In all of our years in the real estate industry, here’s a truth we’ve learned: it’s the proactive homeowner who ends up having the smoothest home sale and, typically, makes the most money.
If you start now, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare your home (and yourself) for the spring market and be among those success stories.
Will you be buying a home when this one sells?
Let’s get a market analysis done now so that we have at least a rough idea of your home’s current market value. Yes, it’s a bit early, but we just need a ballpark figure for you to take to a lender.
He or she can then present options for buying the next home. The worst thing you can do is sell your home before being pre-approved for a loan for your next home, so speak with the lender about what you need to do, financially, to ensure mortgage approval.
Consider a pre-sale home inspection
In the past I have recommended to not do this. However, with the market slowing down a bit, it might not be a bad idea. Having your home professionally inspected before putting it on the market is proactivity on steroids. After all, one of the most common home sale deal-breakers is the home inspection report.
Or, more specifically, issues in the report that the buyer perceives as insurmountable.
Let’s find out now what an inspector will learn with a thorough home inspection. That way, we can discuss the issues and decide which absolutely must be remedied and which don’t.
Do what you can to increase curb appeal
Spring officially arrives on March 20 this year. That is right around the corner!
Now is obviously not the right time of year to get out in the garden, mow the lawn or do any of the other tasks required to get the landscaping in shape for a home sale. There are things you can do, however, that don’t necessarily involve gardening.
- Dismantle the mailbox, bring it in the garage and slap some fresh paint on it.
- Shop for a new doormat, larger address numbers and porch light fixture.
- Draw out a plan for where you’ll plant pops of color when the weather warms.
- Make a list of early spring chores in the front yard. Clearing debris, trimming hedges and trees, and whatever else you’ll need to make the exterior of the home more appealing to buyers. Just make sure to wait until just before listing before spreading fresh mulch. It only looks new for a few weeks.
Pre-staging
Now is the perfect time to construct a home staging plan. Pre-staging makes the job go easier. As part of my services, I pay for an upfront consultation by a professional stager, Sandy Gantz, of Distinctive Home Staging.
Sandy will make recommendations that may include removing personal items, deep cleaning, applying fresh paint and culling excess items from cupboards, drawers, the pantry and closets (to make them appear roomier). Just before listing on the mls Sandy will come back and make final touches and provide any staging accessories, furniture, etc… that you need. I provide this at no cost to my clients.
Presentation with the advice of a professional stager is one of the most important parts of any marketing plan.
Again, don’t wait
A home sale includes a lot of details that you’ll want to pay attention to when the time comes.
In the meantime, it’s a smart move to rid yourself of the little distractions, such as small home repairs and accomplishing cosmetic touch-ups.
The spring real estate market is right around the corner. The time to prepare for a spring home sale is right now.
