Whats A House

Kind of humorous how different a house can be described: a lawyer sees a marital asset; an accountant lists your house as a liability unless it brings in income; a Realtor® defines any house as an improvement on land; and a married couple may have very different views depending on how long they have been married. A family traditionally thinks of their house as a home and an asset at the same time.

Whats A Home

All this is from my personal experience and will most likely be very different from your experience. After settlement of our first house, I was glad to have a place of my own. During my era TV programs depicted the man defining the house as his castle, the wife declaring this was their new home, the children inviting in new friends and the dog peeing in the corner of each room (have your male cat neutered before you move).

As each of us had a different view when we were moving in, one thought was constant – this was where we ate breakfast in the morning and where we returned for dinner each evening. This is where we went to come home.

No One Can Sell A Home

Then something happens – perhaps a job transfer, your family outgrows the house, your children grow up and start a family of their own … whatever the reason, you start to gather information about moving and buying a place to retire in. This is when you call an agent to help. After a chitchat, you decide to list your home, sell your home and find a new home. If this sounds almost too simple, it is! No one can sell a home.

When A Home Is Only A House

This is when the hard part starts for you. Your emotional home is now in limbo as the agent helps you prep for the marketing phase. Your viewpoint needs to change from something personal (your home) to a business transaction (your house) for you to maximize your net amount from the sale. This is when your home is only your house.

You and your family will still have a “where” to come back to every day until you move. But, your focus must change to accomplish a successful move into a new house that you will morph into your home.

Return From A House To Agreement - Part 1