Prepare your home for sale this spring

Posted

By Tyrone Adams

Special to The SUN

Spring is traditionally the time of year many people begin plans to either sell or buy a home.

In the weeks ahead you can expect to see more yard signs going up and more buyer interest as the school year comes to a close. REALTORS® are anticipating an increase in listings, showings and buyer activity as housing inventory grows, pricing continues its upward trend and low interest rates become less accessible.

Regardless of the season, there are three things that help sell a home in any season — location, the condition of the property and of course, price.

If you’re considering selling your home this spring, here are some useful tips designed to make your experience a success.

Curb appeal

Studies show that buyers typically decide within 60 seconds of seeing a home whether they want to consider buying it. Don’t turn them off before they get inside.

Take a slow walk around the outside of your house. Go down the street and walk or drive up to the house as if you were coming to see it for the first time. How does it look to you? Is the yard clean and attractive? Would a new coat of paint or an updated front door make it more appealing? Are there any obvious repair needs?

Clean up the clutter

Experts advise that a fresh coat of paint and clean carpets will make any house look ready for new owners. Good lighting, clean windows and uncluttered counters and floors tell potential buyers that your home is spacious and bright.

Be thoughtful about staging the furniture in your home so that there are clear walking paths throughout. If you think you have too much furniture in any room, you are probably right. Empty some closets so that buyers are comfortable that all of their belongings will fit your space. And take down most of your family pictures as buyers want to visualize themselves in your home.

If it’s broken … fix it

If you know that the buyer’s inspector is going to find something wrong with your house, go ahead and fix it first. You may even want to hire your own inspector prior to putting your house on the market to help you identify and make repairs. It will save time in the long run and often can save money as well.

The price is right

Even though prices are rising in some areas, sellers need to be reasonable and compare their home to similar properties in the local market that have recently sold.

Keep in mind, today’s buyers are typically well-informed, savvy consumers who become suspicious of homes priced too low or too high. Properties that are not correctly priced to begin with may not appraise for the value and often stay on the market longer, becoming even harder to sell.

You will probably save yourself time and aggravation by working with your agent to price your home right the first time.

With pent-up buyer demand due to low inventory, steadily rising home prices and the potential for rising interest rates, the time is right to prepare your home for sale using some of these helpful hints.

The Home Connection is brought to you by the Colorado Association of REALTORS®. For more information, visit www.coloradorealtors.com