Things are beginning to warm up here in the Northeast! That means the snow is melting away, the trees will be budding, and the flowers will begin to bloom. The transition of seasons also means that it is time for property sellers to prepare their home for the market.
Are you thinking about listing your property for sale this spring or summer? We’ve got some great tips to help you prepare your home that will help increase your chances of a high selling price and fast sale.
Curb Appeal Matters
The first impression of your home is incredibly important. Often, buyers will do a “drive-by” of your property before they attend a showing or open house. Unfortunately, if they don’t like what they see on the outside they may be likely to skip the showing.
“Buyers sense ‘Pride in Ownership’ from the moment they drive up and want to be the people who love their home. Make it a feel like a place to ‘come home from work to’ or ‘retire into’. It’s important to demonstrate the benefit of the feature, not the features themselves. That’s what home is all about. Convey the dream.” - Alec Schwartz, Coldwell Banker Preferred
Whatever it is that your home needs, start thinking about it now or ask one of our agents to come over and provide you with some suggestions. Once you do the work, have your real estate agent come over and take the listing photos. That way your hard work is captured on camera and your home is presented to potential buyers at its very best.
Transition into Spring
Many do not want to be reminded of Winter once Spring is here . Move auxiliary heaters into storage and remove remnants of winter from your entryway and mudroom. Yes, that means it’s the perfect time to clean the floors and remove the salt grime from your boots! Take this time to swap out your seasonal decor. For example, put away the heavy blankets and bedspreads, swap out boot trays for throw rugs and consider adding some bright floral arrangements.
Fresh Paint Makes a Difference
Painting is one of the best things you can do to prepare your home for sale. “Don’t be afraid to use color” says Matthew Rathbun from Coldwell Banker Elite. While neutrals are the safe route to go, nice flat colors and accent walls give a home character. Gray has become an increasingly popular trend as well.
However, we caution that you may want to get color suggestions from your local Realtor. They have the knowledge to know what colors can be off-putting, which could cause your home to linger on the market.
Clean Up
Spring cleaning is important for homes about to hit the market! Imagine walking into a home smelling last night’s dinner, seeing mold on the bathroom tile, and pet hair dust balls the size of desert tumbleweeds? Yuck!
A clean home will help your home sell much faster. If getting down and dirty just isn’t your thing then you can always hire someone. If you plan on doing it yourself, remember the small details like baseboards, door trim and light switches.
We also suggest getting your carpets professionally cleaned to rid the space of any unwanted scents.
Depersonalize and Declutter
This one is a zero-cost no-brainer. You want potential buyers to focus on the amazing features of your home and not be fixated on the tchotchkes, family photos, or other miscellaneous items you may have around. And if you’re already thinking of painting, this makes it that much easier.
When you go to repaint your home, you have to take things off of the walls and move furniture.This makes it a great time to depersonalize and declutter. You will have to pack up most of your belongings anyway, so why not start sooner than later?
Let Us Help
We know it is up to you to choose a real estate agent, but at Coldwell Banker Lifestyles our mission statement says it all “We believe that our agents, staff and leadership team play important roles as guides, mentors, educators, friends and confidants in your real estate goals. As brokers of what is often the most significant transaction in our client’s lives, we approach our profession with the love and appreciation that only home can create. Our love of sharing all things special about our beautiful communities and our drive to find successful solutions for each of our client’s real needs drives us every day! ” If there is anything we can do to help you, from additional advice on preparing your home to providing you with a Comparative Market Analysis, just reach out and ask.
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Coldwell Banker Lifestyles, joined the Coldwell Banker brand in 2016, and is a member of the prestigious Coldwell Banker Chairman’s Circle as one of the top Coldwell Banker affiliated companies in the world. Coldwell Banker Lifestyles has approximately 150 real estate sales professionals in 11 offices throughout New Hampshire, Vermont and Western Maine, working to guide buyers and sellers to successful real estate transactions.
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