5 Tips for Getting Your House Ready for the Spring Market
The spring real estate market may seem far away, but it’s never too early to start preparing for the sale of your home. Spring is one of the best and busiest times of the year to list your home on the market. With so many potential buyers looking, it is important to start planning early for your sale to ensure your home will stand-out amongst the many listings.
This may seem like a challenging task, but the tips outlined below will help you through this process, from hiring a real estate agent to prioritizing repairs and decluttering your home. Here are five tips to help you list your home in time for spring:
1. Hire an experienced Realtor®
The first step in preparing your home for the spring market is hiring an experienced real estate agent. Your realtor will be your guide throughout the process of getting your home ready for listing, showing your home to potential buyers, and finalizing the sale of your home.
It is important to choose a real estate agent you feel comfortable working with; one who will advocate for your best interests throughout the duration of the process.
Your realtor will help you prepare your home for listing, help you set the right price, oversee all advertising and marketing, and handle the negotiations with potential buyers. They will ensure you get the best price possible for your home, so you are happy at the close of the sale.
2. Prioritize repairs and improvements
Minor repairs and home improvements can renew the look of your home and increase your property’s appeal to potential buyers. Your real estate agent will not likely recommend any major renovations — if the new homeowners want to remodel or renovate, they will want it to suit their style.
Home repairs can be time-consuming and costly. Prioritization is key to successfully completing everything before your home is listed on the market. One way to do this is to carefully go through your home room-by-room and note anything that is not functioning properly or could be unappealing to potential buyers.
Organize your list by things that are simple and inexpensive to repair first, followed by tasks that may be more difficult and take more time. Focus on what the buyer will notice as they are viewing your home: chipped paint, small holes in the walls, old appliances, and rusted fixtures.
Once you have a list of repairs, create a plan to complete as much of the list as you can before your home goes on the market.
Knowing the extent of the repairs and improvements you must complete can help you schedule your time as you prepare to list your home. It can also help you determine if you need to hire a professional - such as an electrician or plumber - to help you with some of the repairs.
3. Book a pre-listing inspection
A pre-listing home inspection will help you understand the current condition of your home and set prospective buyers at ease. An inspector will do a complete visual inspection of the exterior and interior components of your home and identify any components that are not working properly or are unsafe.
For the exterior, the inspector will look at your roofing, flashing, gutters, downspouts, doors, windows, chimneys, and your home’s foundation. For your home’s interior, the inspector will look at your home’s HVAC system, electrical wiring, plumbing, insulation, ceiling, walls, flooring, doors, and windows.
The spring market moves quickly, and having a pre-listing home inspection completed will show buyers that you are being upfront with them; it may even help speed the negotiation process along.
4. Clean, declutter, and stage your home
Potential buyers want to be able to envision themselves living in your home. That is why cleaning and decluttering is so important before you go to market in the spring. Begin with the outside of your home and think about the first impression it brings. Tidying your yard, planting some flowerbeds, removing any junk, and washing your windows are great ways to improve the exterior appearance of your home for buyers.
A professional cleaning service can be a great option for the interior of your home. Cleaners will give everything a deep clean, including appliances, fixtures, and flooring. You will then be able to declutter and store any items you do not want to be left out during showings.
Your real estate agent will be able to help you stage your home for open houses and showings so that it appears spacious, bright, and inviting!
5. Organize paperwork
Having all your paperwork together for potential buyers will help speed the process of the sale along and allow them to address any questions with you before the deal is finalized. Any instructions, warranties, and rental agreements you have for the equipment in your home will be very important for your buyers to understand and keep for their records.
Permits and receipts from any renovations or repairs you have completed on your home are also important to include. Copies of recent utility bills and property tax forms can also be very helpful so they know what to expect before they move in. This offers full disclosure to your buyers and will ensure you both feel comfortable going forward with the sale.
For more information about how to prepare your home for sale in time for the spring market, call Spectrum Realty at 416-736-6500 or visit our website here.
