Seller List For Spring

Sellers List For Spring

by Darrin DeRoches March 6 - 12, 2014

I wrote about what the buyers are doing to get ready for the spring market and now we can focus on what the sellers need to do. First thing you need to do is declutter.  This winter has been brutal and we are stuck in the house so you might as well use the time to start throwing out the accumulation of stuff. Get everything packed up and ready to either be stored or, better yet, thrown out once the weather clears.  The second thing to do is fix up all the little bumps and scrapes that your house has weathered over the winter.  The little fix ups will make it really easy once the market starts to heat up and you will be ready the minute it stops snowing.  Once the snow finally melts, clean up from the ice storm and make your outside as tidy as the inside.  Then call you broker and get ready to list early.     Homes are still selling fast in this cold, miserable market and once the weather clears up, the market is going to be fast and furious.  Think of it as cabin fever and once the buyers get ready to buy, it will be early spring. Talk to your agent about the best way to market your property and how they will be able to control the sale in a fast paced market.  If you make a mistake it may cost you dearly.  You only come on the market once and you really want to hit it the right way.  A great broker knows how to control the sale and get top dollar without getting greedy and pissing off the buyers.  I once sold a cottage in competition for top dollar after sitting on the market for the whole winter with no calls. Timing and marketing to the right market made a huge difference to the bottom line and profit.     You should be contacting your broker soon so that they can help you prepare your property for the spring market.  The weeks following March Break are when everyone has settled down from their holidays and are looking to make a move.  If your house has a pool, you should be booking the earliest opening so the property will stand out amongst the others.  No one has to swim in it but it will sell your home over others with a pool covered up. If your roof has been leaking in the fall, book a roofer now so that you can have a new roof to sell the property.  All these trades people have been waiting all winter to make money and you should book them now or you will be waiting to set up your property for the spring market and may in fact miss the best opportunity be waiting to the last minute.  Take the time now to get things ready and booked so that your property will shine amongst all of the others that are going to hit the market when spring comes. V     Darrin DeRoches is a local real estate and mortgage broker. He can be reached to answer questions, comments or stories about real estate experiences through this weekly column at sold@uniquerealty.ca.