It’s spring, and that means it’s time to start thinking about pretty flowers and warmer weather! Some of us are even thinking of upgrading to a larger home with a newer kitchen or even downsizing to a home that’s a little more convenient but still has all the designer finishes. 
Things are already heating up in the real estate market this year, marking an early spring for home sellers and buyers. Still, if you have a home to sell, the process of buying your next dream home may be a little daunting. But the good news is the number of homes for sale is low and interest rates are even lower. The Charlotte Regional Realtor Association released the latest statistics this week about the Queen City real estate market. The number of new home listings is down 2 percent from last year and there is only a 3.9-month supply of homes, according to the CRRA. Home sales are up more than 20 percent from last year, and the average sales price is up 6 percent, too! Pending sales are up nearly 40 percent from last year.
Even though it’s a seller’s market out there, you’ll still need to put your best foot forward to get the highest possible offer quickly. And you need to prepare your home now for the hot-selling market this spring.
US News put together a helpful list of tricks that you can do to prepare your home for sale. Here’s a quick rundown of what they suggested.
Have a plan. One of the best ways to do that is to hire a real estate agent. They can help you identify those features in your home that could turn away potential buyers and that should be addressed before putting your home on the market. It won’t matter how good an agent’s plan is for selling your home if the first thing buyers notice is the wallpaper on the walls in your home!
According to Bankrate.com, dirt, odors, old fixtures, wallpaper, popcorn acoustic ceilings, poor curb appeal, and clutter are some of the best ways to turn off a homebuyer.
Clear away clutter. Consider this a way to get a jump on packing for your move. Box up your family photos, knickknacks, books, kid’s artwork on the fridge, extra appliances on the counters, and that mountain of hair products on your bathroom vanity. It will be worth the cost of a storage unit if your home appears less cluttered and brings top dollar from a home buyer.
Paint one room. Real estate agents often suggest painting the entryway, kitchen, or primary bedroom because those are the rooms buyers pay the most attention to. Making those rooms shine will help improve the perception of the entire home.
Clean. This is more than a weekly clean or a special occasion clean. This is a “top-to-bottom, left-to-right so nothing is overlooked” clean. Move furniture and appliances. Clean it all.
Plant colorful flowers. This translates into curb appeal which is the first thing buyers will see when they visit your home! This can be done very affordably if you start early enough from seeds. Use fertilizer on your grass and mow regularly.
Stage and depersonalize the right rooms. This goes along with painting the right rooms (No. 3). The most important rooms to stage and depersonalize are, in order, a living room, kitchen, primary bedroom, dining room, bathroom, child’s room, and guest room.
Create the right vibe. Open windows prior to a showing to fight against odors from last night’s dinner (don’t cook seafood when your home is on the market) and open curtains and blinds to make for a bright, light room. Install higher-wattage light bulbs in your best fixtures and turn on all lights. Burn some orange-scented candles – it can help boost sales by as much as 30 percent!
Most importantly, when you are ready to put your home on the market, make sure you’ve considered what home you want to buy. With these tips, you stand a better chance that your home will sell quickly so you’ll want to have a plan for your move! Check out www.eastwoodhomes.com for our move-in-ready homes!
Now is the time to begin our spring yard maintenance if we want a lawn to be proud of when we begin enjoying the warmer weather in just a few weeks. By putting in the work to prepare your yard now, you will better be able to enjoy your yard for the next several months. Our blog shares a few maintenance tips for lawn care to help you get started!
We're growing even more and expanding in the Raleigh market! Eastwood Homes will be celebrating the grand opening of three new communities in early 2015, two of which represent our first Durham-area neighborhood developments.
Eastwood Homes is continuing to grow throughout the greater Triangle area. The privately held, Carolina-based builder began operations in the Raleigh area in 2010 and has continued to add positions across the region. Eastwood Homes will be celebrating the grand opening of three new communities in early 2015, two of which represent the builder’s first Durham-area neighborhood developments.
