preparing your home to list for summer sale

With more warm days and signs of spring moving ahead each day, now is the time to start preparing your home to list for summer! The Adirondack real estate market typically heats up with warmer weather and annual summer events that draw big crowds, so now is an ideal time to sell your property. If you are thinking about selling, get ready now to go the extra mile this year on the spring clean up to ensure your home is in it’s best condition for potential buyers.

Below is a step-by-step guide put together by real estate experts at Adirondack Premier Properties to help you prepare your home for a summer sale.

8 Tips for Preparing Your Home To List for Summer Sale

1. Boost Curb Appeal

Buyers are very visual when it comes to purchasing properties. This makes curb appeal one of the most important beginning aspects of a successful sale. The summer time in the Adirondacks can provide a leg up by highlighting the natural beauty surrounding your property. While nature’s blooms and foliage give a boost to the house, you should still take some extra steps to make sure your yard and exterior are well maintained and cared for.

Rake and Clear Sand: Spring is the perfect time to tidy up your yard. Many yard edges get a build up of sand pushed in from plows over the winter. Once the yard is dry, grab a hard shop broom or electric brush and a rake to start cleaning up the sand. Town road crews throughout most Adirondack communities brush roadways and walkways to clear sand each spring. If you have sand and dirt build up where your property borders the road, you can sweep it out to be included in the road sweep. Additionally, you may want to rake your grass to loosen up ground that froze over winter and to aerate new grass to beginning to grow.
Mow The Lawn: When sand is removed and grass is raked, it’s time to start monitoring your lawn and yard’s grass and plant growth. Keep a close eye on things to make sure you are mowing, removing weeds and maintaining the lawn. To potential buyers, an unmaintained yard may cause doubt about maintenance and neglect in other parts of the property.
Plant Flowers: Springtime offers the perfect chance to plant flowers like daylilies, hostas, peonies and lavender. Additionally, as it warms up, you can browse local hothouses and nurseries for a variety of potted flowers to add additional warmth to your property.
Touch Up Paint: Look around the exterior of your property to see if you need to touch up the paint. Adirondack winters can be tough on properties, especially if the weather turns icy during the winter. Now is the time to touch up worn paint or stain to give the exterior of your property a refreshed look.
Clean Any Porches or Decks: Many Adirondack properties have porches or decks attached in order to enjoy nature right at home. If your property has enclosed or screened porches or decks, clear off the pollen and dust that built up over winter and spring. Cleaning the deck or porches, re-painting or staining and adding furniture will add to curb appeal.

2. Declutter and Complete A Deep Clean

After boosting exterior curb appeal, it’s time to turn your attention to the interior when preparing your home to list for summer. Making sure the inside of your property is clean and de-cluttered will help potential buyers picture living in the space. Removing personal items, excess furniture and anything that may make the space feel cluttered will help this process.

Clean Surfaces: Shift around or remove everything from your countertop, shelves and tables to clear off any dust that may have collected over winter and spring. If you are replacing items back to where they were, try to keep everything neat and tidy making sure it does not look cluttered.
Deep Clean: Winter and spring in the Adirondacks can bring in extra outdoor mess including sand, salt and mud. Be sure to keep mud rooms and entrances as clean as possible as this is the first thing potential buyers will see. With warmer weather, open windows to let fresh spring breezes move out stale air from being closed up all winter. While the house is airing out, start working around the property to begin a deep clean. Pay special attention to spaces that may be missed on regular cleanups around your home. Move furniture, clean baseboards and windowsills and touch up old marks on the wall from hanging photos or art. If walls have a lot of noticable marks or blemished, consider a fresh coat of paint.
Organize Closets: We all have a closet or two that is extra cluttered. Now is the time to clean and organize closets and remove extra items you don’t need. Potential buyers will want to get a good look at closet and storage spaces to make sure there is enough storage for their personal items now and the future as additional items accumulate.
Hire Professional Cleaners: Depending on your timing or capabilities, you may want to hire some professional cleaners. These cleaners can ensure your home sparkles for potential home buyers. From deep cleaning carpets to adding shine to your windows, a professional cleaner can make your home look its very best.

3. Enhance Outdoor Spaces

Home buyers looking to purchase in the Adirondacks are usually interested in maximizing their enjoyment of the outdoors and nature, especially during the summer. Now might be the time to enhance or replace outdoor living spaces around your home.

