checklist for preparing to sell your house this spring

Spring in the Adirondacks is more than just snowmelt and fresh blooms, it can be prime time for real estate. As the weather warms, buyers begin to venture out in search of their perfect property, especially in our beautiful region known for its mountains, lakes, and small-town charm.

If these buyers are taking out a mortgage, spring is the perfect time for their search. Closing will generally take 30-60 days at this time of year, lining it up perfectly to enjoy the Adirondack summer. With this in mind, if you’re planning to list your home next spring, it’s important to get ahead with preparation before winter winds down. The true ramp up begins around the middle of May for the selling season.

At BHHS Adirondack Premier Properties, we’ve put together a comprehensive spring home-selling checklist designed specifically for Adirondack homeowners. Whether you’re in Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Ticonderoga, or anywhere in between, this guide will help you get the best results.

8 Essentials – Checklist For Preparing To Sell Your House This Spring

1. Prepare the Exterior (Curb Appeal is Key)

As the snow melts and spring starts, focus on in-depth spring cleanup outside. Curb appeal can go a long way when it comes to showings. If the outside of your property looks rough, potential buyers will question how the interior is cared for. To prepare the exterior:

Clean Up Winter Debris – Make sure to clean any sticks or debris that may have been buried over winter. If some smaller debris lands after cleaning, most buyers will understand, but try to keep it as maintained as you can.
Pressure Wash – If you have a pressure washer, you may want to clean up your walk ways. Remove sand and mud that may have built up during transition from winter to spring. Depending on your siding, you may want to pressure wash, especially if you have metal or vinyl to provide that fresh look.
Freshen Up Landscaping – After cleaning the major debris from your yard, rake and freshen up your gardens. Take time to plant some seasonal flowers. Add fresh mulch to your flower beds, and maybe even do a quick mow or edge your yard to add finishing details on the property.
Touch Up Exterior Paint – If your property does not have vinyl or metal siding, check the exterior paint on your property. If it’s starting to chip or look less than appealing, go around to touch up the paint around the property.
Check The Roof and Gutters – Adirondack winters can be harsh on a roof and gutters with lots of snow and ice. Once the snow has melted, check on their condition. Clean out any winter debris from gutters and check for clips that may have broken causing instability and replace as needed. As for the roof, check overall condition to figure out if it still has some life left in it. If it is starting to peel and look rough, look into getting it replaced or plan on lowering your price to accommodate that expense.

2. Handle Any Winter Wear And Tear

Transition from winter to spring provides a good picture of any new wear and tear that may have impacted your home over winter and during spring thaw.

Inspect and Service Your Heating System – If you did not do your yearly heating system inspection and service before the winter, reach out now to have this done. Heating systems are an important part of owning any year round or seasonal property in the Adirondacks. Also, if there are any repair issues that you put off, look into having them fixed before putting the property on the market.
Check for any pipe damage – Pipes can expand and contract with temperature changes leading to small leaks or issues in the lines. Before you list your property, check maintenance areas with a quick viewing of your lines to see if any issues developed over the transition from winter to spring.
Address Any Moisture Issues – One of the easiest things to see during winter to spring transition is moisture issues. Homes can settle during these weather changes leading to minimal cracks in foundations that allow water to work its way in. Spring thaw will show areas where water could be finding its way in, mostly in basements.

3. Declutter and Depersonalize

Now that exterior and household systems are good to go, it’s time to focus on the tidiness of the interior of your property. This will be an ongoing process that needs to be revisited often. Do your best to keep the interior feeling minimalist so potential buyers can envision themselves living in the space. Here are a few things to focus on:

Remove Personal Photos, Excessive Furniture and Knick Knacks – As stated above, focus on the minimal look. You may be okay keeping personal photos on the wall as long as they are not overbearing. To be on the safer side, you may just want to remove them in preparation for selling. This goes for knick knacks too. Try to limit how many are filling open spaces and surfaces. The more clutter, the smaller the property feels.
Organize Closets – While hiding everything in closets might seem like a great idea, when it comes time for showings, potential buyers want to gauge the potential of closet space. Be sure your closets are reasonably organized so they can get a feel for how they can maximize use of the space.
Consider Temporary Storage – Depending on where you are moving or how much clutter you have, temporary storage may be a great option to manage clutter and facilitate easier packing, especially as you are starting to pack up to leave. Everything can be boxed and organized in one area to load on to a truck to move to your new property.

4. Deep Clean

Once you’ve de-cluttered the property, focus on deep cleaning. This will show extra effort and care, and give the impression that you have carefully maintained your property.

Wash Windows – Winter weather can cause build up of smudges, pollen and dirt on windows. Additionally, Adirondack homes are generally pretty closed up through winter, leading to dust particles building on the inside. Take the the time to clean windows and vacuum the sills. Depending on the style of window, you may want to transition from the storm style window to screens. While you are transitioning, make sure you clean the main window. Adding the screens will show potential buyers the airiness of your property.
Clean Carpets, Floors, Baseboards – Now that the windows are washed, clean carpets, floors and baseboards. While you may regularly vacuum, sweep and mop now to go the extra step. You may even want to hire a professional carpet cleaning company to really freshen up your carpeted areas, especially if you have pets or smoke.
Eliminate any odors – If you have pets, smoke or have unfriendly odors, look into ways to remove the scents. Hiring a professional carpet cleaning company will help with pet smell, but you may need to go deeper by cleaning furniture. Other odors may require washing walls, finding de-odorizers and doing a heavier clean. Another easy little step is pulling your garbage out of your home before showings, especially if there is a smell.

5. Highlight Seasonal Features

With winter wrapping up, now is the time to showcase amazing seasonal features including screened porches, covered porches, gazebos or patios.

