Ellen James Martin: Selling home for retirement takes advice, planning

Ready to follow retirement dreams? Get ready to renovate, update and clean up home and properties for sale. Read the excerpt below. Contra Costa Times By Ellen James Martin Smart Moves 10/25/2009 After hitting age 60, a small-business owner and his school administrator wife longed to retire and travel abroad. But to actualize their round-the-world plans, the couple first had to sell their 40-acre country place — complete with its 4,500-square-foot house and two large barns where once they'd kept horses; this ended up taking nine months. Donna Clark, the real estate broker who sold their property, says the couple's long selling time could have been cut in half had they responded more quickly to her recommendations for a few upgrades to their house. Read the entire article: http://www.contracostatimes.com/real-estate-news/ci_13619324?nclick_check=1