Are you thinking of selling your home this year? Get ready to dust off your winter blues and get a jump start on the spring home selling market.
Getting your home show ready is often overwhelming so I always recommend to start preparing early. Here are some of the more important tasks you should complete early in your home sale timeline. Spring will be here before you know it!
Repairs/Upgrades
- Make repairs that need to be made. Contractors are generally a lot busier during the spring and summer and will be less likely to give you a deal on projects during their busy season. It’s also much more difficult to schedule a quality contractor during that time as they usually book up for several weeks in advance. If you’re on a quick schedule to get your home sold, waiting for a contractor is one the last things you want to do.
- Put in that granite counter top now or any other upgrades you’ve been thinking about. Many of my clients want to make improvements just before they sell to help their home’s valuation and sell faster. Remember, most improvements don’t give you a 100% return (but it will probably help you sell faster), so why not get to enjoy the improvement yourself for a while? Heck, you might even decide you don’t want to sell after the improvement.
Maintenance
- Keep your sidewalks and walkways clear of debris. Winter brings moisture, dirt, salt, and a multitude of other things that make houses dirtier and less appealing. Prevent filth from making its way indoors by doing preventative maintaining outside. Not to mention, it’s safer to have clean walkways.
- Get your HVAC system serviced. If there are any issues with your system, it’s better to know now instead of when a prospective buyer brings their inspector in to inspect your home. Big inspection issues, like problems with your HVAC system, can sink a deal and cost you valuable time and money.
- Test your smoke detectors. A common item that home sellers fail on during their local municipal inspection is related to smoke detectors. Test your smoke detectors to ensure that they are properly working and that they are not expired. Smoke detectors often have a maximum recommended lifespan (usually around 10 years). Replace yours if they exceed your maximum life span.
- Invest in the high-end air filters for your HVAC system. I recommend the one that cleans smells at the minimum. I recommend looking for one with a 13 or higher MERV value. (See this chart for explanation.)
Clean, Clean, Clean
- Deep clean your home now. Don’t wait until spring. You’ll be surprised at how much filth accumulates in places you don’t think about – on top of the cabinets and refrigerator, under your stove and furniture, even on your baseboards. Focus on deep cleaning one room at a time. This will help to reduce the inevitable overwhelming feeling you’ll experience as you get closer to listing your home.
- Steam clean carpets and ensure your pets are groomed. Imagine receiving this phone call: “Hi Mr. & Mrs. Seller, it’s me, your Realtor. We’ve been getting feedback from a lot of people who have seen your house and they are all saying that there is a…..uh….a very strong and unpleasant odor.” This is often one of the most difficult conversations to have with clients and agents often neglect to bring it up out of fear of insulting their client. The fact is, your home probably has an odor that is unique to your family and pets. Take steps to minimize the smell now. Oh, and the whole trick of baking cookies during an open house is so 1970 – it doesn’t work.
General
- Pay attention to what is happening in your market. See what other homes are selling for in your area and how your house compares. For homeowners, selling their home is such an emotional event. Try to be objective when you’re comparing your home to others that have sold. How does your home compare in square footage, lot size, age, finishes, number of rooms, etc. This will help you to appropriately set your expectations
- Talk to a Realtor. From staging, to painting, to helping you navigate the transition of selling your home, a good Realtor can give you suggestions about what to do to ensure you have your house ready to go. It’s helpful to have a second opinion about where to focus your time and to get more info on how the St. Louis market is doing in general.
Do you have any other suggestions? Message me and let me know!