Tips To Get Your Home Ready for Spring Market

With the festivities and holidays behind us, there is no better time to start preparing your home for the Spring market. Well, I should say there is a better time, the Fall or at least 3 months prior to listing, but many times that just cannot happen. I would ideally have my staging clients start in the Fall if they know they are going to sell in the New Year. But, many times homeowners are not ready to think about the process until after the holidays. Either way, I am sharing some tips to get your home ready for the Spring Market.

In the Chicagoland area, our real estate market usually kicks off around Super Bowl Sunday, early February. This is earlier than “spring” hence why it is important to start the process as soon as possible. My current potential clients are planning to list the first week in March. Consequently, we are meeting the first and second week of January to begin the process.

Tips To Get Your Home Ready for Spring Market

Find your Realtor: They are a machine of information plus they will have a Rolodex of preferred vendors who can get your home ready for the market. For instance, when you list with me I am not only your Realtor but project manager. A full-service broker!

I know this might seem like a no-brainer but a Realtor is more than someone who will just throw you house on the MLS. You want someone who will be with you every step of the way. From pre-list to the closing table and that includes getting your home ready to market while also started to pre-list your property to find potential buyers.

Upgrades and Repairs: Your Realtor will help you decide where your investment in upgrades is best spent. For instance, a new dining room light fixture or a kitchen faucet. They will also be able to coordinate with getting those upgrades at better pricing. Just in case, checks out my blog post on my go-to light fixtures when it comes to home staging.

Home staging light fixtures will not break the bank!

Declutter and Pack: Put yourself in the mindset that you will sell. So, declutter and pack up. Donate or toss items you no longer need or use. I love the rule of 3. If you have not worn it or used it in 3 years then toss or donate. When it comes to packing for your next home consider my other Rule of 3:

When a home is staged and priced right the goal is to sell in under 3 months. From list to the closing table. If you are not going to use it or wear it in those three months, consider packing it. For instance, if you list your home in January (in Chicago). Most likely you will not be wearing your flip flops and bathing suits while on the market. Pack it.

Paint: In my ten years of staging and real estate, every home has had some paintwork. Maybe the entire home or certain areas but paint is the best return on your investment. Here are some of my posts on paint colors

Best white paint colors for home staging

Some of my Go-To Gray paint colors

More Gray paint colors

List of my 2021 Staging paint colors

Stage: I still get told by clients, “I am not going to stage my home.” I always reply, “Yes you are. Staging is NOT just the rental of furniture for a vacant space. Staging includes anything from re-arrangement of your current furniture to styling your bookcases and even inside your kitchen cabinets.” Your realtor will help you with styling and making sure your home is staged right and if they cannot, they will most likely refer you to a stager for help.

The stager might come in to give you a staging consultation and guide you on what to do. OR they might be hired for the hands-on home staging of your current space.

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If you have are planning on listing your home soon, what questions do you have? Leave them in the comments below.