If you have been thinking that now is the time to upsize or downsize or just move across town this spring, there is more to selling your house than just picking a Realtor to help with the sale, sticking the sign in the yard and hoping that you get a great offer! And with spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to begin getting your home in spring-real-estate-market ready! Remember first impressions are everything – whether that first impression comes when they look at your home online, they drive by your home, or they walk through the front door! Here are my tips to help make sure your home gives the best first impression it can!
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- Clean all windows & mirrors! This will make the home sparkle – and clean mirrors reflect the sunlight, making the home feel sunny and bright!
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- Clean up the yard! Get rid of overgrown vegetation, trim the bushes, get rid of dead leaves!
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- Mow the lawn! Mowing your lawn on a diagonal makes it feel bigger – and don’t forget to use the weed-eater to edge along the sidewalks and walkways!
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- Purchase flowers! You can then arrange the containers near the entry way in groups of 3!
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- Clean the drapes! Crisp linens and a springtime breeze invite the season inside!
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- Check your floors! Refiinish the hardwoods if needed, bleach any dull grout, make sure the vinyl and ceramic floors shine, clean area rugs or replace them!
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- Towels, throw pillows! These make great and inexpensive accent pieces! Get these in soft spring colors – it offers a welcome to the buyers!
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- Outdoor mat & umbrella stand! In Richmond, the weather is unpredictable in the spring! It can be hot one day, then pouring down rain another! Have an outdoor mat so shoes can be removed or wiped off and the umbrella stand for those wet umbrellas!
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- Declutter & Depersonalize! You want buyers to imagine how your house can be their home! Remove family photos and the kid’s artwork from the refrigerator!
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- Freshen up paint & hardware! A fresh coat of neutral paint makes the home feel renewed! A neutral paint will also reflect more light!
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- Welcoming patio & porch! Summer is just around the corner from spring – so make sure your front porch & patio and deck show just how buyers can enjoy your home!
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- Deodorize! Many buyers are sensitive to odors! Open the windows and air everything out. Cooking odors, pet smells and cigarette smells can turn off a potential buyer!
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- Lighting! Make sure all the lamps and light fixtures have working bulbs at the maximum wattage!
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- Closets! You can never have enough storage and buyers will check out the closets, so while you are decluttering and depersonalizing your home, don’t overlook the closets – you want them to project how much room there is in them!
- Pinterest! Pinterest is a great online resource to get ideas on how to stage your home on a budget! Check out the home staging boards here to get some ideas of what you can do!
The spring time real estate market will be here before you know it! Take the time now to get your home ready to go on the market! The market is still good and strong, but come this spring there may be more homes on the market for sale! Make sure your home stands head and shoulders above the competition!
If you are thinking about selling your home this spring, and have questions, feel free to call or email me and I would be happy to help! Have a great day!
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The above information was provided byBarbara Reagan. I can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at804-869-1191. I have helped people with their real estate needs throughout the Richmond Virginia area for over 25 years! I am a full time Realtor who covers the entire Richmond, Virginia area including the city of Richmond, Chesterfield County (including Midlothian, Bon Air, North Chesterfield and Moseley) as well as Henrico County (including Short Pump).