• ERA brokers reported that the two most important selling points in finding a home for a client who is relocating are home prices (29 percent of respondents) and schools (28 percent). Proximity to work was important for 17 percent. Real estate taxes were not a major consideration: only 8 percent of respondents indicated that was a major selling point.
ERA brokers also offered the following advice for people considering relocation on how to keep moving costs down:
• Take advantage of discounts offered through affiliated/affinity services
• Do as much packing and moving as you can and lighten your load by downsizing as much as possible, even furniture. Buying new furniture may be cheaper than moving the old.
• Time your move for the fall after school starts, or winter, which is considered off season.
A final word of advice from ERA brokers: Don’t choose the house over the neighborhood. Carefully research the area to ensure you are investing in a home with high resale value to ensure your move will have the best return on your investment years later.
For more information, visit www.era.com.
