Make the Most of the Spring Market

Michelle Gillespie, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Spring is the best time of the year to sell your home. The snow is melting, spring flowers will be blooming and the largest numbers of buyers are actively searching for a new home during the months of April, May and June.

The spring real estate market will be here shortly. To prepare your home for sale this spring, let me suggest some strategies to get the most out of your property. From cosmetic to strategic, smart sellers can take advantage of my simple tips to help close the deal.

Create spring curb appeal. Look and evaluate your home as if you were a buyer purchasing your home. This is possibly the most important step you can take to ensure that your house sells for a reasonable price. By improving your home’s appearance, you will attract potential buyers.

Do some spring cleaning. Touch up the paint, polish the floors and scrub away! Your windows need to sparkle. Wash windows inside and out and remove screens to let in the most light possible. Buyers love to see a lot of natural light in a home. A sparkling home will impress buyers, make your home seem even more appealing, and add value to the bottom line.

Box up your winter items. These bulky items take up a lot of space, so move them out as you de-clutter your closets. You will impress buyers with all the extra space.

Bring spring aromas indoors. Spring is not only a colorful season, but a fragrant one, too. Bring the aroma indoors. Scents have a profound effect on mood, so infusing scent into your decor with diffusers and fresh-cut plants/flowers can change the overall feeling of a space.

Spruce up your entryway. Replace your doormat with a new one and add a few containers of annuals. A clean, attractive doorway will help set the tone for the entire showing and will show the buyers the care you take in your home.

The exterior. Once the snow has melted, rake the yard and prepare your lawn. Trim back bushes. Plant some spring flowers such as pansies, geraniums and other spring annuals. Touch up exterior paint, make exterior repairs, and don’t forget to power wash the deck.

What are the market conditions? The market conditions for sellers this year are fantastic!   As I wrote in my January article, the inventory is very low, home sale prices are increasing and buyers are looking for new inventory.  Many of my properties sold last year for either asking price or above asking price within 30 days, and we saw multiple offers. Buyers are relocating to this area, couples are downsizing and families are buying up.   With current interest rates remaining low and buyers looking for fresh inventory, this is an excellent time to sell your home.

Pricing for a profitable listing. As a seller, strategic planning is essential in determining a listing price. A professional estimation of a legitimate selling price will be extremely valuable in pricing your property. For example, a carefully prepared competitive market analysis can show how your house compares to others for sale in your area. With many years of experience, I can objectively evaluate your home’s location, style, condition and size with other sold homes to determine a listing price. Properly priced homes will sell quickly in this current market, and as your Realtor I will work with you to determine what that price should be.

My marketing plan will work for you. As a top producing agent, I take pride in my marketing plan and it shows in my sales. To showcase your home, I hire a professional photographer to take photos of your home, create a professional layout of your property, create a video and offer professional staging.

Exposure is the key! Your potential buyers will begin their search on the Internet and they will have instant access to information about your property through our industry-leading website network, www.bhhsneprime.com.

In addition to Internet marketing, I provide my clients with print and direct mail advertising to ensure as much coverage for their listing as possible.

Make the most of this spring season. If you choose to sell your home this spring, let me help you market, stage and prepare your home to sell in the shortest period of time. Let’s maximize first impressions and attract multiple offers by following the tips in this article.

Looking ahead. My next month’s article is about home systems, from electrical to heating and cooling. If you or someone you know is thinking of selling or buying this spring, give me a call.

Call me, Michelle Gillespie, at 508-934-9818. To sign up for my newsletter, send an email to [email protected]. “Sign me up please”