Summertime, And Selling a Home Isn’t Easy

Spring is peak season for selling homes, with activity ebbing during the summer months as people vacation and maintain busy social schedules. To move homes during the hot months requires a special strategy, experts agree. Not only are sellers dealing with a slower market, they also must work harder to keep their property in tip-top shape for showing appointments — something that can be challenging when kids are home for the summer. “You need to create a game plan with your kids,” suggests Michelle Morris, an agent with Re/Max Gateway in Chantilly, Va. “Show them the photos of the house the way it looks on your listing and tell them that’s what it needs to look like every day. They need to make their beds and pick up their clothes.” An even better idea, she adds, is to pack the kids up and send them to visit their grandparents for a couple of weeks when the home is first listed — which is when it will receive the most traffic. The heat of summer also means that sellers should keep the thermostat low, even when they are not home, so that the house is always cool and refreshing to prospective buyers. “Don’t think twice about your electric bill when you’re selling your home,” insists Laura McCaffrey of Bethesda, Md.-based Evers & Co. Real Estate. “It’s a huge turnoff to buyers if they go to the third floor of your house and it’s stuffy.” The heat also will make pet and garbage odor and other bad smells stand out. Additionally, house-hunters are more likely to spend more time examining outdoor spaces during the summer as well as visit listings later into the evening. Sellers, therefore, should make sure their curb appeal is maximized at all times and, when late showings are scheduled, leave on strategically located interior lights so that the home looks inviting to those driving by. | Read More