The Best Advice for Selling Your Home During the Spring

Fall and winter are commonly believed to be challenging times to sell a home, though early spring can often be just as difficult. However, with a few basic principles in mind, you can capitalize on this time of year. Here is how to prepare your home (or a home you’re flipping) for a smooth, quick, and successful sale during the spring.

Embrace the Advantages

You might be surprised to hear you could enjoy some advantages by selling your home during the first few months of spring. One of the best benefits to sellers is reduced competition. There are often fewer homes listed for sale as winter gives way to warmer weather, so your home is more apt to quickly draw the attention of shoppers. What’s more, during this time of year, the house hunters tend to be serious buyers. There are frequently upcoming first- and second-quarter job relocations, meaning companies are bringing buyers to the area that need to find a home. That can mean a fast turnaround on your listing, and it also translates to the ability to price your home the same as during other times of the year.

Are you thinking of transitioning into a nicer neighbourhood, or maybe a bigger home for a growing family? Some experts feel the off-season, as well as the first of the year, is the prime period to upgrade to a more expensive home as well, so if that is your goal, the time is ripe. Do some investigating into local trends and learn what the housing market is like where you live.

Create Great Curb Appeal

Fall and winter can be dreary months, which means you’ll have some work to do when it’s time to put your house on the market come spring. To help create excellent early-spring curb appeal, make the most of both your home’s features. For instance, put down some fresh mulch, address your flower beds (including removing any plants that may have died during the winter months), clean up your sidewalks, and, weather permitting, power wash your exterior. Also, make sure your landscape is especially tidy, as you can’t hide much when your trees are still bare. Some experts suggest cutting back trees if they overhang your home since they can make your home’s interior seem dimmer, which might turn off some buyers.  

Use Photos to Your Advantage

Thanks to the digital age, you can amp up your home-selling strategies regardless of the season. Keep in mind that most buyers start house hunting by viewing online listings these days, and as Dave Ramsey points out, this is especially true when weather is disagreeable. Take images that show your home’s best features, even if it means doing your sprucing up in advance. In fact, it doesn’t take long to stage your home for photos or a showing on short notice; all you need to really do is do a quick tidy-up, make sure you have great lighting, and clean up areas that get a lot of daily traffic (kitchen and bathrooms, for example).

Make Needed Repairs

Time points out that buyers are especially particular about home maintenance concerns after months of cold weather. Make sure you tend to any routine services, such as for your HVAC system and furnace. Since utilities are often on home shoppers’ minds during the colder months, if your home could use an energy-oriented upgrade, this is a good time to complete it. Energy-efficient windows or added insulation can be pivotal in making sales.      

Make the most of listing your home as the year transitions into spring. Smart planning is the key, and you can enjoy success no matter what time of year it is. Buyers will find your home irresistible with the right preparations and a little planning.

It might be a good time to start your Spring cleaning in order for your home to show its very best inside and out. May be a good idea to do some minor renovations but be sure to talk to your realtor first before doing too many renovations before selling your home. 

Guest blogger Suzie Wilson