What is there not to love about the month of March? Seriously, it's like the light at the end of the tunnel of winter. You know that the cold days are coming to an end, there's March Madness (the real holiday season), St. Patrick's Day, and the most exciting thing of all....LISTINGS. The city will start to erupt with listings as people are finally ready to get moving on the sale of their property. It's like Christmas to a realtor who has been working with buyers through the hard days of winter when there are fewer properties for sale and nothing new coming on the market. But Spring means that there are new homes everyday and so many open houses that my clients can barely make it to all of them. That's exciting.

For a seller, it can be a stressful time. To get your house "ready" to go on the market doesn't always mean just listing it with a realtor. Most people want to get the most money out of their home and that may mean doing a few projects. Emotional appeal is the number one draw for homebuyers. Some people have made the choice about whether or not they want to buy your home before they even make it to the front door. So, it's important to look at your home through a different eye and attempt to make it appealing to others.

Here are a few tips.

Clean. You can take your home from meh to wow by just cleaning. Think mother in law or boss coming over type of clean. That means baseboards, floors, walls, ceiling fans, windows, carpet, fixtures. Make it shiny, bright, and refreshing. Oh, and put away stashes, piles, collections, picture collages, etc. Clean slate people. Clean slate.
Paint. Your daughter loves hot pink? I understand. But, your potential 20 something single male may not. It might be worth 100 bucks to buy a few gallons of paint and cover the house in a nice and neutral color that appeals to all buyers.
Repairs. You've been meaning to fix that broken window since last spring but just haven't gotten around to it? Now is the time. The last thing buyers want to see are things that they don't know how to fix. They will automatically start adding up costs and think that it is not worth it (unless their looking for a fixer upper and then you're good). Most likely, you can do small repairs for pretty cheap and the house will look more appealing (at the higher price) to your potential buyers.
Exterior. A little curb appeal can go a long way. Mulch, trim bushes, repaint trim when needed, mow the grass, and maybe even put out a few flowers (since it's springtime and all). This will help draw folks in and give them a good feeling about what is to come on the inside.
Odor. Just because you love the smell of pumpkin pie spice doesn't mean your buyer does. Also, ammonia and strong cleaning scents can leave your buyer feeling like you're trying to cover something up. Just try to eliminate any unwanted odors (pet smells) without covering it up with smelly candles or air fresheners.
Don't overdo it. The last thing you want to do is "over" fix. Every buyer will want to put their own personal touch on the house so it's your job to give them a nice and clean canvas to do so. Putting in that hot tub or finally getting that black and white tile might be something that costs you money that you're buyer wants to change anyway. Just keep it bright and clean and you're house will look great.

By doing these quick projects and putting in the time and effort you can gain top dollar for your sale!

If you, or anyone you know needs help or just want the opinion of a neutral eye, I would be happy to come by and give you my thoughts. I will be out driving around anyway looking at all of those new homes for sale (at least while I'm not watching basketball games). Happy Spring!