It’s the most wonderful time of the year… For home sales that is. Spring is the hottest season for real estate by a long shot. Whether you are looking to buy or sell, here’s what you need to do to get ready for the market:
Buyers
Looking to purchase a new home this spring? Whether you are a first-time home buyer or on your second, third or even fifth property, here are our top 3 items that will help you get prepared for your next home purchase.
Get Pre-Approved
This is the absolute most important step for any home buyer. You need to know your budget before you start shopping. The spring housing market is competitive and you need to be ready to move fast. This coupled with your must-have list will ensure that you are spending your efforts looking at homes in your price range. Plus, having pre-approval from your bank will help to make your offer more appealing to sellers which is always a bonus.
Make A List Of Must-Haves
Don’t confuse must-haves with those items on your ‘nice to have list’. To make your list, start with a brain dump that includes everything you could want in your new home. From there, do a deep dive into every list item and narrow it down to the things you cannot live without. That list will be powerful when it comes to putting in offers on potential homes. Go for ones that check all the items off on your must-haves and don’t get too hung up on the things that would be ‘nice to have’…you can upgrade those things yourself at a later date.
Know Where You Want To Live
Do you have neighbourhoods that are on the top of your list? Is being within walking distance to local shops and restaurants a non-negotiable? Are you willing to explore other locations if the home checks the items on your must-have list? These criteria are all extremely important and will allow your agent to set clear search parameters to zero in on your dream home!
Sellers
Looking to have your home hit the market just in time for spring? You’re not alone. Spring is by far the hottest time of the year for buyers and sellers to make their move! Here are our top 3 things that will help you get your home ready to be sold.
Do A Little Fixer Upper
You know that jiggly knob on your cupboard? The cracked cover plate on your electrical outlet? Or the wall going up the stairs that has all the handprints on it? All those little things that you have just learned to live with are exactly what you will want to remedy before your home hits the market. By no means do you have to do a complete renovation, but a little TLC, elbow grease and a coat of paint will go a long way in helping your listing to put its best foot forward. You might even consider home staging as the cherry on top!
Finalize Your Market Details
Before your listing can hit the market, you will need to work with your real estate agent to come up with a pricing model and strategy that fits your needs. Pricing your home is a strategic move that can help, or hurt your sale. It’s important that you let go of the emotional side of things and know what fair market value is. This will help your listing hit the market seamlessly and ensure that your expectations are met.
Sort Out Your Next Move
Knowing your next move is crucial. Have you already purchased your next home? Are you looking to downsize? Are you going to switch from owning to renting? Your next move will dictate what happens with the sale of your current home. It will also give you the opportunity to sort out a temporary rental or bridge financing if that is part of what you need to get you to your next move.
For both buyers and sellers, doing some legwork beforehand will ensure that your next real estate transaction is a smooth one. Not sure where to start? Give us a call today