T’is the season that leads up to the spring real estate market. The busiest real estate market each year usually starts in March and goes until the end of June. Once July hits people are ready to vacation with their families and prepare to move prior to the next school year commencing.
In the last week I have had three requests from potential sellers on steps they should take when preparing their house for selling. Some of the big-ticket items I have hear this week is clients are replacing old roofs, putting in new flooring, and updating faces of kitchen cabinets. WOW! With the longer days people have more energy to clean out and repair. So do I!
However, replacing roofs and floors are not accessible, nor necessary for all homes to be listed.
Instead, I have compiled a short list of must do’s that will cost nothing, or very little to accomplish and make your home have the fresh feel.
· Declutter inside and out. Donate, throw out, and pack up everything you possibly can. This will also save time when the house sells, and you are moving.
o Remove personal items. We want buyers to see themselves in your home.
o Don’t forget closets. Closet space is important to buyers.
· Clean, clean, clean. Dirty kitchens, bathrooms, furniture and appliances are a sure way to turn off a potential buyer.
· Wash windows inside and out.
· Fix pet issues and odours.
o Keep litter boxes freshly cleaned and tucked away.
o Fix any damage pets have caused.
o Poop scoop all landmines regularly and fill in holes.
· DON’T SMOKE in your home when listing. I have been in the ‘perfect’ house for clients who would not consider an offer based on smoke smells and the thought of having to get rid of smells.
· Pressure wash driveways, walkways, exterior siding if applicable
· Clean gutters, fix broken fencing, tidy yard.
· Stage the home. At the very least consult with your Realtor® as to how to set up your home. Or hire a staging company to rearrange and prepare.
o If the home is empty, a Realtor® can have the photos virtually staged. Very cool feature!
· Want to paint? Paint in a neutral colour that will appeal to the masses. This freshens up the home, gets rid of old smells, and makes it easy to move in.
· Tidy and mow yard. Trim plants, mow the lawn. Give the yard a fresh feel. Don’t be afraid of taking away old yard waste and leaves to prep for the photos.
· Safety checklist: do you have broken boards, hoses laying around, loose railings. Find all of these items then repair and tighten. Anything that is unsafe that cannot be repaired, please disclose to your agent so we can all be safe when viewing the home.
One item that may need its own paragraph is the idea of home odours. If you are selling your home, have a friend come in and tell you how it smells. Don’t get offended. Our houses smell – like us. That is ok. But when showing your home, buyers and their agents do not want to smell your dinner from last night, your garbage, your weed, or your cat litter. Doing many of the above-mentioned items will help with smells. Baking cookies beforehand often helps. Or… setting a small pot with water, vanilla, and a cinnamon stick for 15 minutes will give off a pleasant odour.
First impressions are everything. Even if garbage is gone, the walkways are clean, the interior is tidy and clean, agents and their buyers will be able to enjoy viewing your home and won’t rush out gagging and saying gross…. Never looking back. They will want to sit down, make a cup of tea, and envision their future here. THAT is what your goal is.
If you would like a spring-cleaning checklist, or prepping to sell checklist, please reach out directly to me via my website and I can send them out as a guideline.
Happy Almost Spring!