How to Prepare Your Home for the Spring Market

Spring is easily the best time to sell a home, and that's particularly true, especially in New Jersey. The spring real estate season usually runs from March through June, with the property market windfall occurring in May.

There is no better time to start sprucing up your home for the spring market than around January or February. You don't have to wait till the last minute to showcase your home's best appearance.

Sellers who prepare their homes extensively for the spring market tend to sell faster at significantly higher prices.

Here are a few tips to help you prep for the spring real estate market in New Jersey:

1. Find a Trusted Agent

Your first step to selling a home in the spring market is finding a reliable agent to sell your home. An experienced real estate agent can provide valuable tips, advice, and recommendations in regards to the preparation of your home for sale. They can advise on the most cost-effective fixtures to implement, how to improve your home's curb appeal, and how to enhance your home's interior to sell faster and for top dollar.

2. Maintain and Make Minor Repairs

For the best results in the spring market, get the exterior of your home in shape. You can start by tidying up your lawn and flower beds, pruning trees and shrubs, repainting any worn spots around doors and windows, refreshing the paint color, and cleaning out the gutters. As for the interior, fix dripping faucets, remove moldy caulk around tubs and sinks, and replace cracked floor tiles or countertops if necessary.

3. Declutter and Depersonalize Your Space

Potential buyers would like to picture themselves living in your house. Decluttering and depersonalizing will help them envision your home as a potential living space. However, that won't be possible if your walls are covered with family photos and your personal stuff is on display everywhere around the house. Try to take down personal items that might distract potential buyers. That's not all, don't forget about closets, drawers, cabinets and storage spaces. If these areas are packed with clutter, buyers will assume there isn't enough storage in the house.

4. Hire a Professional Photographer

Hiring a professional photographer can make all the difference between getting your house noticed online or not. Good quality images grab attention easily and make your home stand out on listing sites. 

5. Thoroughly Clean and Repaint

Go through every room in your house with a fine-tooth comb — literally. Look for dirt in the corners, cobwebs on ceiling fans, dust on light fixtures, pet hair on furniture, etc. If you have the budget, consider hiring a professional cleaning service. They can give your home a more thorough scrubbing than you can accomplish on your own.

If there are any spots or stains on walls or carpets from pets or kids, clean them thoroughly or cover them with fresh paint if you don't want to paint the whole room. Also, touch up the trim around doors and windows to give the house a clean feel. You may have carpeting that's stained or worn out (or both). Consider replacing it or have it cleaned.

6. Stage Your Home

Staging is a great way to entice more potential buyers into looking into your home. If you don't know where to begin with home staging, try hiring a professional stager. They will assess your home, evaluate each room, and offer suggestions on what pieces should stay, what pieces should go, or any additional furniture or décor that would help enhance the space. There are many cost-friendly ways to create a visually appealing space without spending a lot of money. 

Overall, sellers need to be aware of all the factors that could impact their spring market home selling process. With the right home preparation, you can expect to sell faster for the best price possible. Contact our New Jersey real estate specialists at Century 21 Action Plus Realty if you have questions about selling your home in New Jersey.