Even as you shovel snow and chip the ice that finally arrived in this delayed winter, know that the season changes again in only eight weeks or so. If you are planning to sell your house in the spring, now is the moment to get it ready.
Here are some tips to help:
Schedule a home inspection: Inspectors get busier as the weather heats up and getting an inspection now can save you lots of surprises later. You can get a jump on any needed repairs the inspection discloses. http://www.asknagel.com
De-Clutter: Use this “house-bound” time to get rid of the lifetime of junk you have accumulated. Donate clothes and toys. Take books/albums and CDs to your library or local nursing home. Throw away what you don’t need (and be tough on yourself. Piling things in the garage doesn’t count.) Consider hiring a home staging specialist (http://www.stagehandshs.com) to help make your home look like a model.
Get real about “Spring Cleaning”: Now is the time to scrub every surface of your home– from ceiling moldings to hardwood floors. Assume any potential buyers will be wearing white gloves. Wash or dry-clean curtains and bedspreads, get the carpets professionally cleaned (or replace them), make all the windows shine. Don’t forget vents, fans and behind appliances.
Give everything a fresh coat of paint: Nothing spruces up a home for so little money. Go for neutral colors on interior rooms with complementary accents on moldings and baseboards, so that the buyer can more readily see their furnishings in the home.
Consider new flooring: Hardwood floors are always in vogue and the new laminates mimic them very well with much less maintenance. If you already have wood floors, determine if they need refinishing. Schedule work to be completed about two weeks before the showings start (leaving less time for the floor to get scratched or dull.)
Check weather-stripping, screens and caulking: Winter wrecks havoc with weather-stripping. Replace any that is cracked and any ripped screens. Add new caulking around faucet, toilets and bathtubs.
Assemble your paperwork: Gather utility bills, home warranties, original sale papers, previous inspections, tax receipts and mortgage documents in one place for both the realtor and potential buyers to view. Check the local building department to see if you have any outstanding permits, judgements, liens or boundary issues concerning your property. All will take time to resolve.
Make a list for when the weather breaks: Have your house repainted outside, including the front door. Clean the outside windows. Replace the mailbox and house numbers. Set out new welcome mats. Have everything pressure washed–walks, driveway, porches, decks and any siding (which should also be checked for damage).
Schedule a landscape spring cleanup: Have overgrown trees, shrubs and bushes trimmed. Have stray leaves and sticks removed and unused garden beds attractively mulched. Plant spring daffodils and crocuses in front beds, window boxes, and pretty pots near your doors.
Bring a little spring inside: Color–whether it be floral pillows or your African Violet collection — will help potential buyers remember your home. Spray (lightly) a floral room scent near the front door. Keep scented wipes for quick cleaning, a sliced lemon to throw down the disposal.
Do you have any additional tips on how to get your home ready to sell?
With a little preparation and the help of an energetic team like the one at Century 21 Affiliated Chicago, this spring will have home sales busting out all over!
Visit for more info www.c21affiliatedchicago.com.
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