In some industries, the start of summer signals long weekends and relaxed deadlines. But in the real estate world, business doesn鈥檛 slow down when the warm weather hits 鈥� that鈥檚 when things start to heat up.
April, May and June are the three most popular months to buy and sell a home, and that鈥檚 because buyers, even those without children, prefer to move and settle into a new space before the end of summer and the start of the school year, explained Corey Burr, senior vice president at TTR Sotheby鈥檚 International Realty.
鈥淭his is when buyers and sellers know that the chips are down and this is the time to make it happen,鈥� Burr said.
鈥淎nd even though there might be a little more competition for sellers (in a crowded spring market), they know that buyers are out there. And it鈥檚 much better to target right now, rather than October or November or December.鈥�
If you have plans to list a property this season, or are thinking of doing so in the future, two real estate experts share some tips to make the selling process go a little smoother.
Tidy up
One of the most important things you can do to get your home ready to sell is also one of the least expensive 鈥� and that is to declutter.
鈥淧eople want to see something that is just beautifully presented,鈥� said Burr, who advises that sellers put away knickknacks and remove up to 30% of furniture and accessories in each room.
Caroline Carter, who runs the D.C.-based home transition service , said this phase of selling can be the most daunting, especially for owners who have lived in a home for a while. She recommends sellers set a schedule and make deadlines that lead up to the home鈥檚 listing. Then, start in the spaces that tend to accumulate the most 鈥渟tuff,鈥� such as the attic, the basement and the garage.
Separate your items into 鈥渟ell,鈥� 鈥渄onate鈥� and 鈥渒eep鈥� piles, and with the items you intend to keep, decide which ones should be stored until the move.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the best investment,鈥� Burr said about renting a short-term storage unit while putting a house on the market.
鈥淛ust have it for a month, two months, three months, and just clear out your property, because buyers need to see themselves in your property and if it鈥檚 crammed with your personal possessions, they鈥檙e going to think it鈥檚 not that big of a property.鈥�
Look at your home from the eyes of a buyer
Carter said another thing to do before listing is to give your home a 鈥渂ricks-and-mortar assessment鈥� using a 鈥渂uyer mentality,鈥� and isolate any issues that might make a buyer think twice before making an offer on your home.
鈥淭he process of selling your home is actually not about you, but about the potential buyer,鈥� said Carter, author of 鈥�.鈥�
Start with the outside: Look at everything from the gutters to the shutters, and make a list of items that need to be repaired. Then, move to the interior of the home.
鈥淒on鈥檛 assume that buyers will overlook issues that will cost them time and money to address, because they won鈥檛, typically,” Carter said.
And remember to remove emotion from the equation. Instead, think of it as a business transaction, and you want to get the best deal possible.
Small repairs pay off big聽
Short on both time and money when it comes to home improvement? There are plenty of small fixes that can have a big impact. For starters, Burr said painting should be a priority.
鈥淩ight now, what鈥檚 hot is just a soft gray and white trim. This gets people to know that they can put their own stamp on the property without being thrown off course by weird colors,鈥� Burr said.
Also, focus on the front, which is the buyer鈥檚 first impression of the whole property.
鈥淢ake the front door and the surrounding area just gleam, and have, in this time of year, some plantings to add color to the front,鈥� Burr said.
And unless your carpet is in 鈥減ristine condition,鈥� Carter said it鈥檚 worth replacing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 some of the best money you will ever spend,鈥� she said.
Old bathroom tiles can look like new with a white glaze; and if floors are scratched and scuffed, get them refinished. Otherwise, Carter said buyers will see your property as 鈥渓ess of a listing price and more of an asking price.鈥�
Updating outdated light fixtures and pulls on kitchen cabinets can also make a big difference to buyers.
When it makes sense to spend big
If you have the budget to sink into bigger projects before selling, Burr said focus your efforts on the kitchen and the master bathroom.
鈥淭his is where people get the most excited to see that they don鈥檛 have to put future investment in, at least for the next five or 10 years,鈥� he said.
And while new systems and structural improvements might have a lot of appeal to buyers, they aren鈥檛 always necessary to sell a home.
鈥淎s long as you don鈥檛 have a major aspect of your property that is totally aging, it鈥檚 best to not focus on a new roof or something like that. It will come up in the inspection, but if it鈥檚 15 years old and has a life of 30 years, you don鈥檛 have to worry about it,鈥� Burr said.
鈥淔ocus, instead, on the curb appeal and the landscaping and the painting.鈥�
Give your home a reasonable price
Burr is not a fan of underpricing a home just to drum up interest. He said if buyer activity is slow in that first week, it could leave you in a less than ideal situation.
鈥淵ou want to price it so that after a buyer goes through, the buyer stands at the curb, looks back at the house and says, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 my property, and I want to do everything I can do right now to make that mine,鈥欌�� he said.
In the D.C. area, Burr said homes under $800,000 sell very quickly, especially in the 鈥渉otter neighborhoods.鈥� As the price goes up, so does the time it takes to sell a property.
