With the abundance of sunshine, everything blooming and people eager to get out and about, spring is the perfect time for sellers to spruce up their home and jump on the market.
A little elbow grease can produce surprising positive results and help the listing look more appealing to potential buyers.
Here’s a 10-point spring cleaning checklist. Give it to your would-be homesellers to help them sell faster.
Maximize curb appeal
Have sellers get the yard in shape as quickly as possible. Clear away lingering leaves, trim shrubs, mow the grass, wash down the sidewalks and driveway, and even pressure-wash the house to make it sparkling clean.
Photo by Eduard Militaru on Unsplash
Give the exterior a facelift
If it’s looking shabby, suggest that sellers paint the front door, shine the metalwork, buy a fresh new mat (nothing too crazy) and frame the entry with spring-blooming plants or perennials in handsome bright-colored pots.
Clean the windows, inside and out
Nothing says “good ongoing maintenance” like sparkling clean windows with pristine sills.
While they’re at it, ask sellers to remove heavy draperies, and install new — or freshly-laundered — curtains that filter, rather than block, light.
Start spring cleaning in the kitchen
Let’s face it, the kitchen gathers clutter and grime like no other room.
Food stained appliances, lingering cooking odors and greasy surfaces can make the whole house feel dirty. So, sellers should start the spring cleaning in the kitchen by decluttering the counter, removing all refrigerator magnets and stashing small appliances so the countertop space looks endless.
Then, tell sellers to clean everything ’til it shines! Clean hardware and cabinetry (use special cleaners for wood), renew countertop surfaces using material-specific cleaning products, clean the oven and wash down all appliances inside and out!
Breadmaker / Shutterstock
Make bathrooms shine
Like kitchens, bathrooms can make or break a sale. So, sellers should make sure all fixtures are hospital clean and polished, install a spring-fresh shower curtain and liner, and declutter and clean countertops.
Organize makeup and products in bins you can easily tuck away. Tidy towel racks and other hangers, and bathrooms will be showroom ready!
Introduce spring colors in other ways
Adding some new light floral or bright colored bedding and towels can give the home a fast and easy makeover. Find spring-hued accent pillows for added style and a refreshed look.
Switch winter accessories for their spring and summer counterparts
Have sellers swap winter wool rugs for lighter spring or summer floor coverings (such as sisal), and change out the winter mantel or table decor for a more spring-like motif.
Or leave those spaces bare, and make them shine with a good polishing.
Bring spring inside
For a little freshness, cut flowers can add a spot of color and create a real aroma that no diffuser or home spray can match.
Avoid pollen-laden flowers that can set off buyers’ allergies, such as some lilies.
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Reorganize your closets
Cleaning out clutter all through the home is a must — and closets count.
Sellers should get rid of non-clothing items stored on shelves, and then store heavy winter clothes in the attic (or a rented storage space) to immediately make closets look more spacious.
Finally, they should rearrange clothing on new hangers and in boxes to make closets will look fresh — and huge!
Clear out the garage
Much like closets, garages become catch-alls, especially during winter when you’re less apt to venture outside to put items away (or even in the trash).
This is the place and time for sellers to start sorting items into “trash/recycle,” “store elsewhere” or “sell/donate” piles, and then follow through once everything is sorted!
Have your sellers check these 10 things off the list, and they’ll have a huge head start when they put their house on the market.
Nicole Solari is owner and managing broker of The Solari Group in Solano and Napa Counties in Northern California. Nicole runs one of the highest producing brokerages in all of Northern California.
