Spring Real Estate Tips - Home Selling Tips

Spring is one of the best times to sell your home. Homebuyers are coming out of winter hibernation with more room in their schedules since the holidays are over. They're also watching the calendar, hoping to get into new homes before the next school year. You can still take advantage of the busy spring market, but enticing prospective buyers to put down an offer will take some work.

Why You Need to Prepare Your House for a Spring Listing

Kurt Carlton, president and co-founder of real estate investment marketplace New Western in Dallas, says sellers can expect more competition this spring. They still need to prepare their homes ahead of listing so the sale is more likely to close without lengthy negotiations.

“It may seem like spring will be a seller’s market but buyers have a budget and will be looking to negotiate,” Carlton says. “Even minor repairs can be deal-breakers, so sellers should address maintenance issues ahead of time to avoid giving buyers a reason to walk away or ask for a price reduction.”

Preparing your home for sale can also help attract more buyers and potentially hike its sales price. “Properly preparing your house for the market can increase your audience and showings and will also increase your sales price by as much as 20%, depending on the improvements,” says Greg Forest, senior global real estate advisor at Sotheby's International Realty in Palm Beach, Florida.

6 Tips to Prepare Your Home for the Spring Real Estate Market

When preparing your home for the spring homebuying season, here are some tips experts say can potentially help you sell your home faster and for top dollar:

Boost your home’s curb appeal.
Make necessary repairs and renovations.
Consider making cosmetic upgrades.
Declutter and depersonalize.
Do a deep clean.
Stage your home.

Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Your home’s exterior, landscaping and overall condition and appearance all contribute to its curb appeal. First impressions are everything in real estate and can have a major impact when you list your home for sale.

“The most straightforward and affordable way for sellers to boost curb appeal for spring is to power wash siding and sidewalks and keep the lawn mowed, edged and trimmed,” Carlton says. “A fresh paint job to the entire exterior of a home can get expensive, but clean gutters and a fresh-looking yard will go a long way.”

The entryway is another area that often needs attention. Pantea Bionki, owner and lead designer of Bionki Interiors based in Chino Hills, California, recommends adding vibrant flowers and greenery in pots around the front entrance. If you have a front porch, Bionki says adding cozy seating areas and rugs can create a more welcoming atmosphere.

Make Necessary Repairs and Renovations

Before making any repairs or renovations, consider whether they’ll add value, provide a good return on investment or help attract prospective buyers. Remodeling kitchens and bathrooms may seem like a good option, but Carlton encourages sellers to determine whether they’ll actually get a return on investment. He says homeowners should focus on functionality and curb appeal. “Repair anything that is obviously and visibly not functioning as it should before showing it to buyers,” he says.

A big mistake sellers tend to make is attempting to match the latest design trends or renovating according to their own personal taste, says Andrea Saturno-Sanjana, a broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg in New York City. “Renovations that are too specific often do not appeal to the widest range of buyers,” she says.

Saturno-Sanjana says sellers should consider repairs and refreshing items that are immediately visible to the buyers, as well as what might catch the attention of the home inspector. “For example, it might be less costly to replace loose wall switches before listing rather than to leave them as is for a buyer's home inspector to view them as red flags, which might signal other problems with the home,” Saturno-Sanjana says.

Source: Josephine Nesbit, realestate.usnew.com