Six Ways To Help Your Home Sell This Spring

Most real estate agents agree: spring is the busiest home buying season. By May, most families have done their research, have visited open houses, and are ready to get serious about buying a home. When they do, they look at a variety of smaller but critical factors that can put your home at the top of their favorites list.

1. Fix minor issues. 
There’s no such thing as a “perfect home,” and buyers will notice every little flaw. Find and fix whatever you can before putting your home on the market. If you don’t, buyers could get distracted by a few minor imperfections and look over the many positive features and amenities your home offers.

2. Declutter. 
Take your spring cleaning to a whole new level by removing clothing, wedding photos, and other decorations that make your home look claimed. Also, consider renting a storage facility for a few months to store your books, movies, collectibles, and bulky furniture. Ideally, your home should look and feel like a showroom by the time you list.

3. Update your landscaping. 
Winter isn’t always kind to your yard, and it can take a while for the warmer weather to put things back to green. Help things along by investing in landscaping. A little fresh mulch can go a long way.

4. Add more light. 
We’ve got longer days now than we did a month ago, but it’ll still be some time before you can really rely on natural lighting to make your home look great. Compensate for potential darkness by adding brighter bulbs or extra lamps in your home, and remember to leave the lights on when you have a showing.

5. Clean the window. 
Just because the natural lighting is minimal doesn’t mean it’s not worth capitalizing on. Make sure your windows are spotless to allow as much light as possible in. Clean windows also help create a positive first impression and show that you take good care of your home.

6. Don’t drag in mud. 
Spring is the rainy season. Prepare for mud before it hits your pristine floors with heavy duty floor mats inside and outside each door.  

If it were just a matter of renting a moving van and redirecting your mail, moving would be easy. As it is, no matter how many times you move, there’s always something you forget to do until moving day. Here’s a list of tasks that may help make your next move easier.

1. Update the post office. Make sure you still get your mail by notifying the U.S. Postal Service about your upcoming move at www.usps.com/move or by visiting your post office.

2. Notify other government agencies. The IRS, Department of Veteran Affairs, Social Security Administration, Citizenship and Immigration Services, election offices, and motor vehicle agency are a few of the services that may need to know where you live.

3. Switch your services. Your new house won’t have electricity unless you call the electric company and tell them when to switch it over to your new address. The same is true for your internet, cable, home phone, garbage pickup, and magazine subscriptions.

4. Update your bank. You’ll want to update your bank and credit cards companies with your new address to make sure your billing address is correct and your account statements can still find you.

5. Update your other bills. Once you update your billing address, you’ll need to update anyone who charges your debit or credit cards as well. This may include your student loan services, mortgage provider, doctors, insurance agencies, or daycares.

Some houses are just made for hosting events. If you plan to regularly entertain in your next home, here are some features you should look for.

Curb appeal. 
Look for a home that makes a great first impression. Also, think about parking. Is there enough room for guests to park? Is there adequate street light at night?

Covered entryway. 
Don’t leave newly arrived guests out in the rain. Make sure your front door has a roof over it to keep friends and family dry while they wait for you to answer the door.

Ease of entry. 
People often arrive at events in groups. A home that opens into a living room or has a spacious entryway will keep traffic moving so the doorway doesn’t get too congested.

Seating space. 
If you’re going to have hoards of people over, you’ll need plenty of places to seat them. Make sure the living room, patio, den, or kitchen has plenty of room for guests to sit, stand, and mingle comfortably. An open floor plan can be especially helpful for this.

Bathrooms. 
Make sure your bathrooms are easily accessible for guests. If you have multiple floors, there should be a bathroom on the first floor. Also, make sure guests won’t have to enter anyone’s bedroom if they have to go.

If your home doesn’t have any of these features, give me a call. I can help find the perfect home for you and your family!