How to stand out in the crazy spring real estate market.
Spring is the best time to sell your house.
More buyers look for their family’s next home in the spring than any other time of year.
And more sellers wade into the market too.
That means you have to do a little extra to make your house stand out in that crazy spring real estate market.
It’s not enough to hire an agent and stick a sign on your lawn.
Now is a good time to make some changes to the house and make it more appealing.
How old are your appliances and how dated are your light fixtures?
New appliances can factor in the offer you get on your home.
The same goes for light fixtures.
The look your family lived with over the last few years might be dated, turning buyers away from your property.
*Pro tip – If your appliances or fixtures are old, look for a sale or find used (but in good condition) replacements on Kijiji or the Facebook Marketplace.
Do your windows (and coverings) look clean?
Windows are important for buyers.
When you look at yours:
- Is the trim bright and clean?
- Is the caulking clean and smooth?
- Is the glass clean inside and out?
- Are your window coverings crease-free and lint-free?
Even rookie buyers can take a quick look to figure out the condition of your windows. If they are old, consider replacing a few central windows. It may be the difference between getting asking price and a lowball offer.
Paint it bright and neutral.
A dark blue dining room may have worked for your family, but the incoming family might be thrown off by bold colour choices.
Most homeowners prefer bright, neutral paint (and maybe an accent wall) with personal design touches and other keepsakes adding colour to the space.
Paint for a 2,000 sq.ft house might cost $500-600 (if you also repaint your ceilings), but could help sell your house much faster.
*Pro tip – Dulux paint offers 25% off to CAA members year-round, and most paint brands do semi-annual sales of buy one get one free or 50% off all paint.
Are your floors in good shape?
Too much carpet can be a deal breaker, and buyers don’t often want to go into a purchase knowing they have to replace old carpet with expensive hardwood.
To stay within a reasonable budget, consider replacing your floors with good quality laminate. There are several choices available. It will satisfy buyers who want the clean, wood look, but it won’t cost you a lot.
*Pro tip – Most of the big hardware stores (Home Depot. Rona, Lowes) have flooring sales every quarter. You can pick up good laminate for less than $2 sq.ft.
People really buy kitchens and bathrooms.
The kitchen and bathroom really sell your home to most buyers.
You don’t necessarily have to do major renovations, but clean yours up and make them feel spacious and bright.
If that means taking out your big, space-eating bathroom storage unit and replacing it with some not-so-practical but simple, small shelves, do it.
If the towel racks eat into the usable bathroom space, take them down and leave the wall bare.
Your kitchen counters should be clear. And if yours are old, replace them with affordable but modern-looking laminate.
Bigger repairs. How old is your roof?
If your roof is afflicted by some emerging signs of age, you can bet the home inspector your buyer hires will catch it.
They’ll probably use that to justify a lower offer.
You can either cope with that, or head it off early and replace part of, or the whole roof.
It’s a big job, and it’s not cheap, but the market is competitive this time of year and you need every advantage you can get.
Homes by Jalaj Arora can help your family with advice for the most valuable changes you can make to help your house sell fast.
It’s a competitive market and you want that full asking price.