While it's wise to never assume anything is a sure bet in the real estate market, based on the 2018 numbers, the upcoming months of June and July should be amongst the best times to list your home in 2019. Spring and especially summer happen to be great times to put your home on the market. Home buyers are more likely to be out and about, and your curb appeal won't simply be a house covered from yard to chimney with falling leaves or a giant blanket of snow.
However, even if you wait to list your home until the absolute best time of year, you'll still be up against some stiff competition. After all, there will always be a host of other sellers vying for the attention of the best buyers available. Therefore, if you're planning on selling your Winnipeg home this summer, you're going to want to do more than simply list your house “as is.” All it takes is a little effort to elevate the appeal of your house and make it infinitely more attractive to prospective buyers, avoiding your home becoming an expired listing.
As you set about hiring a real estate agent and gearing up for your next move, here are a few tips and tricks to help you take full advantage of the summer selling season by ensuring that your house stands out from the pack.
Keep It Affordable
Staging a home can be expensive. The good news is, though, if you're getting ready to move, you actually don't need to start any major renovations or go out and buy all new decor in order to make your home feel fresh and new. On the contrary, there are many quick, easy, and affordable ways to spruce up a home without investing too much money or even much sweat equity into the ordeal.
One easy way to freshen up a room while keeping the costs down is to paint it with white and other light colours. This has the effect of cleaning up a space and making it feel bigger — all for the costs of a couple of gallons of paint and some basic painting equipment.
In addition, if you have living spaces that feel dingy, rundown, or outdated, consider using things like area rugs to improve the appearance of old floors or strategically hang mirrors on the walls in order to help make rooms feel bigger. Also, consider the layout of each room. Adjusting furniture, lights, coffee tables, and so on in order to make a room feel bigger or to improve the traffic flow can be a great way to stage a room with little to no effort.
Address the Appliances
Another important area to consider is the condition of your appliances. However, once again, you don't need to arm your house with an arsenal of shiny, expensive new gadgets and devices in order to sell it. The important thing is that you have clean, functioning appliances when you show your home. You can do this in an affordable and sustainable way by simply having any old or malfunctioning appliances repaired. This allows you to sell the house with a clean conscience that you're leaving working appliances but haven't broken the bank — or harmed the environment — in the process.
Cleaning Up Clutter
While addressing big ticket items like fixing appliances and painting are important steps, it's also good to spend time tending to the small stuff. If a room is filled with toys, papers, or other paraphernalia, it's going to throw off the vibe and potentially turn off potential buyers, too. One simple, effective way to remove the mountains of paperwork that often build up over time is to invest in having them scanned.
Not only does this reduce the mess by literally moving the documents out of your space and into the cloud, but it allows you to naturally and easily organize those documents in their new digital format. Going paperless with your household is a great way to clear out the clutter as you stage your space, and it even comes with the added benefit of keeping your move quick, easy, and organized once you sell your home.
Prepare for Pictures
It was good advice in 2018 and it's still good advice a year later: Take good pictures of your home if you want it to sell quickly. Make sure to stage each room and then take pictures that communicate why it would encourage a buyer to consider purchasing your home.
Also, make sure to get photos of both the inside and the outside of your home. This will allow potential buyers to make informed, trusting decisions before they decide to pay your home a visit, whereas misleading photos can quickly turn a potential buyer off. You may even consider renting or purchasing a drone with camera capabilities to get a bird's-eye view of your house and the neighborhood it's in — any potential buyers will appreciate seeing what the surrounding area looks like.
List Your Home Correctly
Finally, make sure to take the time to ensure that your home is listed correctly. Strategize with your REALTOR® in order to ensure that your home is showing up on mobile optimized listing platforms and social media outlets. Make sure that prospective buyers can be quickly and easily communicated with once they express interest. Also, make an effort to use thoughtful words, creative pictures, and even videos when possible to showcase your house and all of its many benefits.
There is always an endless list of things to do as you prepare to move. However, taking the time to specifically focus on things like a proper home listing, good appliances, cleaning up clutter, and adding fresh and trendy decor can help increase your chances of a successful listing. These are all suggestions that are affordable, easy to implement, and can make a huge difference in helping your house stand out in the marketplace during the beautiful summer months ahead.
About the Publisher
Bo Kauffmann is a residential real estate agent with over 18 yrs experience in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals. Inducted into the REMAX Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the REMAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Bo has sold over 500 houses and condos in the Greater Winnipeg market. He is an accredited buyer representative (A.B.R.) and a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
Bo provides exceptional service to First-Time Home-Buyers, Seniors looking to downsize and Home Sellers of all ages.
He can be reached easily By E-Mail or call/text him Call/Text Here
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