Stage Outdoor Spaces – Time to head to your storage area to pull out the furniture and amenities for your outdoor spaces. Neatly staging the porches with chairs, tables and pillows can add a nice touch helping the buyer envision layouts in the space. If you have a patio with a portable fire pit, lay out the chairs with the fire pit. These little touches are some of the biggest impacts when buyers are looking at property.
Make Your Spaces Feel Inviting and Clean – With spaces staged, keep up on tidiness in order to make them feel inviting. Depending on the space, consider power washing before staging to remove dirt and dust and make it easier to maintain.
Emphasize Views – If you have any views from the property, make sure you open up the shades and curtains to showcase them. Additionally, even if it is a minor view, opening shades and curtains will make the room feel larger and closer to nature.

6. Make Minor Repairs

You are now almost finished getting your property ready for sale! Now is the time to make minor repairs throughout your property. These are generally simple and quick fixes that can add extra details leading to your home selling over another.

Fix Minor Issues Like Squeaky Doors, Leaky Faucets and Loose Doorknobs – Look out for all those little issues around your property like squeaky doors, loose doorknobs or minor leaking faucet that you may have been ignoring. With this in mind, have a friend go around with fresh eyes to point out little things.
Replace Burnt Out Light Bulbs – One of the quickest fixes around a home is replacing burnt out light bulbs. Stop by a hardware store to purchase a large box of light bulbs to go through your home to replace any that are out. Try to keep the same color temperature throughout the same rooms. Rooms can look a little weird when there is a mix between daylight and warm light bulbs.
Patch Small Holes in the Wall – As you are removing photos and wall art, you may start removing nails or find old nail holes throughout your walls. You may want to take the time to patch these holes. After patching, consider adding a fresh coat of paint to the room to freshen it up and cover minor patches. If you are planning on painting, keep the color simple with warm neutrals or softer tones of colors.

7. Gather Important Documents

Now that your home is prepared, find all property documents as well as yearly upgrades and bill documents in order to prepare for listings. Buyers may be interested in the yearly fees as well as any limitations the property may have from the deed.

Property Survey and Deed – If you are planning on listing, many real estate agents will ask if you have the property survey and deed. The property survey defines the boundary and features of the parcel of land including dimensions, property lines, easements and location of buildings. The property deed shows the transfer of the property and will show your ownership of the property. The deed can also provide insights on the terms of transfer that can limit what a person may do with the property.
Tax and Utility Info – It is nice to have current tax information readily available for potential buyers so they can see how current taxes add up towards the cost of ownership. Additionally, having past years’ utility information available can help a potential buyer determine if they are able to afford the utilities on the property. An example of this is poor insulation causing heat loss in the home and in turn higher heating bills. Another home may have proper insulation leading to more affordability throughout the year. With this in mind, some of these “issues” will provide the potential home buyer with knowledge of projects they may want to undertake once they become owners.
HOA Fees – Similar to utility and tax information, if you have an HOA, it is smart to disclose pricing information and what is included. This will give them an idea of the what is covered around the property and what services they need to provide themselves or put out for hire.
Permits for Renovations – If you have had any recent upgrades or renovations throughout the property or have anything scheduled, you may want to have to permits available to show when the project was completed, or that it is being completed and inspected by someone who is qualified. This will provide reassurance to the potential home buyer that you are managing the property correctly.

8. Partner With A Local Expert

Once the house and documents are ready, decide how you want to list your property for sale. Consider carefully whether you have the time and knowledge to sell it yourself or whether it’s better to hire a real estate agency to handle the day to day of the process. Hiring an agency can free time up time and increase availability and marketing of your property to a national and international market of potential buyers.

Choose An Experienced Local Real Estate Agent – Finding an experienced local real estate agent can make a huge difference when it comes to the real estate process, especially in the Adirondacks. Most experienced agents will have deep understanding of local and regional markets. While we are always happy to help new clients at ADKPP, we always suggest interviewing a few different agents to find someone you trust and feel comfortable with. Each agent has their own personality and methods to sell, so you need to find the one that fits you.
Ask For A Comparable Market Analysis – Most experienced real estate agents will be prepared with a variation of a comparable market analysis when you interview them. This analysis provides a general guide on similar home pricing, marketing and selling time frame, and serves as a solid starting point for agent and homeowner. Additionally, a full time real estate agent has likely visited many of these properties and understands the positives and negatives of each that may have caused a quick sale versus a delayed one. If your agent does not provide this, ask for one so you can have a better understanding of the market.
Discuss A Marketing Plan – Similar to market analysis, most experienced real estate agents will share where your property will be marketed from print to web. Larger brands generally have a larger budget with a national/international presence and network. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices offers an international reach with sites that transition measurements and languages based on your location. This provides our sellers with local and international reach.

Bonus tip: Late spring leading into summer is a faster paced season. Buyers will be eager to find a property before the full blitz that comes with the summer weather. A well-priced and well-prepped home will stand out over its competition.

Why Spring Is the Perfect Time to Sell in the Adirondacks

Spring is most known in the Adirondacks for its regrowth and when locals look forward to warmer days to come. Spring brings a renewed sense of energy to the community and the real estate market. Buyers typically start their search in spring as the school year is ending and summer is on the horizon. Additionally, second home seekers will have a taste of summer weather after spring vacation, leading them to look for their perfect vacation properties. Finally, this time of year brings clearer roads, the landscapes are freshened with new growth of flowers and green grass, and your home will be enhanced by this new springtime beauty.

If you are thinking about or planning to sell, Adirondack Premier Properties is here to guide you every step of the way—from prep to closing. Let us help you make the most of this vibrant season in one of New York’s most beautiful regions. Contact one of our knowledgeable real estate agents to start getting ready to sell this spring. Call us at 518-523-3333 today!