If you are selling your home this year, the best time would be right now. As the summer home-selling season kicks in, you will need to put your best foot forward in getting your home listed.
In today’s market where buyer demands are higher than the housing supply, you should take advantage of the situation, but you still need to prepare for any eventuality. At this point, it’s difficult to know exactly when the housing inventory swells and the demand for homes eases.
The best you can do is to make your home attractive to buyers as this year’s seller’s market loses steam. If you are selling it this summer, you might want to keep these preparations in mind:
Keep the front lawn presentable
This season is the perfect time to do some lawn work. The health of your lawn is the first thing that buyers will notice when they are browsing through the listings. To give your home an edge, make sure to mow the grass at the right length and irrigate the landscape properly.
On top of that, you should also consider pruning the hedges and shrubs, along with cutting down overgrown branches and vines. If you have a front garden, you will need to remove weed and provide adequate mulch to flower beds.
To further beautify your front lawn, consider adding decorations such as natural walkways or lanterns. If you are looking for a calm vibe, you might want to include rock and water features. A small pond with a cascading waterfall will suffice if you are taking your time in improving the front lawn.
Upgrade the exterior
Apart from your front lawn, you should also improve your home’s external appearance. Updating the color of the exterior walls may take some time, but it does give your home a fresh look. If you don’t have enough time for a total update, you might as well repaint areas that have faded or chipped. Make sure to use the same shade to avoid unsightly patches of color.
You can also consider replacing your front door with something that’s sturdy. If that’s not possible, you can always go for a door rehab. A fresh coat of varnish does the trick. However, if you see any indication of termite damage, consider spraying the door with a borax solution before filling up holes and cavities left by these pests.
For the patio or deck, you can make it stand out by replacing old furniture and adding plants and decorations like cushions and strong lights around the area. If you see any broken or missing wooden boards, you might want to install replacements. Be sure to follow up with a coat of wood stain that comes with water and sun protection.
You might also want to check if your roofing needs to be repaired. For this, consider the types of shingles you will need for the job. If you feel the need to remodel your entire roof, find the right contractor for it. Depending on the size and scope of your remodel, an experienced contractor should finish the task in less than a week.
Go for effective home staging
In addition to exterior improvements, you also need to invest time and money for sprucing up the interior. Buyers will want to schedule a property tour, so it’s crucial that you make areas such as the living room and kitchen stand out.
Your realtor might suggest changing the wall colors to a neutral hue. Go for beige, ivory, or gray. These are great for making your rooms look large and immersing potential buyers. Apart from that, consider replacing your furniture with modern-looking ones. Be sure as well to free each area of personal belongings. That means you need to store away toys, trophies or medals, and framed pictures before getting your home listed.
Lastly, you might want to add decorative pieces such as artwork and indoor plants. Palms and ferns are particularly useful for adding a sharp contrast to neutral walls. For a cleaner look, you might want to give your home a deep cleaning from top to bottom.
Handle repairs
Leaky pipes, water damage, and worn moldings can impact the value of your home upon appraisal. In order to get the best possible deal for your property, it’s important to complete any and all repairs.
You can handle many of these on your own, such as replacing broken pipes and electrical outlets. However, it’s still best to hire a contractor if the repair entails too much work or requires expert knowledge. Pre-inspection repairs can fast-track the sale of your home regardless if it’s a seller’s market or not.
Are you selling your property this year? Make the most of the transaction by applying the tips above before getting it listed.
Leave a Reply