Even though it’s the middle of the winter season, before you know it, spring will be here. Historically in most real estate markets, the spring is when it really begins to heat up. The spring real estate market generally yields the highest prices for those selling their home. This is only possible though if the proper preparations are taken before spring is upon us!
If you’re thinking of selling your home in the spring, you must know that even though you may receive top dollar for your home, the competition will also be the strongest. This means it’s absolutely critical that you’re prepared for the spring real estate market so you can knock out your competition. Check out these tips so that you’re prepared.
Begin Interviewing Prospective REALTORS®
It doesn’t matter what time of year you decide to sell your home, it’s critical that when selling a home, you know how to interview REALTORS® when selling a home. As spring continues to approach, the top producing REALTORS® will only continue to get busier. Make sure you start reaching out to the agents you think would be a great representative to sell your home sooner rather than later.
Know What Your Plan Is
One huge mistake sellers make is not knowing what their plan is once they sell their home. Are you planning on buying another home once your home sells? Do you have the option to move in with family? Can you rent, if need be? Can you buy non-contingent? These are things you should think about and know the answers to before the spring real estate market hits. It’s a great idea to discuss your financing options with a local lender before you list your home for sale. If you can get pre-approved to purchase a home non-contingent, if need be, it can give you a huge advantage over any seller who is selling their home subject to finding a suitable property to purchase.
Consider Having a Pre-List Inspection
One of the biggest reasons a home sale gets derailed is due to the home inspection. Most buyers will opt to have their offer contingent on an acceptable home inspection. Some buyers can even get alarmed and scared by the smallest home inspection finding. It can be easy to avoid this possibility and have your home inspected by a professional before listing it. Having a pre-list inspection is one of the top things to do before listing a home for sale.
Know Your Local Spring Real Estate Market
Every real estate community and market is different. Some spring real estate markets begin in late February/early March and others begin in the middle of April. It’s important that you truly understand your local real estate market. The best way to know your local real estate market is by hiring a top REALTOR®. Your REALTOR® should be able to advise you on current, past, and projected market conditions and also give you advice as to when you should list your home.
The time you choose to list your home for sale is critical in the spring market. If you wait too long, it’s possible you can miss that prime selling time frame. There are some REALTORS® who will even suggest beating the spring market competition and that it can be beneficial to list a home now and not wait until spring.
Clean & Organize
I know it’s cliché but it’s imperative to give your home a thorough “spring cleaning.” This doesn’t mean wait until spring though. Be proactive and start cleaning now; you’ll be glad you didn’t wait. A huge turnoff for prospective buyers are foul odors. Things such as smoke odors and pet odors can kill home sales.
Here are just a few things to make sure you clean before listing your home:
- Wash your windows
- Dust your blinds
- Dust baseboard trims
- Clean appliances
- Clean shower(s) & toilet(s)
- Clean inside cabinets
When selling a home, it’s important that you de-clutter and organize your home, too. A great way to achieve this is by packing. It may sound silly seeing as you haven’t listed your home for sale yet, but you will need to pack at some point anyways, so why not do it now! Clean out closets and pack away anything that you don’t have a necessity for. It is incredible how much better a home will show and how much quicker it will sell if it’s organized and de-cluttered.
Final Thoughts
The spring real estate market is a great time to be selling a home. Just because your spring market doesn’t begin until mid-April doesn’t mean you should wait to prepare for the sale of your home. Be proactive and follow the above tips for getting ready for the spring real estate market. You will be glad you did when your home sells quickly and for a high price!
Kyle Hiscock is a top Irondequoit, N.Y. real estate agent with Nothnagle Realtors, based out of Rochester, N.Y. Kyle has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers move in and out of the Greater Rochester, NY area. In addition to his vast real estate knowledge, Kyle runs a very active real estate blog and is active on many different social media websites.
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This is about what the real estate agents have mentioned to us about our plans to prepare to move. We are just hoping that by planning ahead and getting ready for the spring market will help us sell the house a lot quicker. We are still looking for an agent that can represent us and make sure we can get as close to the price we set as possible. It will help us to have enough money to find a new home.
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To attract the potential buyers, try and keep the patio and front walk really clean; as first impression is the last impression, we all know. Also ensure you have trimmed the trees and bushes, so that the buyers can see the house clearly, and if needed, get front door painted for a far reaching impression.
Great tip! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Great post! This information is very helpful for the peoples who want to Sell House Fast and great Tips for selling your house.
I definitely agree with all the tips mentioned above especially being aware of your local real estate market. Awesome blog by the way!