Preparing to sell: Taking care of your home during the winter months

Spring is right around the corner, and consumers are ready to pound the pavement looking for the next Open House. If you are thinking about listing your home for sale in time for the spring rush, it’s a good idea that you get prepared now. There are small things that you can do now in order to get your home ready to show. Just a few simple things each week can save you from being bombarded and strapped for time once showing season gets into full swing.

Winter lawn care: One of the things that buyers look for is a picture perfect yard. If your grass is dry or discolored if gives off the impression that the home has been abandoned, or that the owners have not taken care of their investment. One of the simplest things that you can do is to pick up any leaves that are in the yard. Leaves that are left in the yard for long periods of time can create unsightly dead spots in your lawn.

It is also important that you let your lawn “breathe”. Leaving clutter such as toys and equipment on the lawn will prevent the lawn from being able to breathe and absorb sunlight. 

Cosmetics: The first impression that a buyer gets is when they first drive through your neighborhood. You want to make sure that you never give them a chance to turn around and drive away without stopping to see the inside of your house. While small cosmetic changes may not dramatically increase the financial return on your sale, they may in fact have an impact on how fast you sell your home. Replace any broken or discolored shutters or overhangs, fix the screens in all of the windows, and make sure that your mailbox is in decent shape. By spending a few dollars at the hardware store, you could possibly change how fast your home is sold. 

Clear out that clutter:  It’s a good idea to go ahead and prepare your house for the first showing appointment. Depending on how long you have lived in your home, you may have amassed a great deal of clutter. Instead of going through the house and boxing up everything to go in the attic or in the garage, separate it and prepare to have a yard sale at the first sign of spring. Buyers who tour your home will want to see how much space you have. Filling up your garage or attic with tons of boxes does the buyer no good when they are trying to judge how large of a space you have. Do yourself a favor, and make sure that your garage and your attic are just as clean and neat as the rest of your house. Buyers will appreciate the extra time and attention that you put into showing off your space.

In a competitive market, it’s always good to stay one step ahead of the rest. Taking these small steps can make a world of difference, and potentially put more money in your pocket than you bargained for.