The weather in the Carolinas has been all over the place! Freezing cold for a few days, rainy and gray for a week, then BAM it’s like 78 degrees and I’m opening doors and windows. I’m clinging to my calendar hoping that winter hits the road for good soon and leaves us with more sunshine.
I love the energy of Spring. For us realtors it marks the beginning of the busiest home buying and home selling season. Prices are highest in the prime season, when more homes are listed.
One Zillow study found that homes listed between May 1 through May 15 sold, on average, around 18.5 days faster than homes that weren’t listed during that timeframe. Homes that sold in the first half of May were also purchased for about 1 percent more than the average listing.
There’s no doubt that the better weather makes your home look better. Green grass and blooming flowers naturally look better than the winter landscape.
That’s why now is the time to start thinking about projects that will make your home ready for the Spring! A lot of people welcome the season with spring cleaning projects on the inside of the home. Don’t forget the outside too!
A few simple projects will go a long way to help increase property values and your neighbors will thank you!
Pressure wash the exterior of the home to remove mold & mildew.
Paint faded shutters or siding-if you want a new color be sure to check with your HOA to make sure you won’t have an issue.
Spruce up your mailbox and post with a coat of paint or new numbers.
Trim overgrown shrubs. And while you are it, it’s time to get rid of all the leaves you didn’t rake up this fall and just let lay on the ground. Yes, I’m shaking my head at you!
Clean off your patio. Power washing the concrete can make it look new again. Wipe down the furniture and grill so you are ready for entertaining.
Reduce the clutter in your garage. Really, it’s time to put away the Christmas tree stand. Toss out the empty paint cans and take those boxes of clothes that didn’t sell in the last yard sale to charity.
Start applying weed and feed to the lawn.
Get a new welcome mat. The old one is totally faded. A welcome mat is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to add a little color or cute to your doorstep. That’s especially important if you are planning to sell your home this Spring.
Clean your windows. I can almost hear the groans as I wrote out that sentence. Look, you don’t have to do it but once a year. You’ll probably be surprised at how much more light gets into your home!
If you are planning to sell your home, I would be happy to consult with you about you will need to do to make your home the most appealing it can be to potential buyers. You can find me at casseecunningham@gmail.com or give me a call at (828)450-0479!
Until then, I’ll be soaking up the warmer weather. I think there are few of these projects I need to do on my own home!