8 Tips to Selling Your House This Spring

The tulips are blooming, all the trees have sprouted their leaves and you know spring is here!  Not only do people want to spend time outside with family and friends, they now want to look for their new home.  That means you need to put your house on the market so buyers can find you.  In order to get the absolute most money for your property in the quickest amount of time, you need to consider a few things:  First, look at your house through the eyes of a buyer.  What do you like and what do you not like?  Chances are, buyers will see those same things and make decisions to buy or not based on those impressions.  Here are a few tips to help you maximize the exposure your house gets to potential buyers and to get you the highest price possible:

1. CREATE CURB APPEAL: It is hard to get buyers into your house if they drive up and are put off by the yard and the way the house presents itself. Clean up your yard – rake the leaves, pull those weeds, mow that lawn, trim those trees and bushes, and fill in dead areas with new plants or sod.  Finally, plant some colorful flowers in the ground or in pots.  Your plan is to make the house inviting and welcoming.
2. DECLUTTER YOUR HOME: No matter the size of your home, you want buyers to feel that it is large and spacious.  You don’t want closets full, the garage packed, or countertops covered.  Take the time to clean out closets so the floor shows, the shelves look capable of doing their job and the proper items for the particular closet are there.  Having a bedroom closet housing a mop and broom makes a buyer wonder why a mop is in the bedroom closet … is there not enough room elsewhere?  Countertops need to look spacious.  Put appliances away while you are selling.  Is your living room full of furniture that is too large or do you have too many pieces in the room?  Move out that third couch, the second stereo, or the ten trees blocking the windows.  A difficult topic is usually family photos.  Having family photos distracts buyers from looking at your home and envisioning themselves living in your home.  You want buyers to look at the house and think, I would love to sit by the fire reading a book in this room!  Having visions of another family all over the house takes these visions.
3. DEEP CLEAN THE WHOLE HOUSE: Buyers can overlook many items but a dirty house is not one of them.  Even if you think it is clean, remember, you are living there and may not see the corners of the carpet that are dark, the windows covered in pollen or the corners of the shower that are brown.  Make the house sparkle!
4. REPAIR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT WORKING: Some of these items may be large items, but some of them may not be.  Buyers tend to check ceiling fans and lights.  Change burned out light bulbs, replace the chain on the ceiling fan that has been gone for years, WD40 those squeaky hinges.  Some items may be necessary to increase the desirability of the home and others are necessary to sell the house.  Work with a professional real estate agent to make the decision on what should be repaired before listing the house and what items can be negotiated during a transaction.
5. PRICE THE HOME CORRECTLY: Do not “test” the market by pricing the house too high.  Homes are selling relatively quickly and you may lose buyers that want your house but are put off by the price.  Also, having a house stay on the market too long because it is not priced correctly may result in buyers thinking something is wrong with the house or that you may be desperate to sell and will only offer very low prices.
6. BRIGHTEN UP THE HOUSE: Having enough light in the home creates a spacious feeling.  Use natural light by opening up window coverings and by having artificial lights throughout.  If you have very dark paint on walls, consider repainting with a lighter paint palate.
7. ADDRESS ODORS: Smells can be very powerful.  Some are very welcoming while others will drive a person from the home and away from buying it.  You live in the house and may have become “nose-blind” to the smells.  Use your trusted Realtor to truthfully tell you if there are any unpleasant smells, such as tobacco, pets, or cooking odors.  Make sure you address them before you show the house.  Lighting candles throughout the home may mask the smell but may also raise questions about what is being hidden.
8. KEEP YOUR HOME “SHOW READY” AT ALL TIMES: Remember, your home cannot sell unless a buyer sees it first.  Many buyers now are relocating and have only a set period of time to look for a home.  You need to be able to walk out of your home immediately when a showing is requested.  If you need to clean the house, you may miss The Buyer.

Working with a trusted Realtor to help you through the listing and selling process will save you time, money, and disappointment.  Only work with a person that knows the market and will honestly work with you to prepare your house for selling.   Call me and let me help you through this fun process.