How to Prepare Your Home to Sell in the Spring

According to Realtor.com, “Spring marks the beginning of the busiest home-selling and home-buying season”. Zillow says that the best time to sell a house to get the highest price and minimize time on the market is the spring. Here are a few tips on how to prepare your home to sell in the Spring.

Let Natural Light into Your Home

Everything looks better in the sunlight. Start your Spring cleaning early by cleaning your windows inside and out. Cut back overgrown plants and trim trees that may block light from the house. Pay attention to draperies, make sure they are clean and the tops are free of dust. When it is time to show your house to potential buyers, open up the draperies and let the light shine in.

Update the Outdated

If your kitchen appliances are visibly outdated then it may be time for an upgrade. Pay attention to kitchen and bath fixtures that are showing wear and tear or may have gunk accumulated around the base. Don't have much money to renovate? No worries, sometimes small improvements, such as new cabinet hardware, can dress up a kitchen or bath that is looking a little dated. Talk to your Realtor now to evaluate your home and discuss which improvements can be done before Spring to increase the value of your home.

Start Planning for Planting Season

Go ahead and rake up the leaves in the yard and remove any plants that did not survive Winter. Check with your local home improvement or landscaping store to find out when you can fertilize your lawn. This will promote healthy fast-growing grass and will help to prevent weeds. If you are a gardener, start planning on what you can plant that will flower quickly in the Spring.

TIP: If you don’t have a green thumb, dress up existing planting beds with mulch or pine bark nuggets and buy flowers in containers to set around patios and porches.

If It is Broke, Fix It

Is there a door that is hard to close, a toilet that runs, or a faucet that leaks? These small repair items that may not bother you can cause a potential buyer to wonder if there are bigger problems in your home. If it is in your budget to make the repairs, do it now. If not, talk to your Realtor about which repairs are the most important to get the most value for your home.

Don’t Let Your House Go To the Dogs

We love our pets, but pet hair and pet odors can run off a potential buyer. Pet hair can gather in small spaces that are not always noticeable to the pet owner. Make sure that you vacuum baseboards, closet floors, under couches and beds, and behind furniture. Make sure to clean furniture and shelving where your pets tend to hang out. Check doors for scratch marks that need to be painted or repaired. Make sure there are no pet stains on the floor and no pet odors in the home.

Call the Pam Ausley Team

If you are considering selling your home this Spring, now is the time to meet with your Realtor and start preparing your home. We will walk through the home with you to determine the things you can do to prepare your home for sale. We provide home staging when needed and a professional photographer once the home is ready for sale.

Our team represents buyers and sellers in all price ranges and our goal is to get you the most money for your home. Call us today!