Security checks and sustain their lifestyles going forward. But how can they time their sale to maximize return?

At this point in the economic cycle, that's a tricky question, says Aaron Terrazas, a senior economist with Zillow, the real estate data company. Although houses are now selling quickly in many popular communities, some owners worry that if they sell too soon, they'll miss out on future price gains.

But no matter your decision on timing, Terrazas urges you to plan ahead.

"It's never too early to get a sense of what your home is worth," he says.

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Don't wait to gain intelligence on the value of your home.

Terrazas says you may wish to interview up to three local real estate agents to get their assessment of your property's value and to learn what repairs and upgrades are necessary to make the most of your sale.

"Sometimes having more than one perspective makes sense," he says.

Those who get a head start on their sale can make sure they avoid a last-minute crisis that forces them to move before they're ready, says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide to Selling a Home."

Davis entered the real estate field in 1984, and in those early years he recalls how clients would typically call for help at least three months before they needed to sell. Now he says many wait until just a few weeks before they must move.

"Ideally, (agents0 need a minimum of 90 days or longer, even in a fast-moving market," Davis says.

Once you know you're definitely going to move, Davis says it's prudent to commit to the listing agent of your choice.

An agent with ample notice of your selling plans can better advise you on the steps you'll need to take to achieve the best possible outcome.

"Arranging for contractors on a non-emergency basis can save you cash, and careful pricing can mean more proceeds at the bottom line," Davis says.

-- Seek out data on selling times.

How can you estimate the time needed to go from list to sale?

Dorcas Helfant, a former president of the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org), suggests you ask your agent for statistics on the average selling times for homes in your community.

"The only numbers that count are the ones for your immediate neighborhood. Beyond that, the statistics aren't relevant," Helfant says.

Take these numbers, known as "days on market," and chart them over a six-month period. If selling times are gradually increasing, this could indicate a cooling of demand and should signal caution to prospective sellers.

"If you determine that your market is gradually slowing down, you'll want to allow yourself extra selling time to ensure a smooth transition," Helfant says.

-- Begin packing as soon as you know you'll be moving.

Davis contends that most home sellers procrastinate on the property preparation process.

"Even when they have extra time, it's human nature to wait until the final inning to mobilize. Most of us rely on deadlines to get going," he says.

Besides painting and repairs, nearly all homes need to be purged of clutter to show well. Your first step, Davis says, should be to remove any excess furnishings that crowd your interior space. Then box up smaller items and place them in your garage or a rented storage unit.

"By beginning as early as possible to clear out clothes, furniture and other items that you rarely use, you enhance your chances of fully completing this task before your place goes up for sale," Davis says.

-- Give yourself extra selling time when moving to a brand-new home.

Nowadays, some homebuilders are willing to sign a sales contract with a prospective buyer that's conditional on the sale of the buyer's property. This is a type of contingent contract.

"Some people, including retirees, get so wowed by a model home in a new development that they'll sign a contract before unloading their old place," Davis says.

A contract conditional on the sale of your present property may not obligate you to go through with the purchase. But if you can't sell your current property on time, you might lose both the new house and your deposits, he says.

Because it can take months to construct a new home -- and it's not unusual for builders to take longer than expected -- some new home buyers wait longer than they should before putting their property on the market, according to Davis.

"But remember, this is a one-way street. The builder can be late but you can't or you'll be thrown in a risky situation financially," he says.

Many real estate agents urge their home-selling clients to allow extra marketing time when they're buying a brand-new property with a contingent contract.

"The reality is that many homeowners, including those moving to a new property, are scared that if they sell sooner than expected, they'll be left homeless. Yet in most cases, that's a needless fear. In a worst-case scenario, you can move in with relatives or take a short-term rental," Davis says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

In many popular communities, houses on the high end are selling at a leisurely pace. But in the starter-home category, the supply-demand ratio is very much in the seller's favor.

"We're seeing starter homes sell even before they hit the multiple listing service," says Pam Gebhardt, a veteran real estate broker.

In past years, first-time buyer households were unwilling to even consider a "fixer-upper." But that's now changing in desirable areas where entry-level properties are scarce.

Gebhardt tells the true story of some clients in their mid-20s who want to live in an up-and-coming city neighborhood. To gain entry into the coveted neighborhood of their choice, the couple is now considering a house that would require extensive remodeling work. It's a duplex the current owners attempted to convert into a single-family home, but didn't finish the job.

Are you planning to sell an entry-level property in poor condition? If so, these pointers could prove of value:

-- Seek a seasoned agent for frank advice and wise counsel.

Owners planning to market a run-down home are wise to seek out a listing agent willing to serve as a project manager, says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "House Selling For Dummies."

"Not all agents will give you unvarnished advice and direction on steps you should and shouldn't take to get your house ready for market. But the right agent will spare you costly errors," Tyson says.

Ashley Richardson, a longtime real estate agent affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (crs.com), says a skilled agent should give you a list of doable tasks.

"For example, you wouldn't want to put high-end cabinets into the kitchen of a house that's in overall poor condition. But you might want to have your current cabinets repainted," she says.

As the first step in the agent-selection process, Richardson recommends you interview three candidates, asking each to critique your home and itemize cost-effective steps that would make it more saleable.

"You want someone who will look you straight in the eye and tell you the truth, not someone who just tries to flatter you into giving them the listing," she says.

-- Solicit help with the de-cluttering process.

As Richardson says, many owners trying to sell a home in bad condition feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the work facing them. De-cluttering is an especially daunting prospect for those with health problems.

"Sellers who can't do this work themselves should ask family members and friends to help," she says.

But what if no volunteers step forward? In such cases, Richardson suggests that owners may wish to hire students or others looking for temporary, part-time work.

"Post an ad asking for help 'pre-packing for a move.' And be sure to check background references on any stranger coming into your house," she says.

Richardson recommends you give the person you hire a series of manageable tasks.

"For example, tell them to pack up the contents of your china closet or an overloaded bookshelf. Tell them to put the packed boxes in your garage in neat stacks," Richardson says.

It may seem counterintuitive for the owners of a home priced for an "as is" sale to bother with the removal of clutter. But Richardson says it's essential.

"No one will buy a house if they can't even see how large its rooms are. People can't see past a lot of clutter," she says.

-- Give potential buyers a feel for your home's possibilities.

Though most owners of property in poor condition lack the funds for major improvements, Tyson says it's important that they make their place at least minimally appealing.

"Nearly all buyers now preview properties online. If they don't like what they see there, they're unlikely to go visit the place, even if it's priced well and located in their perfect neighborhood. That means any house that can't pass the online test will likely be overlooked," he says.

Besides clearing out your clutter, you'll want to remove any beat-up furniture or window coverings that make your place seem dark and drab. Your agent may have a stock of furnishings to lend you that would make your place look fresher.

In addition to cosmetic touches, Tyson says the owners of a run-down home should consider providing visitors with mock-ups and contractors' estimates for needed improvements.

"Always remember that most people are devoid of imagination -- meaning they'll need help to envision how great your house will look once all the necessary work is done," Tyson says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)