Summer is in full swing, meaning now is the prime time to buy or sell a home. If you want to list your home but are worried the buying season will pass before you’ve prepared and listed your property, don’t worry. There is still plenty of time. Just follow these tips to get your home looking tip-top before planting that “for sale” sign out front.

Start Fresh

A successful home sale can depend on how well buyers can envision themselves in the home. A fresh coat of neutral paint throughout the house, and removing family photos and personalized décor can go a long way toward making that happen. Minimizing clutter to create a clean, inviting space with lots of potential is also a great way to make your home attractive to a bigger slice of home shoppers.

Don’t Ignore Repairs

A welcoming interior won’t matter much if the property’s most important systems aren’t working properly. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to close a sale without the buyers doing a third-party home inspection, so you might as well address known problems now.

A thorough review of your plumbing, HVAC, and roof before you list your home for sale will avoid any surprises and the urgency that comes with trying to do repairs during the transaction. A proactive approach now can also save you money since you’ll have more time to compare the costs of repair companies during a slower season.

Create Curb Appeal

Of course, the first impression is often the most important. Check with your local nursery or garden center to see what’s available. Since it’s summer, you should have more than enough options to make your lawn stand out. Also, buying smaller, more affordable plantings now is a smart cost-cutting approach to having beautiful landscaping by the time the selling season really heats up.

Power washing the driveway, sidewalks, and exterior of a home can give it a crisp, clean look without the expense of repainting. However, if your front door is looking a little shabby, adding a fresh pop of color to it can be a vast improvement.

Light it up

Maximize the light in your home. Remove any solar screens, clean your windows, increase light bulb wattages, and trim trees/bushes to let in sunshine. Lighting can play tricks on the mind that enhance (or minimize) the size of the room.

Hide your pets

While most Americans love animals, not everyone does. Prospective buyers seeing pet hair or a litter box can create a false impression that your house is not clean. If you decide to hold an open house, consider putting your pet into an animal hotel and putting away their food/water bowl and toys.

Price your home right

Your selling price strongly impacts the amount of offers you receive, and their quality. Do some research on how much your home is worth, and think strategically about the price you list it. One high-risk / high-reward selling strategy is to list your home at 15% to 20% below its price. This can cause you to receive multiple bids that eventually rise to more than your home is worth. Your real estate agent will be able to help guide you through this decision, which leads us to the last, and most important, item on the list.

Choose your real estate agent carefully

It goes without saying that real estate agents play an enormous part in your home selling process. Do your research both online as well as asking people you trust that have gone through the process themselves, about a potential agent before deciding to work with them. Follow these strategies and you will have your home market ready and make selling faster and simpler than you expected. If you have any questions about mortgages or homeownership, please contact us at Open Mortage today.