Selling Your Home? Consider This...

Looking to sell your home? Consider this,....according to lendingtree.com, spring is traditionally the hottest season for real estate. Sales peak in April and May and stay strong in June and July. It's a good time for families to move because they are in between school terms and the tax season helps with having additional cashflow for down payments. In addition, the nice weather and colorful foliage make it a good time to show your home.

So since we are on the brink of April and the peak selling season is upon us, we enlisted the help of a Realtor, Pat Sabin. Pat has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry and she had this to say about steps you can take to get your home ready to sell.

Fact #1.
Most Buyers Would Rather Have a New Home.
If they can purchase the size and style home they need in the location they desire, with the lot they prefer, at the price they can afford, they'll buy new. The reason they are looking at resale homes is that what they need is not available in a new home.

Fact #2
If there are many available homes, they will choose the home that is closest to "New" in condition.
If the home you're selling is an older home, and particularly if you have occupied this home for a number of years, go out and look at new homes. Notice the fresh smell, the cleanliness, the professionally maintained landscaping, the light, open spaces. Then go home and do everything you can afford to do to capture that feeling of newness in your home.

Pat lists 18 other points in sprucing up your home and property for sell. You can read these helpful tips here.
Pay attention to local markets when considering selling your home and above all do your homework.

Spring Cleaning Basics

Spring is here and with it mild to warm temperatures. Before the weather stays continuously hot it's a good time to take inventory of key "spring cleaning" chores. Here's a short list of important tasks best taken care of sooner than later.

HVAC System
Have your system serviced now in order to find and fix problems before the hot weather of summer settles in. Additionally have it done early, before the procrastinators, it will save you time and sanity.

Exterior List
During the fall and winter you may have been dealing with falling leaves, as well as winds blowing debris. Spring is a prime time to clean out your gutters. You can do it yourself or if not, there are plenty of companies who would gladly walk your roof for a good cause. Trimming hedges, cutting problematic tree limbs, pressure washing your home or driveway are also areas that may need attention. Take a walk around your property writing down areas needing repairs or sprucing up. Be sure to include basic yard work like lawn cutting and weeding plant beds.

Indoor List
Interior cleaning lists vary greatly from just the basics to the intense. You can block out an entire weekend and work from room to room or go the easy route and hire a maid service. Regardless how you decide to handle your interior cleaning chores, you can find tips and checklists in abundance on the world wide web.

What About Safety
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they function properly. You should also test the batteries of each. The expiration date of fire extinguishers should be monitored on a regular basis not just spring. And if you own a camera system consider checking your cameras, clearing spider webs or other objects that may be obstructing their view. Be sure to check for broken lenses, exposed wires, etc. Something most people don't think about doing (and some people do often--on accident) is to set off your alarm system to make sure it is sending a signal to your monitoring center and that you are hearing the siren.

Careful planning now can keep your home running well throughout the year. Take the necessary time to check that these things are functioning proficiently.