After more than 50 years in the same Cherry Hill home, where do you even begin?

Recently, a longtime Cherry Hill East homeowner contacted me about selling the family home and moving to a retirement community. The homeowner knows it is time for the next chapter, but there is one very big obstacle standing in the way:

50 plus years of belongings.

The two car garage is full. The basement is full. The attic is full. Every room contains furniture, household items, keepsakes and all the things that naturally accumulate after living in a home for more than five decades.

And that can feel overwhelming.

You Do Not Have to Empty the House Before Calling a Realtor

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear from longtime homeowners is:

“I need to clean everything out before I call you.”

Please do not let that stop you.

In situations like this, I actually prefer to see the home before everything is removed. I can walk through the property, evaluate its condition, discuss what the home may sell for in the current Cherry Hill real estate market and help determine what is worth doing before the house goes on the market.

Sometimes the answer is much less than a homeowner expects.

For this Cherry Hill homeowner, I toured the entire house and we talked about what the property could potentially sell for, what should be done before listing and, just as importantly, what does not need to be done.

Then we created a plan.

What Do You Do With 50 Years of Stuff?

This was the homeowner's biggest concern.

They are taking only a small portion of their belongings to their new home. Everything else needs to go.

Instead of leaving them to figure it out on their own, I connected them with a fabulous local professional who specializes in helping homeowners sell and remove household contents.

And here is the best part.

Rather than simply paying someone to haul everything away, there may be items in the home that can be sold, which means the homeowner could make a little money while clearing out the house.

That makes the transition easier both emotionally and financially.

Once the contents are handled, we can move on to preparing the property for sale and putting the home on the market.

Downsizing in Cherry Hill Does Not Have to Feel So Overwhelming

I meet many longtime homeowners throughout Cherry Hill, Camden County and South Jersey who know they eventually want to downsize, move to a retirement community, relocate closer to family or move into assisted living.

The house itself often is not what keeps them from making the move.

It is everything inside the house.

Where do I start?

What should I keep?

What can be sold?

Who will remove everything?

Should I make repairs?

Should I sell the house as is?

How much is my Cherry Hill home worth?

What if I am not ready to move yet?

These are exactly the questions we can work through together.

After 31 years of helping South Jersey homeowners buy and sell real estate, I know that selling a longtime family home is about much more than putting a sign in the yard. There are memories, belongings, logistics, timing and sometimes a lifetime of decisions packed into one house.

My job is to help make the process feel manageable.

Thinking About Downsizing in Cherry Hill?

If you have lived in your home for 30, 40 or 50 plus years and the thought of cleaning it out is keeping you from making a move, call me before you start throwing things away or filling a dumpster.

I can walk through the home with you, give you an idea of what your property may be worth, explain what I would recommend doing before selling and help connect you with trusted local professionals who can assist with selling, donating and removing the contents.

You do not need to have everything figured out before you call me.

We can figure out the plan together.

And as for this Cherry Hill homeowner?

The process is just getting started.

Stay tuned. I will share a follow up story showing what happens to 50 plus years of belongings, how we prepare the home for sale and what happens when it finally hits the Cherry Hill real estate market.

If you or someone you know is thinking about downsizing, moving to a retirement community, selling a longtime family home or selling a Cherry Hill house filled with years of belongings, I would be happy to help.

Michaela L. Hartery
South Jersey Realtor with 31 Years of Experience
Serving Cherry Hill, Camden County, Burlington County and Gloucester County