With likely increases in interest rates on the horizon, potential buyers are eager to find their dream homes. In fact, the percentage of people desiring to purchase a home within the next six months rose from just under 5.9% in November 2021 to nearly 7.9% in January 2022. Realtor.com reported that January 2022 experienced faster home sales than any January in our history thus far. In the U.S., the average time a home sold in January had spent on the market was 61 days–nearly a month less than the January average of 2017-2020.
8 Tips to Get Your Home Ready for the Spring Home Selling Market
The first step in attracting a home buyer, especially in the spring home selling market, is to address your home’s exterior look and feel. As the weather transitions from the cold and dreary days of winter to the sun-filled days of spring, there are many ways you can prepare your home to achieve a faster sale.
- Inspect your roof. Now is an excellent time to make sure your roof is in good condition. Schedule a thorough cleaning to remove leaves, tree needles, moss, and other debris from the shingles and gutters. Fix any problems or leaks in the gutters, including drainage to wastewater management systems or natural runoff solutions. Trim shrubs and trees that have grown too close to the roof to keep animals and other pests from traveling from plants to roof.
- Clean the siding. Carefully powerwash the home’s siding to remove dirt and grime. Look for any patches that require touch-up paint, especially the trim around doors and windows. At the same time, power wash any fencing to get rid of mud and dirt that collected over the rainy season.
- Revitalize shrubs and trees. Contact a local arborist to inspect the trees and schedule a healthy trim for them and any shrubs on your property. Well-maintained plants don’t just look nice but will also grow more robust in the future.
- Powerwash hardscape surfaces. Driveways, walkways, and patio surfaces collect dirt in crevasses throughout the year. Give all these surfaces a good power washing and then seal them with appropriate materials from your local hardware store.
- Wash the windows. Give all the windows a thorough cleaning inside and out. Look for any issues that need repair, include weatherstrip replacement, and replace any windows that have lost their seal (resulting in internal condensation.)
- Conduct a pest inspection. It’s better to find pests and remove them before potential buyers do. Hire a pest control specialist to inspect around your home, under the foundation, and inside the attic. Perform procedures necessary to eliminate and prevent bugs and rodents from your home and property.
- Inspect the lights. Ensure all the exterior lights are working correctly, and replace faulty or old bulbs. Consider adding new yard lights, fountain lights, or extra electrical outlets that buyers may find appealing and increase functionality.
- Add flowers to your landscaping. Bright pops of color throughout your yard will give your home a pleasant appearance. While the best flowers for your yard will depend on your specific region, some common early Spring flowers include pansies, daffodils, primroses, irises, tulips, and grape hyacinth. Potential homebuyers are often excited to see bulb flowers because they know they’ll enjoy the same flowers year after year.
Ready to sell your Southern Oregon home?
The best place to begin your journey is with an experienced real estate agent like Gail Schoeneberg. Gail has extensive experience and knowledge, including marketing financing and buyer and seller representation in the Southern Oregon market. Armed with current information about home sales throughout Southern Oregon and a long list of potential homebuyers at the ready, Gail will help you make good decisions to achieve the best price for your home in the timeline you have for selling it.
Contact Gail Schoeneberg today at 541-840-1909. Together, we’ll get your home sold.
