listing/selling your house

[toocool 0]

Since one never knows how long the K-1 process will take, I look to my new friends on VJ to give me some guidance.

When do you put your house up for sale????

With 3 kids and myself....I can't list or sell too early as we wont' have a place to live (sure we could rent for a couple of months but the thought of packing and unpacking only to repack and re-unpack numbs me) ....and if I wait too late...I don't want to be in the US with an unsold house.

If it was just me, no big deal but with the kids it makes it more challenging.

Any ideas? I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks,

[at long last 58]

Since one never knows how long the K-1 process will take, I look to my new friends on VJ to give me some guidance.

When do you put your house up for sale????

With 3 kids and myself....I can't list or sell too early as we wont' have a place to live (sure we could rent for a couple of months but the thought of packing and unpacking only to repack and re-unpack numbs me) ....and if I wait too late...I don't want to be in the US with an unsold house.

If it was just me, no big deal but with the kids it makes it more challenging.

Any ideas? I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks,

what's the market like there? You can pretty much count on a little extra time because there is more than yourself going across. Extra paperwork. It takes about 60 days to close on a house sale. If I was you I would get the sale out of the way pack everything except the bare essentials needed to run your home, put the rest in storage and rent. But I don't know all the dynamics of your family. Remember if the house isn't sold when the time comes you will have to complete everything by mail courier, and fax. Which isn't unheard of either.

Terri

[HeatDeath 430]

Once your K-1 visa is issued, it is valid for 6 months. You can enter the US with it any time in those 6 months, right up to the very last day.

The repeated exhortation of USCIS and the Consulates is to not make any irrevocable plans or actions until the visa is in your hand.

Accordingly, I would make preparations to list as soon as possible, and list the house the instant you have the visa in hand. The house should sell within 6 months, all things being equal, depending on your market and asking price.

In the worst case scenario there are management companies who will rent and maintain the property for you after you move for a nominal percentage of the monthly rent - what is left over will be used for the mortgage payments.

Edited December 9, 2011 by HeatDeath

[S and R 8]

Since one never knows how long the K-1 process will take, I look to my new friends on VJ to give me some guidance.

When do you put your house up for sale????

With 3 kids and myself....I can't list or sell too early as we wont' have a place to live (sure we could rent for a couple of months but the thought of packing and unpacking only to repack and re-unpack numbs me) ....and if I wait too late...I don't want to be in the US with an unsold house.

If it was just me, no big deal but with the kids it makes it more challenging.

Any ideas? I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks,

Our case is still at the NVC but I have done all the pre-work for a sale, including repainting the house. I have an agent with all the paperwork ready to go and it will be on the market on the day the visa is issued. We will not be selling before that - not advisable. You will have 6 months to move once a visa is issued - you can use that time to sell.

[thetreble 19]

I would advise you to take a look into what the market is like where you live. Where we live in the US, nothing is selling. Houses in my neighbourhood have now been on the market for over two years.

[toocool 0]

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

I am scared that my house won't move like all others here....unless I give it away....and that hurts as it is a very well made quality home (a custom home)...unlike those thrown together like 'shoe-makers'. It would be so nice to make some money on it.

The other part that scares me as the recent money I've put into it to sell it....would be nice to re-coop some back!

On another note....I hear your ideas about listing now, lessening those worries and living simply with the basics until the visa is in hand. This makes a lot of sense to me as I'm adaptable because it's ultimately my move....can't say my kids would be overly excited about it though.

There's enough stress with this entire process....keeping things to a minimal is my aim with the kids.

[Stuart and Thea 95]

I listed mine as soon as I got my approval from Montreal. It's still sitting with a for sale sign on the lawn unfortunately, so we're paying for two households and I've already dropped the price by 10 grand. My real estate agent is dealing with me by email and fax, and we have a 48hr clause that allows him time to get a hold of me if he ever gets an offer. (pray!) As to selling out of the country, people do it all the time, but if you can sell before you go, you have that peace of mind, which might be worth even a few months living in a hotel! (kids are very adaptable, and they might even enjoy it!)