Q&A: When should I start advertising?

Q: We are building a house for our retirement in North Carolina that will be completed around May. The builder will then rent the house from us for 12 months to show as a model. We hope to have found a buyer for our home in Suffolk County and close on the sale by July 2012. Here’s my concern: When do we start to advertise to sell our home?

A: Take some time now to prepare your home for sale including performing minor improvements, adding some fresh paint and organizing your personal possessions as needed, advises Deborah DeWick, a licensed associate broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty.

Spring and summer are ideal times to market properly priced properties. Consider using the significant lead time you have to find qualified buyers without pressure, says DeWick. "If their time frame matches yours, great," she says. "If they need occupancy earlier than eighteen months from now, consider selling now and finding a short-term rental or other temporary living arrangement for you and your family."