The start of spring means two things for homeowners across the country: spring cleaning and the beginning of the big home-selling season. Whether you live on the East Coast, the West Coast, or right here in the Midwest, early May is the best time to sell a home. Statistics show that homes spend the least amount of time on the market and sell for the most money this time of year.
Fortunately, if you’re hoping to sell your house fast this spring, the spring-cleaning season is a perfect time to get it ready for the market. There’s only one question: How do you do it? Luckily, we’ve got some tips to help get your house showroom ready, regardless of what it looks like now.
1. Get rid of the pet smell with some odor-and-stain remover that’s specially formulated for the job. You may not even smell anything, but take our word for it: If you’ve got pets, there are odors that a potential buyer who isn’t used to them will pick up on immediately.
2. Clean the fireplace or hire a chimney sweep service to do it for you. A home inspection will definitely check for that, and you’d rather be ahead of the game than behind. Plus, it’s just a good safety tip after a long, cold winter.
3. Spruce up that curb appeal by trimming overgrown trees and nourishing any dead patches on the lawn.
4. Give your plumbing a little TLC. That means checking for everything from corrosion and rust to leaky pipes and water stains.
5. Get a professional termite inspection. Termites are a major red flag to potential home buyers, and they might be around, even if they aren’t making any obvious trouble just yet.
6. Polish those hardwood floors. You don’t have to install brand-new flooring to make your house look its best. If you’ve got hardwood, a good clean and polish will put your floors in showroom condition for prospective buyers!
7. Replace warped or damaged screens on all the windows. Your house will look better, and you’ll be able to enjoy the pleasant spring air without needing to worry about bugs or any other pests.
8. While you’re at it, make sure the front door and windows look pristine. They’re among the first things prospective buyers will see and probably the last thing they’ll look at when they leave. You want them to make a good impression.
9. Touch up any peeling paint on your home’s exterior. Like the doors and windows, the exterior is the most visible part of your home, and your curb appeal gets a boost if all the paint on the outside is looking spotless.
10. Power wash the driveway. Whether you’ve done a few oil changes there or just have a tree on the property that sometimes drops sap, a quick power wash can remove everything from debris to many stains and will get your driveway looking as good as new—or pretty close.
If you’re thinking of selling your home this spring but are worried that it’ll need a little more work than what we’ve outlined here—not to mention more time and money than you’re willing to spend—what you need is a motivated house buyer in Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Omaha, Oklahoma City, or Tulsa. At HouseMax, we’re in the business of making generous cash offers on homes just like yours, regardless of what shape they’re in! If you want a quick sale for a fair price without a lot of work or hassle, contact HouseMax today!
