Prepare Now to Sell Your MN Home in the Spring

If you plan to sell your home in the spring, now is an excellent time to begin the process. I know what you are thinking. Now? Really? Is spring seven months in the future? I wasn't planning to even think about the logistics of putting my home on the market until after the winter holidays. Has Joe lost his mind!

Believe me when I say my sanity is not at risk. There is logic at the heart of what appears to be madness. For those organized, pulled-together people who prefer to plan for significant events, this is going to resonate with you. I'm hoping to convert others who feel they perform best under pressure. Here are several reasons that make the argument for getting a head start on the spring competition.

Give Yourself the Gift of Time

Even facing the best of circumstances, selling a home is a life-altering, stressful experience. The luxury of time goes a long way to reducing the pressure of working against the clock when there may be many more demands on your time. Starting the process sooner provides you the grace to prioritize work and family responsibilities over home-selling tasks when necessary. This alone is a huge stress reducer and worth its weight in bitcoin!  

Get a Headstart on the Spring Competition

In the Twin Cities, the spring market will burst on the scene sometime after the Superbowl. The weather is the key, and if it is a mild winter without much snow, houses will start hitting the market in force by February/March.

Conversely, if February is a frigid and snowy month, more likely, the market will bust out in March or even April. It's pretty fluid. When you have all the heavy lifting involved with selling your home in the rearview mirror by the Monday after the Superbowl, you will have the advantage over sellers who procrastinate.

The Time to Shoot Outdoor Photos is Now

If you have fabulous, manicured landscaping and a tripped-out deck or patio, that is a high selling point. However, if you're listing your home in early spring before the leaves are on the trees, the lawn is green, or flowerbeds are showing color, the impact on buyers is minimal. Photos depicting the peak of the season, with colorful blooms bursting out of window boxes, containers, planters, and flower beds, will promote your curb and yard appeal even if there is still snow on the ground. Designate outside images as the first task on your seller's to-do list.

Tackle the Exterior

Between late summer and the first frost is the best time to deal with repairs and touchups on the outside of your home. Keep in mind that curb appeal is a critical factor in how buyers rate the favorability of your property. Think of the importance of first impressions. Complete the tasks you will not deal with later, such as restaining the deck, painting the front door, and touching the trim. Be sure to do regular fall maintenance chores like cleaning out the gutters and raking the leaves.

Hire a Realtor

We are moving into the slow season for real estate, making this the ideal time to hire a professional to list your home. A Realtor is a perfect guide to advise you on what updates you might consider making to your home to get the best and highest offer. Enlisting an agent now provides more time to strategize and develop a unique marketing plan for your home. Many moving pieces like decluttering, staging, scheduling professional photographs, and promotional strategy to put in motion.

A listing agent is probably not the only help you need on your home-selling journey.  A real estate professional is best positioned to make recommendations that will suit your personality and particular needs. It's wise to take advantage of the experience your Realtor has acquired over years of assisting hundreds of homeowners sell their property.

Picture the Twin Cities spring real estate market kickoff with frigid temperatures and late winter slosh on the ground. Visualize your home shining at its highest potential because you began your preparation early. Envision you at the closing table, smiling as you move on to your next home.