Get ready for SPRING with Nanci Lewis, Realtor on the Vanderblue Team and Owner of Home Style and Stage, our NEWLY launched design center, located at 1552 Post Road (formally Sweet Rexi's).

 

Spring is closer than you think!

 

While it may seem that we are in the middle of the winter season, before we know it, the spring flowers will be blooming AND the spring real estate market will be booming!

Historically, spring time is when the most real estate buyers are actively looking for homes to purchase in a given year. So if you are thinking of selling, now is the time to be preparing your house so you can list it in time for the spring market. Remember also that it's when the real estate inventory is typically highest so you need to prepare your home to compete against the competition.

What can you do to get your home ready? Let's take a Behind The Scenes look at what you should be doing. Many home owners will benefit from a few good tips that will help show off your home better and hopefully sell it faster.

As you consider selling, it's a good time to de-clutter and clean out unneeded items. You will need to do this anyway once you sell, so why not start now? Go through closets and anything you can live without, put into boxes and stack in your garage, donate or throw out. Remember what shows well, sells well. Picture yourself going into a house for the first time and what you would think about what you are seeing in front of you.

Make any necessary repairs. Often it's a good idea to have a house inspection done BEFORE you list your house instead of waiting to see what comes up once you have an accepted offer. Inspection issues that arise are the biggest reasons people don't move forward with a sale so best to find out any issues upfront and fix. A fresh coat of paint, some repairs and new accessories can really help to present your home as updated, bright and inviting.

Buyers love to know a property has been well maintained, so keep all records and have the info about the work you have done organized and ready for your agent. It's an important part of marketing your property.

Another thing my team recommends our homeowners do is to make a list of the favorite things they love about their property and what things they will miss most.

And, of course, one of the most important things you need to do is research and select what agent and firm you want to represent your home. Basic factors like years of experience and firm reputation will probably be important to you, but there are other facts to consider. Is your agent part of a larger team that has a strong reach in your selling market and lots of back up support to service your needs (showings, open houses, special events)? Do they market creatively? Are they marketing across various distribution channels? Do they have relationships with agents in neighboring towns for more marketing.

Once you decide to list with an agent, there will be photos taken and other things suggested, like possibly staging, if your house will be vacant or to update your look. Buyers buy what they can picture themselves living in, so having a current look will help potential buyers do just that.

Hopefully these tips will help get you motivated to make your real estate goals happen this year - whether downsizing, relocating or just needing more space - selling your property can go smoothly with the right preparation. Spring is just around the corner!