Fact…The housing market is starting to become more balanced/stabilized from the recent hot sellers’ market. Here are a few things you should consider doing this fall to plan for a successful sale in the Spring.
Tip #1: Practice Good Home Stewardship
When houses are in short supply but in high demand, buyers are willing to overlook things like an old roof or dated appliances. But if you’re hoping to sell your house in Spring 2023, invest in the common “home stewardship” areas that buyers will value (and pay for).
These include:
- Replacing roofs that are 20+ years old
- Replacing carpeting that is 7+ years old
- Repainting your home interior to feature light colors, especially in key rooms like kitchens and living rooms
- Replacing mechanicals that are past their life spans, such as the water heater (15+ years), furnace, and air conditioning units (25+ years)
If you take your house to market, and these areas have not been attended to, your price point will be dramatically lower. But if you get everything up-to-date, there’s a good chance your repair costs will be recouped (and then some!). This is especially true in key areas.
Tip #2: Increase Your Curb Appeal
Buyers place a lot of value on how your home looks from the outside. Unkempt yards impact buyer’s worth perceptions, whereas neat and tidy exteriors are more likely to attract a higher number of showings and offers. Everyone appreciates a pleasing exterior. It is also a reflection of how you have taken care of your entire home.
So this Fall, assess your mulch around your home. Does it need replacing? We recommend doing this now when you can still clearly see your plants, versus in the Spring when you’ll likely overdo it. Save some cash by doing it now. Landscapers are usually less busy in the Fall vs Spring.
You should also pull out those dead trees and plant fresh bushes and landscaping now, before winter sets in. Our area has had a lot of dead trees this past year…They need to be cut down and up! We also recommend doing touch-up painting on your exterior before we run out of 60+ degree days. These little touches will really help increase your house’s curb appeal in the upcoming spring.
Tip #3: Set a Project Schedule
Will any of your projects require professional services? Get on their schedules now as these people are super booked. Spring is the best time to list your house, since buyers will be looking in earnest, so you’ll want to get those contractors into your house in Fall and Winter. Do NOT wait until March!
When you meet with us, we can help you put together a list of house project priorities and then work backward from your target “sell by” date. We’ll tell you if something is really necessary or if you can get by without making the investment. Here’s a list of common recommendations – but again, we’ll give you our professional opinion, based on your unique house and what we know buyers like/don’t like, right now.
Hoping to sell by June 2023? You should list your house in March. That leaves six months for you to complete any house projects.
Would you rather sell in July-August 2023? We can list your house in April-May and still take advantage of the hot Spring market. (But you should still work ahead on the above-listed projects to save yourself some stress).
As the housing market in Northeast Wisconsin begins to become more balanced, wise sellers are putting time and effort in, this Fall, to give their Spring listing the best chance of success. Save yourself some stress and start working on your home project list now.
Remember, our team is here to help make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. Get in touch, today.