Preparation is a great motivator and stress reducer, especially when a lot is at stake. After all, the more time you have for planning a wedding, purchasing a car, or setting up a fund for your kids’ college education, the better. This reality applies to selling your house. While you don’t have to worry about saving like with a home purchase, there are a number of factors that can make a long-term approach ideal. Let’s look at one of these factors: Timing! Make a timeline! It’s recommended you live in your home at least three years to five years first for fiscal reasons and pragmatic ones.

Financially, a home’s value will often appreciate during that time span, making it more valuable. Waiting allows you to build equity on the property. This timeline also provides tax benefits since you can avoid paying capital gains tax on any profit you gain from the sale. From a practical perspective, having years instead of months at your disposal gives you ample time to both get a lay of the land and prepare your place for maximum selling potential. When you aren’t rushed to get it listed, you become more able to make levelheaded decisions about which changes you want to make and which you’re forego. You can stagger your repairs and updates if needed, making it easier to get them all done and absorb the total cost.

How to plan the perfect sale? A good starting point in determining when you want to sell is to take a bird’s-eye view of the current market and your home’s value to get a gauge of your window of opportunity. If your home has increased in value, and you are at the edge of the three-to-five year ownership mark, you could realistically consider selling within the next year. In contrast, if you discover your home has decreased in value, or that a buyer’s market is emerging, it could be a sign to hold off for a while longer. That will give you even more time to boost your home’s value through high-ROI upgrades or for the market to shift in your favor.