Must-Do Checklist for Preparing to Sell Your House This Spring

As the outdoor world wakes up from its long winter nap, we humans often start to feel the need for a fresh start. Sometimes this results in spring cleaning, and other times it can be a more dramatic change–like buying or selling a house. If you’re leaning toward the latter option, you can (and should) start preparing to sell your house well before the warm weather arrives. 

There are a lot of reasons why spring is a popular time to sell a house. The warmer weather and longer daylight hours tend to make people want to get out of the house. For those that are thinking about buying a house, this can mean wanting to go out and see what’s on the market. This leads to more potential buyers, which means more competition for your home, which means higher offers. Last year, a study by ATTOM showed that home sales in the month of May had the greatest seller premiums, at 13.1% above market value, as opposed to 8.8% in October.

While it is certainly still possible to sell in the winter, selling a home in the spring has some other intrinsic benefits, as well. For example, the school year is winding down, which can make moving easier on kids. Also, spring (and fall) weather in St. Louis is much more comfortable when it comes to carrying heavy boxes and furniture in and out of a house.

To avoid rushing to get everything ready for potential buyers in April or May, it’s best to get a head start by starting your preparations in late winter. Here’s a list of things you can do while it’s still cold outside

• Decluttering

This is a good time to go through closets, cabinets, the basement and garage to get rid of things you never use or clothes you never wear. When it’s time to move, this will lighten the load and also provide buyers with a better idea of the storage space available. A Top Agent Insights study by Homelight found that a decluttered home can add as much as $6,500 to a sales price. 

• Deep Cleaning

You don’t have to open windows to start cleaning areas of your home that have been ignored for months or even years. Wipe down the top of the refrigerator and ceiling fans; wipe down appliances and even clean behind them; wash curtains; and have carpets cleaned. The same Homelight study shows a deep clean can add $3,700 to the sale of a home.  

• Replacing Broken Fixtures and Appliances

While you clean and declutter your home, take note of any broken fixtures like doorknobs, lights, and handles. These are easy to replace with a quick trip to a local hardware store. If any larger appliances are broken, consider either fixing or replacing these, as well. Having working appliances can help increase the value of your home and make things easier for the buyer.

• Deciding on Any Major Updates

As you fix small things around the house, you might get the nagging feeling that there’s a lot more work that needs to be done. Now is the time to decide what’s worth fixing and what you’d rather leave as-is. Some updates can be affordable and lead to a great return on investment. It’s best to do a little research on what will increase the value of your home or how likely it is for your home to be purchased if you don’t fix a particular issue. Some bigger updates can be done anytime, like replacing old carpeting or getting a new bathtub. Others might need to be done as soon as the weather gets better, like painting the outside of your house or replacing your back porch. 

• Talking to a Realtor

After spending some time on making your house more presentable, you might be getting the itch to get the ball rolling on the process of putting your home up for sale. This can be a good time to find a reliable realtor and start having discussions about the home selling process. A realtor can help you determine what your home is worth and what costs are involved in selling your home. This will give you a better idea of how much money you’ll need up front and how much you’ll make on your spring home sale.

• Getting Finances in Order

After talking to a realtor, you should have a better understanding of the fees, closing costs, and other costs associated with selling your home. At this point, you’ll still have a little time to gather your resources or save up some extra cash. This can help to eliminate any issues when it is time to close the deal, particularly if you are buying and selling a house at the same time.

A potential buyer’s first impression of the front of the house can make a huge impact on the perceived value of the home, so when it starts to warm up, it’s time to start working on curb appeal. According to a 2023 Remodeling Impact Report, 97 percent of National Association of Realtors members say they believe curb appeal is important in attracting buyers, and a study in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics estimates that curb appeal accounts for up to 7% of a home’s sales price. Needless to say, it is well worth spending a few hours sprucing up the yard and exterior when preparing to sell a house. 

As it gets close to your desired selling time, focus on outdoor touches such as:

• Exterior Painting

If any exterior surfaces have peeling or stained paint, a fresh coat can help brighten things up. This might include trim, the front door, a porch, or even the mailbox. 

• Cleaning Up the Yard

A tidy and well kept yard is more likely to wow prospective buyers. Trim unruly trees or bushes, rake up last year’s leaves, and pull out any obvious weeds. Putting down some new mulch around bushes or flower beds can also contribute to a fresher look.

• Adding a Splash of Color with Flowers

Studies show that being around flowers can rapidly induce positive emotions in humans. They also tend to make a yard look nicer. If the weather is agreeable, consider strategically planting some flowers around the yard. Or, if you are selling your home in the earlier spring, potted flowers can provide the same effect and can be taken inside if it gets too cold. Either way, putting people in a better mood is always a good thing.

Once you’ve decluttered, cleaned, and spruced up the outside, there are just a couple of things to do to get the inside ready to show buyers. 

• Interior Painting

It’s generally better to paint inside when warmer weather hits so you can open up the windows. A fresh paint job tends to make things look newer and cleaner, so consider painting any walls, trim, doors, or cabinets that look dull or old. When selling a house, it’s also best to go with neutral colors, so consider painting over any bolder color choices.

• Depersonalizing

When getting your house ready for photos, open houses, and viewings, it’s best to make the house feel as neutral as possible so that buyers can better picture themselves living there. This requires removing personal items, photos, and collectibles. Essentially, you want the house to look more like an Airbnb. Personal items can be moved to closets or even temporary storage outside the home. 

Once you’ve made your way through the checklist, your house is ready to go. At this point, your realtor can help with getting photos, staging, and putting the house on the market. If you’re thinking of selling a home this spring, contact a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties agent today. We have offices all over the St. Louis area and can help you get the best price for your home any time of the year.