5 Tips To Sell Your Home This Summer

Thinking about selling your home this summer? Here are 5 tips that will make selling your home easier this summer:

1. Address Necessary Repairs and Deferred Maintenance
Homeownership often presents many minor issues that can easily be put on the back burner. If you're considering selling your home this summer, you can start by tackling some of the repairs you've been waiting on. 
Most homebuyers are looking for a well-maintained and cared-for home. When listing your home for sale, you should list simple repairs. Landlords selling a rental property should conduct a pre-listing home inspection and make necessary repairs and updates. 
Repairs could include patching any holes in the walls and applying a fresh coat of paint on the walls and trim, fixing any broken windows or doors, ensuring all electrical outlets are working correctly, replacing any bulbs that are burnt out, tightening any loose toilets or plumbing fixtures, replacing the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, replacing your air filters and getting your HVAC system cleaned and serviced by your local HVAC company. 

2. Depersonalize and Declutter Your Home
We all love the things that make our house a home, but when listing your home, remember you are trying to show off the house rather than your style. This is not a time to showcase family photos and memorabilia. It's best to take this time to start carefully removing any items that could show your potential buyers anything too personal. Pack away any family photos and store them for your next home.
Next up is reduction. You will want to reduce the number of items in your house. Keep your closets neat and organized, and leave about 50% of the space empty. You want to give your buyers the illusion that there is more than enough space for their things. Start a donation pile and remove the items you know won't be coming to your new home.

3. Prepare the Exterior of the Home
The outdoor space is one of the most important places to focus on during summer when preparing to sell your home. Summertime is when we want to utilize our outdoor space the most, which means buyers will pay attention to the home's exterior. 
Starting with repairs and working your way through basic landscaping will prove to make a world of difference. A lot of the spring cleanup will serve well when listing your home for sale during the summer months. So, as you work through the summer months, start making any necessary repairs.
You may need to replace some siding or even spend some time power-washing the back deck. It could be an excellent time to repair any wood rot. Clean your gutters! Powerwash the driveway and patio. Spend time removing dead plants and replacing them with something hearty that survives well in the summer heat. 

4. Highlight the Outdoor Living Space
Once you've completed exterior cleanup and repairs, you can focus on making your home's outdoor space a highlight. In the summer, your outdoor space could be as crucial to a buyer as the indoor space. The unique timing of a summer market is that this is the one time of year when people use their outdoor space as an alternate living space. 
Some easy ways to spruce up your outdoor space could be adding fresh mulch to your flower beds. Go to your local nursery, ask which plants do best in the summer months in shaded areas and areas with full sun, and start planting. Remember, you want this space to look fresh and healthy, and plants are a quick and easy way to bring the space to life. 

5. Keep the Interior of your Home Cool
The air temperature is part of a comfortable home in the hot summer. We don't recommend having your air conditioning set to arctic temperatures, but we recommend some easy tricks to keep it comfortable and cool while your home is active on the market.
This will be when buyers come in for showings, or you might even have some open houses scheduled with your real estate agent. What can you do to help battle the high temperatures that summer days will inevitably bring? Use these helpful tips to ensure your home feels relaxed and comfortable when potential buyers come in to tour your home.

Keep a consistent and comfortable temperature on your thermostat. We recommend setting and holding a consistent temperature between 68 and 72 degrees inside during the summer months. If you take all of the previous steps mentioned above, maintaining a consistent temperature will be much easier.
Ready to sell your home this summer? Call 919-880-0904 or CLICK HERE today to tap into Carl Johnson Real Estate's expertise in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and beyond.