Spring is for new beginnings. After weathering the long winter, many people are ready to think about selling their home and buying a new one. This makes spring and early summer one of the busiest times to be in real estate. So if you’re considering putting your home on the market, what should a seller do? Scott Townsend, President of The Scott and Sunny Townsend Team at Keller Williams Realty, recently took some time from his busy spring schedule to talk with us. He offered the following pro tips on preparing to sell your home.
Put together a plan
Reach out to a professional realtor, especially if the market is highly competitive. If there is not a lot of inventory available in your area, you may not have to work as hard to sell your home, but it’s still worth the time investment to put your best foot forward as a seller. A realtor can assist by preparing a customized selling strategy that includes asking price, ideal positioning, and resources to ensure your listing out-performs in your specific market.
Let’s get critical
Every home is different, but they can all use a little TLC before hitting the market. Evaluate every inch of your property with a critical eye. Consider consulting with a designer, if your agent does not provide one, who can provide a room-by-room report on what should stay, what should go and what else you need to make your house appealing to buyers.
Work from the outside to the inside
Starting with the outside, make sure your lawn is mowed, your flower beds have fresh mulch and your yard and driveway are tidy. Once the outdoor space is in good shape, move to the inside. Going room by room, clean out and remove clutter. Rent a dumpster for disposing of items that are not salvageable, and donate things no longer needed to charity. Have a yard sale if you wish, and hire a reliable moving company like Bisson to move non-essential personal belongings into storage. Give your home a thorough spring cleaning, or hire a professional cleaning service. While you clean, take the time to depersonalize. Pay attention to small details, like drawings on the refrigerator and family photos in the hallway. While these items are precious to you, they will be a distraction to potential buyers. Pack them away for now and make your home attractively neutral.
Say cheese
Once your home looks its best, get professional photos taken. As Scott points out, most of today’s buyers visit multiple websites before requesting to see a property in person, so the first viewing is often online. Quality photographs help yours look like a quality listing.
Once you sell your home and buy another, it’s time to move! If you need assistance during the moving process, contact the moving experts at Bisson.
