Spring Sales Are Generally More Lucrative Than Winter Sales
When you sell your home, the time of year you list it will play into the level of value you can pull from the market. Summer, winter, and fall won’t serve you as well as mid-spring will. The first two weeks of May are the best two weeks of the year to sell a house. If you’re looking to sell this year, you want to try and get the house listed by the first day of May.
Home Remodeling, Refurbishment, And DIY Upgrade
There are a number of things that need to be done for you to get such a spring listing accomplished. You’ll want to refurbish your home as best you can. You’ll want to landscape and you’ll want to get all the little “honey-do’s” done. Fix holes in the walls or ceiling, get ahead of leaks, replace lightbulbs, add a lick of paint where necessary, and finish the basement and attic.
If you’ve got the acumen, you might affect some roof repairs, or replace the odd window. If you’re really advanced, add a deck in the backyard, or expand the front so there’s a decent porch. Be careful with such refurbishment, as it can become complicated and expensive if you don’t know what you’re doing.
However, if you can think critically and fix problems on the fly, this might be a good project to add a few grand to the house you’re selling. One thing to remember is: you want to have everything done before you get the property appraised. There are free appraisal options, but they’re harder to find. If you’ve got friends in real estate or contracting, you might ask for some tips.
Different localities have different legal realities defining them. For example, believe it or not, when selling property in California, if there are any paranormal events associated with that property, you’re required to reveal as much to realtors. Whether this is a reflection of local mental issues or actual supernatural events is debatable. The point is, different areas have different laws.
Assuring You’re In Compliance With Applicable Local Law
Sometimes certain things may or may not be something you have to reveal when you’re selling. Getting ahead of these things a few months before May is wise, and it can take time. Scheduling someone to come out and appraise the property is a bit of an event. You can check out this ISoldMyHouse.com article about how to “list your house for sale” and best practices for more details.
Essentially, you want to have everything done as far in advance as possible before you list. That being said, it’s also possible to list your property privately. That is to say, you ask around your local community pertaining to who is buying, and you make a deal. While realtors can save you a lot of time and aggravation, they’re not strictly necessary.
It’s like selling a car, but several levels of magnitude greater. When selling a vehicle, you can list with local print periodicals, on sites like craigslist, and use physical bulletin boards in local businesses. Sometimes you’ll get better buyers that way. Similar avenues can be used to move property without a realtor and the percentage cut they get of the total sale.
Having A Home Ready For The Springtime Rush
Most homeowners will prefer to work with a realtor, some won’t. Regardless of which side of the fence you land on with your home, you want all the prep work done before the first of May if you’re going to maximize the value of your home.
People don’t buy in winter, generally, and they pay less if they buy in early spring, through the summer, or in the fall. Since it’s a few months before May, now is the perfect time to assure your property is at its best, get it appraised, and list it.