Month: January 2020

There’s no avoiding the snow in our area this time of year (hopefully this isn’t one of those years where it snows into June). Snow is part of our way of life, but it can make showing your home a little more challenging. From curb appeal to difficulty parking and walking up to your house, snow can have a negative effect on how a buyer perceives and experiences your house.

Selling your home in winter comes with some challenges, but don’t let snow become one of them.

To Keep Your Home Show Ready, Follow These Snow Removal Tips

1. Shovel the Drive and Leave Room for Others

Clearing your drive is a no-brainer, but be sure to leave enough room for several cars. If a buyer drives separately from their realtor or their spouse, you can probably expect your entire drive to be used.

If you’re leaving a car at home while buyers come by for showings, park it down the street or at a neighbor’s. This helps buyers picture their cars in your drive and garage, rather than focusing on your vehicle.

Shoveling your driveway completely will show off how convenient and usable it is in the winter.

2. If You Don’t Own a Snowblower…

It can feel like a never-ending task to keep up with snow when your home is listed for sale. The added expectation of keeping your home show-ready can become quite a burden, especially when we see snowfall throughout the day.

It may be worth investing in a snowblower, or paying for removal during this period. This will make quicker, easier, and less sweaty work of clearing the drive. If you’re lucky enough to have that awesome neighbor who clears it for you, then you have yet another selling point to market your neighborhood!

3. Use Snow Melts on the Walkway and Driveway

To keep your walkway and driveway clear of snow and ice, use salts or snow melts. This one isn’t just about saving yourself time and work–it’s also a safety issue. The last thing you want is a buyer to slip and fall, while walking up to your front door. This is a major issue in the melting/refreezing phases of winter.

4. Welcome Buyers into Your Home, Not the Snow

When buyers walk through snow, they can accidentally track it into your house. They may want to walk around the yard to look at windows and siding, or simply walk the yard.

While snow and ice melt can be great for avoiding falls, you also want to minimize those pesky granules ending up in your entryway. I suggest investing in a quality doormat that can absorb melted snow, and clean snow melt and salts from buyers’ shoes.

Let it Snow and Let’s Show Your Home

The snow doesn’t deter buyers in our area, and being show-ready is all about putting in a little effort. If you’re ready to sell your house, I’m ready to help you. Just give me a call or send me an email. I’m happy to answer any questions or concerns.

Image credit: rmcguirk | iStock | Getty Images Plus

Selling your home can feel like an overwhelming task. There can be so much to do to get your home ready to list, for your open house, or prepare for day-to-day viewings. Many sellers don’t know where to begin. When you’re getting your home ready for the market, you can save a lot of time, energy, and stress with these 3 tips:

My Top 3 Tips to Help You Get Your Home Ready for the Market

1. Reduce, Detach, and De-Clutter

It’s true that our homes reflect who we are: our memories, our families, and our interests. This is great while you’re living in your home. Surrounding yourself with what you love and what makes you happy makes sense, right?

Well, when it comes to selling your home, it’s important to begin to detach emotionally from the home as “yours.” What I mean is that if you want to sell your home, you must be emotionally ready to pass it on to another family that will make their own memories there.

And in order for them to be able to imagine themselves making those memories, and making the home their own, they need a blank canvas. Or at least more of a blank canvas than what many of our homes show.

You don’t have to strip your home of all your family heirlooms, photos, and art, but consider what impression a buyer would get if they came in the front door. They need to see your home’s potential first and foremost.

*De-clutter the walls if you have excessive family photos. This process can help you work through the emotions of selling your home. Keep in mind there will be plenty of space in your next home to display your photos.
*Reduce storage in the closets, especially on the floor.
*Consider the floor space in each room– is there enough space to walk around? If not, consider putting some furniture in storage.
*Open up the curtains. You may love the dark atmosphere of blackout curtains in your study, but light is a selling factor for many.
*We provide a staging consultation for all of our sellers. A neutral and professional third eye can make a world of difference, and can easily add $5-10K plus in the selling price, driving more buyers to your home!

2. Make Minor, Yet Impactful, Repairs

As buyers walk through a home, they tend to take a lot in. You don’t want them to notice something like a burnt-out lightbulb and get the impression your home isn’t well-kept .

Of course, buyers tend to get caught up on paint color, too. Refreshing your paint to eliminate marks can help a home shine. Consider also replacing bold color choices with warm neutrals–remember the blank canvas rule.

If your kitchen or bathroom drawers don’t pull out easily, try using the soap trick to smooth them out. Just remove the drawer and rub bar soap along where the drawer makes contact with the cabinet and on the drawer bottom.

3. Assess Your Curb Appeal

We see our homes every day. This can make it difficult to see how they’ve aged and what the curb appeal is really like. And your home’s curb appeal is a buyer’s first impression. It sets the tone for the walkthrough and can be the difference between an offer or not.

Take a few minutes to walk out to the road. Stand and look at your house. What would you think of it if you were a buyer?

Some things that can detract from a home’s curb appeal include:

*Crooked shutters
*Mildew, dirt and cobwebs on your siding or brick
*Dead plants
*Chipped paint on the front door, garage or shutters
*Any unnecessary yard debris
*Overgrown garden beds or grass growing over the walkway

Are You Ready to Sell?

For more advice or if you have questions about preparing your home for the market, give me a call. I’m always happy to chat and offer my expertise in how we can sell your home and find you a new one. Don’t hesitate to contact me.

Image credit: Feverpitched | iStock | Getty Images Plus