Spring can be one of the most competitive times on the real estate market. Whether you’re buying or selling, we’ve got tips to help you prepare:
Selling
- Pay attention to curb appeal. Curb appeal is always important. Buyers can tell if they want to consider buying a house just by looking at its exterior. Make sure your grass is trimmed. For a spring-like touch, try planting some colorful flowers to make your home welcoming. Add new mulch or beauty bark three to four days before an open house or showing.
- Do pre-inspection repairs. Save yourself time and money by fixing things you know are broken before someone comes to inspect the house. Take down your weatherproofing from winter to help open up the house and make it seem more inviting. If you need help with the repairs, your REALTOR® can probably recommend someone.
- Let light in. Now that the weather has warmed up and the sun is shining more, take advantage of all the natural light you can get. Natural light helps make a home seem bigger and brighter.
- Price your house right. With people who are toying with the idea of buying a house over the winter, you’ll get a lot of “lookers” who aren’t ready to buy. Make sure your house is priced right to attract legitimate buyers, and to make sure your home isn’t on the market for too long.
- Do some spring cleaning. It’s good to depersonalize your home when trying to sell, but spring cleaning can help make your space look even better. Tuck away family pictures and keepsakes, sweep, dust, vacuum and make surfaces and windows sparkle.
Buying
- Be competitive, but know when to step back. There will likely be less competition for buyers with so many new houses on the market, but know what you’re getting into if you like a hot house on the market.
- Pay attention to the space. Will the space fit your needs now? If the size of your family will change in the next few years, will the home accommodate those changes?
- Consider the home’s personality. Does it fit your lifestyle and personal style? Maybe the home isn’t perfect, but does it have potential?
- Know when “spring” for real estate starts in your area. In warmer climates, it can start as early as January or February, but in colder climates, it can start after the snow melts.
- Be prepared to pay list price. Some people are more focused on what the house is actually worth, instead of what the seller is asking. Ask your agent to show you a CMA of comparable sales, and this will help you determine the actual value of the house.