There’s always so much to think about when it comes time to sell your home. Traditionally, spring has often been considered an ideal time to sell, the blooms allowing your home to “show well” and a sale in spring with a move in the summer, situates the kids well for a September school start. That’s a whole lot of “S” words related to selling and now, due to the pandemic we’re adding another one – “sanitizing.” Between staging your home, sanitizing and selling in spring, during a pandemic no less, there’s a lot to consider. I help people “sell with success” and here are some of the top considerations you’ll need to take into account if you’re considering the sale of your home and how I will keep you safe during the process!
Staging
You’ve made the decision to sell. That’s the first step in an important process whether you are moving to find a larger home for a growing family or it’s finally time to downsize. The market in Kleinberg, Woodbridge and Vaughan has something for everyone and because I’ve lived in the area my entire life, I’ll find you what you’re looking for! But first – staging. It’s time to declutter and depersonalize your home. We can work with professional stagers or if that’s not in the budget follow these simple tips:
Remove family and personal photos from tabletops and wall spaces. Consider hanging a generic decorative piece to accent the room or a mirror if you’re trying to make the room look larger.
Remove an excess of decorative dust collectors! Just one or two carefully curated pieces are all you need to draw attention to a bookshelf or sofa table.
Ensure all the lighting is bright, making the home appear light and open, even on a rainy day. Replacing light bulbs is a simple, fast and inexpensive way to brighten any space!
Consider neutral colours. If you have a room that’s “too dark,” or an unusual colour choice, your home might stand out but not in a good way. A fresh coat of paint is almost never a bad idea. Look for an accent pillow or two to provide a pop of colour.
Clean out your closets to maximize the appearance of storage space. It’s probably something you should do before moving anyway!
It goes without saying the house should sparkle and shine (more “S” words!) If keeping on top of playroom clutter is hard work, invest in one, large storage piece where you can quickly toss the toys if a showing is scheduled.
Ask me for more tips on staging or about staging services for selling homes.
Sanitizing
Just a little over a year ago, I’m not sure you would have found a real estate agent fully versed in how to “sanitize to stay safe” while showing a home. Now, it’s commonplace. Here is what to consider when it comes to safely showing your home:
At the moment, open houses continue to be prohibited under current lockdown and stay at home restrictions but a scheduled showing is still possible, with strict conditions in place.
Many of these are discussed in advance with the seller and prospective buyers are expected to abide by any special requests.
Sellers will ask people to sanitize upon entry and many are also asking prospective buyers to wear gloves.
Buyers are also asked to “interact” with the home as little as possible. We often will designate one person only to open drawers, doors and cupboards if you are trying to get an idea of storage size.
Obviously the mask mandate is strictly in place for everyone, at all times.
A maximum of two visitors are permitted at one time and it’s highly recommended the kids be left at home for everyone’s safety and comfort.
It’s safe to say that the real estate market has been anything but predictable these past few months and it is indeed a hot market this spring. Traditionally often a good time to sell, this spring is turning out to be a great time to sell! That said, make sure selling your home is the right decision for you and your family – regardless of the season. If you’re considering a sale I’d be happy to meet with you to discuss all your options and how, if you decide to list, we’ll make the staging, sanitizing and sale of your home this spring, as easy as possible! I’m John Burdi and I help people buy with confidence or sell with success.
