EMPTY NESTER: How to Sell the Place You Call Home

"The last thing you need are unbudgeted financial obligations cropping up hours before you take possession of your new home."

Are you an Empty Nester who needs a home for the future? Is it time to downsize or to move into another home more suitable for your glorious retirement years?

Like thousands of home sellers, you may discover that after years of non-stop child traffic in and out of your doors, toys on the floor, music floating throughout, you can suddenly hear a pin drop over the quiet hum of the refrigerator. Your rooms are filled with pictures and memories of this wonderful time in your life, but there are many empty rooms gathering dust now that your children have moved on. The freer years ahead are exciting ones to look forward to, and it may be time for you to move as well.

If you find yourself in this situation, you're in vast and good company. What this means is that there are many wonderful opportunities for you to create this new chapter in your life . . . if you know what it takes to get the most out of the equity you've built up in your current home.

To help you understand the issues involved in making such a move, and how to avoid the most common and costly mistakes most Empty Nesters make, we've prepared this special report to help you identify and plan for the move ahead.

How to Sell the Place You Call Home

Selling your home is one of the most important steps in your life. This 9 step system will give you the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce the stress that comes with the home selling process:

1. Know why you're selling, and keep it to yourself.

The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What's more important to you: the money you walk away with, the length of time your property is on the market or both. Different goals will dictate different strategies.

However, don't reveal your motivation to anyone else or they may use it against you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply say that your housing needs have changed.