There is a good chance that you have considered selling your home or know someone who has, and what better time than now? Spring is often the busiest time for real estate. As the weather warms up homebuyers hope to lock in a property before rates rise. Those hoping to sell a home this spring can capitalize on the market's low inventory and maximize their profit.

With the low number of homes on the market comes competition, and you will need to utilize the latest spring real estate trends to showcase your property and ensure it stands out. When it comes to getting your home noticed, in what is predicted to be a busy market, home improvements and proper planning can go a long way.

We put together a toolbox below with helpful links to resources to help you make your home stand out and ensure you earn the maximum dollar for your investment. Or if you have no plans to move you can be the envy of the neighborhood!

Curb Appeal- Exterior Clean-up

Potential buyers form an opinion of your home within seconds of viewing the exterior. Make sure the first impression is a good one.

• Yards: Winter can leave your yard looking dirty. Trim shrubs weed flower beds and throw away leaves and garbage. Planting flowers around the yard can go a long way in raising its appeal, especially during the spring.
• Porch and patio:
• Springtime gives people a great excuse to sit out and bask in the weather, so make sure your porch and patio offer that. For a more appealing porch or patio, you can add potted plants along the walkway, even hang a beautiful wreath on the front door. Make sure you remedy any peeling paints or repaint if needed. Use these links to help you :
• Dress up your entry way
• Remodeling tips that offer more bang for the buck
• Intelligent landscaping
• Techniques to spruce up curb appeal

Get rid of the junk

Nothing turns buyers away like a cluttered property. And let’s face it, while we may not like to admit it cutter makes its way into our homes, especially if they’ve been lived in for long periods.

You want potential buyers to see your property, not a pile of shoes at the door. Here’s a checklist to help you de-clutter:

• Entryway: This is the first area prospective homebuyers will see, so remove coats, umbrellas, or shoes from your mudroom or foyer.
• Cabinets, pantry, nightstands, closets: Remove personal items (medications, tissues, etc…), other than those used for decorative purposes. Closets shouldn’t be packed so much they’re bursting.
• Kitchen: Countertops should be clear of everything except for decor and essential kitchen equipment (e.g. toaster). The fridge should be free of magnets, bills, flyers, or coupons.
• Bedrooms: Beds should be made; clothes and shoes shouldn’t be on the floor.
• Furniture and electronic equipment: Keep these to a minimum. This will give the impression of a more open floor plan. Organize cords for electronics
• Periodicals, photos, toys, etc: Anything that overly personalizes your home should be kept away.

If you need to get clutter off your hands, have a garage sale, sell items online, or throw away anything you don’t need. In addition to the two apps linked above we also found the below resource for clutter.

Five best selling apps to help you get rid of the clutter

Make your home less personal and show room ready

When someone enters your home, you want it to be staged so potential buyers can imagine living there. Displaying personal items can make potential buyers feel like it’s someone else’s home and make it hard make for buyers to imagine owning, much less living, in your property.

Your goal should be to create a warm and inviting feeling. Focus on the following:

• Personal effects: Pack up family photos, sports memorabilia, trophies, figurines or artwork. In the bathrooms hide razors, deodorants, and other personal items.
• Collections: What you collect (e.g. books, religious artifacts, etc.) may not necessarily be the same things your prospects would collect. Reading material should reflect neutral subjects, such as architecture or food.
• Repaint Walls: The color palette of the house should be neutral. You want buyers to project themselves onto the house, not feel like your personality is the overarching theme of the house. Use color psychology to know how each tone or color affects your buyers.  
• Wall coverings: Remove or replace wall treatments that have not been changed in the past five to seven years.
• Custom wallpaper murals
• Sherwin Williams Paint Visualizer to test colors.
• We love the Houzz app
• Wayfaire and All Modern for decorating and furnishings

Looking for some interior design help? Check out this local mother and daughter duo tackling one home design project after another.

General Maintenance

The more well-maintained your home is, the more justification you have to ask for a higher price. However, if potential buyers notice your home needs a lot of repairs, this can cut into your profits.

Before you list your home, make sure all repairs are complete and routine maintenance is up to date. Be sure to service and check the following, even if you have to hire a home inspector:

• Plumbing
• HVAC
• Electrical
• Presence of mold and mildews
• Damp basements or crawlspaces
• Deteriorated roofs
• Non-functioning chimneys
• Structure and foundation
• Interior appliances, like smoke detectors

Don't worry if you cant handle these tasks yourself you can find someone to help you at the links below. But keep in mind, we can also help our clients get their home ready and put it on the market. 

• Angie's List
• Home advisor
• Facebook word of mouth
• HOMEE (Like Uber but Maintenance techs)

Open up your windows

Take advantage of the fresh spring weather and open up your windows to let the fresh air and sunlight in. Doing so can make your house feel and smell vibrant.

If natural light doesn’t do the job, add floor or table lamps to dark dim areas.

The Benefits of Natural Sunlight In Your Home

Whether it be clothes, groceries, or a home, people tend to buy for emotional reasons and then back it up with logic. And this is especially true with the real estate spring selling and buying season.

Luckily you never have to go it alone when you have a good Real Estate Agent that you can count on to advise you and hook you up with all the vendors you need. 

 
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