Getting Your Home Ready For A Spring Sale

 By Jeff Wellman

The Spring Real Estate market is just around the corner. You may be considering listing your home, but know that there are some things that could help get you a higher return. Although its a seller’s market and a great time to list your home, there are still ways that you can increase the value of it and make it even more appealing to potential buyers. Here are some items that are universal, and should be addressed before selling no matter the size, style, or location of the home. 

Make repairs where needed

Communicate with your Real Estate agent to determine where best to put in the work. While you don’t want to spend needless money and time on some projects, major repairs should be fixed before listing your home, especially if you are hoping to sell your home quickly. Any items left unfixed will show up in the home inspection, and could turn buyers away. Make a list of all of the improvements you’ve been meaning to make around the house, including things like dings in walls, cracked tiles, leaky pipes, or even a door that is not closing properly. These repairs will ultimately help sell your home quicker.  

Optimize Natural Light Sources

 Take advantage of any place you can let light flow into your space. Get rid of any bulky window coverings that inhibit light from entering through your windows. Open up the blinds, and move anything obstructing light from entering on the exterior of your house. Replace light bulbs with ones that let off bright white light, rather than yellow light. Add mirrors in rooms to reflect light throughout the space. In rooms lacking windows, add lamps or other light fixtures to brighten the space. Consider painting walls white or light colors- these make rooms appear bigger and brighter.

Curb Appeal

First impressions are everything! The outside of your home is the first photo buyers will see of  the listing, and their first impression walking up your driveway. A home with a well manicured lawn, and that has some effort put into the landscaping is more likely to stand out. Make sure the exterior of your house is clean, remove or repair dead grass and plants, clean up any debris, and add a few decorative items like a flower box, or welcome sign.  

Make modest renovations 

When determining if you should make renovations to increase your home’s value, consider the cost of the proposed upgrade vs. what the market value of the home would be after the project is completed. Only make improvements that will show you a return on investment. Kitchen and bathroom remodels show the highest return in investment, but can be a costly investment. Smaller upgrades to consider would be updating small items such as kitchen cabinet knobs, showerheads, faucets, and paint color. These items are small but can carry a large impact. 

Deep Clean 

 This should go above and beyond a daily clean. You may want to consider hiring a professional home cleaning service for help. Have carpets cleaned, especially if they are older. Clear the house of clutter, make sure the floors are spotless, and clean all the windows inside and out. Make sure to clean the insides of cabinets and drawers, and deep clean your appliances. Often-missed places that collect with dust are ceiling fans and air vents, and light fixtures- don’t miss these spots. Bad odors are a huge turnoff, so anything you can do to rid the house of any strong odors is wise (though fixing the source of the odor is your best option). Last but not least, hang clean towels in the bathrooms and kitchen.