Spring maintenance and cleaning are annual chores required to maintain your home, but they take on special significance when you are preparing to sell your home. Spring marks the beginning of the peak home-selling season, so your seasonal maintenance efforts should ideally help your home to stand out positively in an active market. These are some of the primary tasks to include in your spring property maintenance plans if you are positioning your home to appeal to buyers.
Clean and Update Your Landscaping
Winters in Oregon can be tough, and your yard may have taken a beating over the last few months. Now is the time to assess the health of your vegetation and to complete related chores. For example, you may need to trim trees and bushes, add a few patches of sod to fill in bare spots and more. Power washing hard surfaces can also improve curb appeal.
Focus on the Floors
All flooring surfaces can lose their luster with regular use. Now is the time to schedule professional carpet cleaning service or even to replace dingy carpeting. Tile flooring may need to be professionally cleaned to restore it to like-new condition.
Check the Condition of Caulk and Grout
Inspect your bathroom and kitchen grout to determine its current condition. Cleaning grout can give these areas a rejuvenated look that makes the entire home more appealing to a potential buyer. Chipped grout should be repaired for aesthetics and to prevent water damage.
Remove Unwanted Items
Spring cleaning often involves removing clutter and unwanted items, and this is also an essential step as you prepare to move. Too many unnecessary items in your home can create a cluttered look. This can make your home feel smaller and less hospitable. Remove all items that you have not used within the last year and that you do not intend to use in the near future.
Update Paint
If your walls are an unusual color that may have limited appeal to the masses of buyers who will look at your home, now is the time to repaint the walls a neutral color with universal appeal. Repainting walls and trim is also a great way to give your home a fresh, clean look. If painting is not necessary, consider the need to remove smudges and to wipe down baseboards.
Hire a Handyman
You may be able to complete many of these tasks on your own, but you may have a lengthy list of smaller items that could take several days or longer to complete. Perhaps you lack the tools and equipment required to complete some tasks. Whether you need to replace lightbulbs that are out of reach, repair a damaged fence or tackle other projects, hiring a handyman may be an important step to take this season.
It may be impossible to erase all signs of wear in a used home, but spring cleaning and maintenance can erase many signs of wear. These efforts may position your home strategically to generate more interest in a busy market. Contact me today to learn more about the current market and to begin the sales process.
