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Spring Cleaning; Preparing to Sell

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Beam & Branch Realty TREC #547752

Can you believe that Spring is officially here? I always love this time of year as it reminds me of new beginnings, a fresh start, and a time to remove those things in our lives and in our homes that no longer serve us.

Spring is also the beginning of many homes going on the market to sell. With that in mind, homeowners need to take a moment to assess several things as they prepare to place their homes on the market. This quick post provides some easy tips to do prior to going live with a listing.

1. EXTERIOR - Take a good, hard look at the outside of your home. Remove dead or spent flowers, bushes, and plants. Trim hedges and tree limbs. Powerwash, touch-up paint or re-paint if necessary the trim work of the home. Clean your windows. Remove unnecessary items from the yard that add clutter. Gutters need to have debris removed. Have your lawn fertilized to prepare for new growth.

2. INTERIOR - First and foremost, DE-CLUTTER everything! Go through room-by-room with a critical eye. This provides homeowners with a jump-start on packing. If you don't need it out, pack it up. Paint where necessary and make sure baseboards are sparkling clean. Remove large furniture if these pieces make your rooms appear cramped. Closets need to be thinned out as well. Put away personal family pictures and remove everything from the refrigerator door.

3. PRESENTATION - As you prepare your home for the market, remember that you need to view your home as a commodity to sell. Sure, you have enjoyed this home while you lived there but as you put the home on the market, you must now think of your home as future buyers will see it. Keep it picked up meticulously, close potty seats, place fresh flowers strategically, bake some cookies, leave the "story" of your home for buyers to read. (What you love about the house, memories, etc.) And, above all - MAKE SURE YOUR HOME SMELLS FRESH. Use essential oils NOT plug-ins which are toxic and over-powering.

These are just a few of the main strategies you can do as you begin your Spring cleaning. And even if you are not selling your home at this time, a good, yearly Spring cleaning is always a great idea.

HAPPY SPRING CLEANING!

 

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Comments(9)

Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello and Thank You for sharing this great information with us here in the Rain.  Make it a great day

Mar 20, 2022 01:32 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Dr. Paula McDonald in the not to distant future I will need to put my house on the market, so this is good advice.

Mar 20, 2022 01:51 PM
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

Hello Dr. Paula McDonald these are very good list o f tips for Spring cleaning preparing to sell.

Mar 20, 2022 02:27 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Cleaning all the debris from the yard is a good step. Curb appeal will get the buyer into the house.

Mar 20, 2022 03:01 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Paula- good tips to clean and prepare a house for sale!!! Fresh and refresh!!!

Mar 20, 2022 04:21 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is excellent advice to share with prospective home sellers.

Mar 21, 2022 04:38 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Good morning, Paula... great advice for spring home sellers... but actually, great advice for homeowners, in general. Who wouldn't like a clean, fresh smelling, decluttered home?

Mar 21, 2022 05:14 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Hello Dr. Paula McDonald - spring is here.  The decluttering started during the pandemic. Now I have many donation trips to make. 

I love my organic essential oils. I cook with them, add to organic body oils, and treat my body with essential oils, and I have a diffuser in my office and bedroom.

While I am not yet planning to sell my home, it does not hurt to have a clean and organized home to live in.

Mar 22, 2022 08:12 AM
Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Hello Dr. Paula McDonald, whether moving or not, spring cleaning gives me so much joy in my home. We don't have to wait for spring of course but somehow, it feels better to say spring cleaning. 

Mar 22, 2022 01:12 PM