Selling your home in the spring is one of the best times of year to sell. Spring historically signals the advent of a busier real estate market as inventory increases and buyers abound. Flowers are emerging, grass is greening up, and the smell of newness invokes anticipation about what’s around the corner: a fresh start. Spring and summer cast your home in the best light (literally and figuratively speaking) and improve the ever-important curb-appeal of your home.
If you’re thinking of selling your home this spring, here are a few things you can do now to get ready:
Take a tour of your home
Walk through your home and pay very close attention to the details. Do your walls need painting or repairing? Is the bathtub in need of caulking? Does your fence need painting? Are your carpets old and worn? Make a list and either complete these things on your own or hire a professional to get it done. A shoddy job doesn’t do you any favours, so make sure that you are experienced, or hire a professional to do it.
Get cleaning!
Tackling an item or two every day to break up the list of spring cleaning items is a great way to manage your time. Some blog writers have created handy calendars to help you tackle the major items and one that we like is from Coffee Pancakes and Dreams (you can request the calendar down the page a bit). Another great list to guide you is The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist by Cleanzen. Or, if time is in short supply, schedule a reputable cleaner to do a deep clean before you list your home. Items like blinds, interior and exterior windows, baseboards, garbage cans & surrounding areas, and high dusting are a good starting point, in addition to regular things like floors, mirrors, bathrooms, etc. You can also hire a company to take care of some of the outside items (windows, pressure washing the exterior of your home, etc).
Time to purge!
Be ruthless and think about de-personalizing your house to appeal to the widest audience. Your goal is to make it easy for buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. Clutter on countertops, mantels, and tables need to be cleared, minimizing any distractions to potential buyers. Pack up your personal photographs, family heirlooms and souvenirs that you’ve collected from your travels. De-personalizing and purging also catapults you ahead of the game so that you’re not burdened by unnecessary items when it comes time to move. You may need to rent a storage space to keep your personal items, and investing the time into packing these items will ultimately lead to a less stressful moving experience. The Sea-to-Sky has a number of storage facilities, and you can also look into renting a storage pod (providing you have a place to store it that’s inconspicuous). If you need a bit of inspiration, here’s a how-to on decluttering by Becoming Minimalist.
Clean the cobwebs out of your closets
As much as it may be unnerving to have curious buyers looking inside closed doors, it’s important for them to see the storage that your home offers, and the systems that may be hiding behind those closed doors. This is the time to donate extra or unneeded food to the Squamish or Whistler Food Bank from your kitchen cabinets or pantry, and to get a handle on general organization.
Inspect your yard
Do what it takes to make your grass healthy (lime amendment is important here in Squamish), tidy up, repair and/or paint your fence, and get rid of items that are laying around creating clutter. If you’re short on time, there are some excellent landscaping companies in the Sea to Sky area, and I’d be happy to send you their information. But book soon; their schedules fill up quickly at this time of year, so don’t delay!
First Impressions Matter
Look at your house from the street and walk up to the front door. Do your driveway and walkways need to be pressure-washed or swept? Is your front entrance warm and inviting? Take it to the next level and consider a fresh coat of paint on your front door, or be bold and choose a pop of colour for instant curb appeal.
Think you’re ready to list? Here are some little details that make a big difference:
- Consider buying a new welcome mat for the front door if yours is noticeably worn.
- Add a flower planter to the front entrance, or hang a seasonal wreath on the front door.
3. Ensure your home smells fresh and clean. No one thinks their home stinks, but every home has a scent of some sort. Make the effort to ensure it smells clean and fresh; it’s worth it. Smells can make a powerful impression on buyers (for good or bad). But a word of warning: don’t buy artificial fragrances or air fresheners that are heavily fragranced and only mask underlying odours. Many buyers are scent-sensitive and strong fragrances can have a negative effect on their experience in your home. A great way to neutralize smells is to have the carpets cleaned, or to sprinkle baking soda on them, leaving it for up to 2 hours, then vacuuming it up. Before showings or an open house, try to complete a quick once-over on the floors and countertops, with a pleasant smelling cleaning solution, leaving a scent that is fresh and subtle (hint: strong cleaners like Mr. Clean are not your friend in this instance).
Final thoughts
In a seller’s market, the reality is that your home will likely sell no matter what condition it’s in. However, don’t let that stop you from making minor improvements and putting your home’s best foot forward to help increase the perceived value of your home!
And of course, one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you get great exposure and price on your property is to hire a local, experienced, and professional REALTOR. I’m always available to chat, and I’d love to offer you a free, no-obligation market evaluation on your home if you’re thinking of selling. I also share tips on how to best put your time and energy into getting your home ready to sell, and provide a comprehensive marketing plan for your home.
Let’s chat! Give me a call, email, or text to connect. If you’re looking for more information on the Squamish and Whistler real estate market, check out my website, sign up for my monthly newsletter, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
