If you are thinking
of putting your house on the market next spring, don’t wait until then to start
getting it ready to list. Traditionally, Super Bowl Sunday marks the beginning
of the spring selling season in real estate, which means you’ve only got about
three months to get your house in shape. Start now so that you can take
advantage of the surge in buyer interest come next February.
Here are five
things you can do right now to get ahead of the curve and ensure your home is
ready to hit the MLS next spring:
1. Cut the
clutter: If you’re like most people,
you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. Moving provides a great
incentive to finally get rid of the junk you’ve been hoarding. Starting now
will give you ample time to take that trip down memory lane as you go through
old papers, letters, photographs and other mementos. If you set aside a couple
hours to do this each weekend, by February you will have weeded out a lot and moving
will be much less stressful.
2. Improve curb appeal: Your yard will
still be frozen on Super Bowl Sunday, so it makes sense to get some of those
outdoor chores done now, while it’s still relatively mild out. Clean up the
yard, edge the beds, fertilize the lawn and plant clusters of bulbs for a show
of color in the spring. Make sure your front entry is as inviting as possible.
Give the door and door frame a new coat of paint, polish the door knocker and
make sure the house numbers, mailbox and porch lights are in a consistent
style. In addition to making the house more attractive to future home buyers,
you’ll also impress your holiday guests.
3. Paint the interior: Nothing will give
you more bang for the home improvement buck than a fresh coat of paint. Keep
your potential buyer in mind and go for a neutral palette. Using the same color
family in adjoining rooms will improve the flow of the house and tie everything
together. And remember, neutral does not necessarily mean white or beige. In
fact, white can be quite stark and cold, while beige can be boring and blah. Go
for warmer tones in the main living areas to make the rooms more inviting.
4. Donate to a
good cause:
This is the time to
edit your wardrobe. Take everything out of the closet and force yourself to let
go of those 80’s outfits and anything else you haven’t worn in a year. Be
ruthless about what you get rid of. You will thank yourself when it comes time
to move. This is also a great time to collect all the winter coats, boots and
gloves your family has outgrown or grown tired of and donate them to the needy.
Several organizations do winter coat drives for the homeless this time of year
and would be thrilled to have your cast-offs.
5. Make a list
of needed repairs: Go through your house, inside and out, and look at it
objectively, as a buyer would. Write down everything that needs fixing. These
are things you simply must take care of before listing your house. Otherwise,
buyers will see small problems and wonder what bigger problems await them. Call
a handyman and get those repairs done of by the end of January.
There will be lots
more to do when your listing date gets closer, but taking care of these things
now should make the whole process less stressful.