Set The Stage: Adding and organizing the outdoor furniture to show how the spaces can be enjoyed is a great way to enhance outdoor spaces. Wrap chairs around the fire pit, add complementary cushions and pillows to sitting areas on covered and screened porches. Adding cozy touches to outdoor spaces make the yard and home feel welcoming to potential buyers.
Add or Replace Outdoor Lighting: As stated above, winters can be a little tough on Adirondack properties and this includes outdoor lighting. Now that warmer weather is arriving, turn on outdoor lights to see if any bulbs or lighting needs to be replaced. Lights that are removed during the off season, like solar walkway lights or string lights on porches, should be re-installed before listing.
Landscaping: Check in on landscaping throughout the property including flower beds, walkways, driveway borders and other features. Trim shrubs, remove weeds, clear the edges of the yard, and add fresh mulch to garden beds to make your home stand out.

4. Address Any Maintenance Issues

While you are starting your deep clean of the property keep an eye out for any maintenance issues that may have developed since your last check. Be sure to address all of these issues before you start showing the property.

Fix Leaks: As you are dusting and cleaning, check ceilings and walls for leaks from the roof or waterlines. Even small leaks can scare buyers, so taking the time to fix this will save you and the potential buyer future headaches.
Inspect HVAC: If you did not have your HVAC or heating systems inspected and serviced this year, schedule to have this done before showings. Similar to leaks, knowing these key systems have been inspected and serviced will ensure everything is in working order.
Test Appliances: Make sure all appliances are working correctly. Buyers want confidence that systems are reliable. If any of these systems are acting funny, it may be time to have them serviced or replaced.
Inspect Roof and Gutters: Make sure you check your roof and gutters as you are outside working on the exterior of the property. This will ensure that there are no leaks or issues that could cause water damage.

5. Stage The House

Just as it’s ket to add curb appeal to the exterior of your property, it’s also crucial to stage the interior of your home. Keeping the property clean and organized will help potential buyers visualize themselves living in the space.

Maximize The Light: Open all curtains and blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. Bright homes feel larger and more inviting.
Stick To Neutral Colors: Stick to neutral tones for wall colors and furniture to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Summer is a time for fresh, light colors like whites, beiges, and pastels.
Showcase Features: Highlight features like ceiling fans, patios, or an outdoor grill that make summer living more enjoyable.

6. Hire An Experienced Real Estate Agent

A seasoned agent is an invaluable asset when preparing for and selling your home. They can help with pricing, staging advice, marketing, and negotiations, ensuring a smoother process.

Pricing: With the ever changing real estate market, agents stay on top of current trends in pricing throughout the region. They will be able to help guide you based on current markets and sale price comparisons on recent similar property sales. While each property has its own unique attributes and characteristics, this can provide a good baseline in determining a price.
Staging Advice: A real estate agent can give you an outside perspective. When deciding how to stage the property, they can bring fresh eyes to what a potential buyer is likely to prefer or notice.
Market the Home: A great agent will know how to market your home online and offline, including creating appealing listings, hosting open houses, and scheduling private showings. This also includes taking high quality photos of your property. As the saying goes, a picture says a thousand words. If the property looks poor in the pictures, you will be missing out on buyers.
Negotiation Skills: Once offers start coming in, a skilled agent can help you navigate negotiations and secure the best deal.

7. Set The Right Price

Pricing your home correctly is one of the most crucial steps in preparing for a successful sale. Overpricing can turn buyers away, while underpricing may leave money on the table.

Research the Market: Compare your home with similar properties in your area that have recently sold. An experienced real estate agent can help guide you in setting the right price.
Consider Seasonal Trends: Summer is typically a busy season for real estate, but it’s important to be mindful of your local market conditions. Consult with a local real estate professional to understand what buyers are looking for in your area.

8. Prepare For Showings

Once your home is on the market, you’ll want to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to see it.

Be Flexible with Showings: The more flexible you are with showing times, the more likely it is that potential buyers will see your home.
Create a Welcoming Atmosphere: Consider playing soft music, lighting candles, or using essential oils to create a pleasant atmosphere during showings. If you plan on using candles and essential oils look for less overpowering scents as it could detract from the appeal of the property. If it is a hot summer day, make sure the home is at a comfortable temperature.

Selling your home in the summer can be a rewarding experience if you take the time to properly prepare. By enhancing curb appeal, de-cluttering, addressing maintenance issues, and staging your home to highlight its best features, you can make your property stand out in a competitive market. With the right pricing strategy and the help of a trusted real estate agent, you’ll be well on your way to a successful sale. Get ready to embrace the season and watch as your home attracts eager buyers!

Happy selling! Contact our team at Adirondack Premier Properties at 518-523-3333 to get expert help today on preparing your home to list for summer sale.