Summer generally means high temperatures, outdoor activities, and trying to make the most of our vacations. Summer also means the peak of the housing season. This is when the real estate market for Toronto and beyond are buzzing with a seemingly endless array of hotly-contested properties. If you are planning to sell your house this summer, there is no question that you have your work cut out for you!
Is Summer a Good Time to Sell My Home?
Selling your home during the summer months is not impossible by any means. It really just comes down to knowing what you should expect, as well as tips to optimize your space. The better you can stand out from the crowd, the easier it is going to be to take advantage of the summer house selling season.
Summer House Selling Season Tips
For sellers, competition in the summertime can get pretty fierce. At the end of the day, you don’t have to do anything particularly amazing, in terms of selling your home during the summer. There are just a few things unique to the situation that are worth keeping in mind:
• What’s the summer peak for selling houses? Normally, the peak times for selling your home is between June and July.
• Emphasize the outdoor spaces: When people are house hunting during the summer, they are going to be particularly taken by homes that look just as appealing from the exterior as the interior. Remember as well that you should never focus solely on making the interior appealing to begin with. In this context, work on creating attractive spaces for any patio areas, BBQ areas, swimming pools, or backyard you may have. Make it easy for people to imagine relaxing in such spaces on a warm, peaceful day.
• Keep up with the lawn: Summer can be challenging for those who like to keep their lawns looking beautiful. Not only should you keep up with anything your property demands of you, but you may even want to add something. If you’re feeling up to the idea, consider planting flowers in the front and back.
• Cool it down: You don’t need to turn your home into an icebox, but you will want to make sure the air conditioning is on and running smoothly when you bring people through your house.
• Summer refreshments: Chances are, if you’re selling your home in the summertime, then it’s pretty hot outside. Having some cool drinks around is a nice way to make potential buyers feel more comfortable. Some people even add a light snack.
• Touch-ups: You don’t have to completely replace your roof, or have the entire home painted from top to bottom. Unless your house is in particularly rough shape with either of those things, you only need to focus on some touch-ups. By this, we mean spot-painting the rough areas on your exterior. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have your roof inspected by a professional. If your roof is in good shape, and it probably is, you get a peace of mind that also becomes a huge boost of confidence.
• Depersonalize and declutter your interior: This is true for any season, in terms of selling your home. It certainly holds relevancy during the summer. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for these people to imagine themselves in the living room, the bedrooms, and so on. The easier it is for people to imagine the possibilities, the better your chances of selling during this busy season.
The above tips are just a few of the things you can do to be successful in selling your home during this busy time of the year. You can also accomplish a great deal by paying attention to staging your home for the summer season. Again, what you really want to do is make things as inviting and neutral as possible. Light summer-themed touches for your space certainly won’t hurt your chances. This can include a nice vase of the best summer flowers for the kitchen. A summer-scented candle might not be a bad idea either!
Selling your home doesn’t have to be stressful, regardless of when you are trying to sell. Working closely with a real estate agent can help you get the most out of the suggestions above.
