From what i've been reading on this forum, it will be harder to sell a home after the '08 season. This is supposedly from experts who have 'ways of knowing'. It also differs form state-to-state, so maybe you'll be fortunate and have that in your corner.

The best time to list is the spring, and if there's a rainy season, probaly when it ends. You might also want to consider renting your home out. Just a thought. ;o)

patty_cakes

I don't know where you are in Washinton but prices in King County have not gone down at all. Inventory is up, but it is expected to shrink over the next 3 months or so. Some experts are predicting another 12% hike in prices. I suspect you will be just fine if you list early next spring.

Patty - there is no dry season in Washington. We only count on the last week of July and the first week of August. Otherwise outdoor plans are always iffy

Thanks, patty cakes....I wish we could rent out our house but we will need the proceeds from the sale to build.

devorah, isn't that the truth about the weather? However, we have had some pretty dry ones in the last couple years but I would NEVER bet on it! lol
I am leaning towards listing in the spring, I just have to realize these "life changes" don't always work or take place on my time frame! Thanks for the input!

Hello,
We listed last year in the spring because DH was retiring in October. Didn't close until December 1. One month with 2 house payments was enough for me.
You might consider putting it up for sale this year, especially if you have a place you can stay. Never know what the market will do!
Kathy G in MI

What is the source for the "harder to sell in 2008" concept? I panic easily!

Will you be building far away from your present home? How suitable is the place you will call your temporary home? (Can you live there comfortably for two years? Is it near your work?) Since you already plan to move twice, that's not part of the equation.

The thinking about declining values/sales has to do with increasing mortgage rates and more stringent financial requirements for buyers (fewer or no zero-down, 120% mortgages). People who were depending on continuing to re-finance and draw equity out of their houses for daily expenses will no longer have that source of income as their home values decline; they may have to sell. First-time buyers will have more trouble qualifying. Move-up buyers may have trouble selling their present homes.

Increasing foreclosures and panic selling may be a drag on the market as people who took those incredible ARMs in 2006 cannot meet upward-adjusted rate payments and must sell or lose homes to foreclosure. Builders are already discounting homes or offering incentives in order to sell their backlog of product. Nationwide there is already a glut of homes on the market.

However, all real estate (like politics) is local, so you need local advice. Talk to some realtors and bankers in your area to see where they see your economy headed.

If I were in your position, I'd probably list and sell now. If you need the proceeds from your present home to build, you might want to know exactly how much money you have to work with before committing to new build expenditures (which always seem to run over!).

chisue,
Very interesting! My DH thinks like you :) He wants to stick a sign in front of the house and "see what happens"!
In answer to your question....we are building far away and the place we have to live in is on our property. We already have a builder and were thinking we would put the foundation in this fall. Then, even if our house hadn't sold yet in the spring we would get a construction loan and start the build. There are so many ways to do it I guess. I suppose if we sold this summer we would have "money in hand" and would just have to find somewhere to rent that would take 2 cats :) Thanks so much for the input!

Don't be too cavalier about "just renting *somewhere*". It could be a long time. We went nuts for four months in a rental when our build was held up and we had to close on our prior home. We discovered we are too old and crabby to live in transient housing -- an apartment under four college kids working the late shift at Great America. (Well, supposedly there were only four.)

It would be worth something to me to shorten the time in temporary quarters. Also, I would like to be right on top of the building while it's going on.

Looks like you should list when you are three months from retirement. Close after retirement. Move to temporary lodgings and start the building. I wouldn't start the foundation ahead of time.