Winter is presumably a slower time in the real estate market. Although this is not always true and houses sell all year round, Spring is often a preferred time to sell a home as properties are easier to view, homes look brighter and greener, and buyers are more motivated to physically move in warmer weather. If you are considering putting your home on the market in the Spring, here are some ideas that can help prepare your home for a fast, efficient, and successful sale. 

1) DECLUTTER - This is easily the most important thing to do in your home. Put yourself in the buyers shoes. If you walked into a home and there were shoes laying around the front entrance, piles of mail sitting on the side table, jackets bursting out of the closet, and other unnecessary clutter laying around the house, it would distract you from seeing the homes potential. Start in one room and make a list of what needs to be put away or recycled. Use the storage space in your basement, garage or rent a storage space temporarily. Put away seasonal items. Sell anything of value you no longer use on kijiji.com or Kootenay Buy and Sell. Give away items to friends and family. Donate old clothes, towels, furniture, etc. to the Salvation Army. 
Decide if there is any furniture you can remove to create more space. You want potential buyers to move freely from room to room so consider your furniture placement and see if there are any unused pieces that can be stored.
Kitchens are extremely important rooms in the home to declutter. Do your best to remove everything from the counters as this creates a cleaner and more spacious look. Clean and polish your appliances top to bottom. You want your home to look its absolute best! 

2) DEPERSONALIZE - Go through your home and remove excessive amounts of personal photos. You want the buyer to envision THEIR family and friends in the home, not yours. Take a look at your decor and aim for neutral art and colors. Your taste may be different from a potential buyers so you want to minimize distraction. 

3) DIY - Walk through your home and pretend you are a buyer. What would stand out to you? Is there a cracked light fixture in the bathroom that could be repaired? Maybe a missing baseboard? A tear in the carpet? Once you have this list, tackle the smaller projects one at a time. These small repairs can go a long way aesthetically. If there is a room or area of the home that you think could be better organized, go online search for clever ways to bring order to the room. Pinterest is a great resource! 

4) CLOSET MAKEOVER - Storage is a concern for many home buyers so make sure your closets look their best. People DO look! If you have too many clothes or items filling your closet it makes the space seem small. Remove seasonal items and store away. Organize your clothes so everything looks neat and tidy. This goes a long way! 

5) CURB APPEAL - First impressions are important so put some effort into making the front of your home appealing. If the weather doesn't permit painting trim, washing windows, etc., make a to-do list for when the weather improves! Take a look at your front door and consider a fresh coat of paint, a decorative wreath, a new mat or anything that will make your home feel more welcoming. When the snow is gone, clean out garden beds, sweep and wash the sidewalks and driveway, and consider having your windows professionally cleaned. Plant some spring flowers! 

6) SET THE STAGE! - Staging a home before a showing is very important. Buy or borrow matching towels for the bathrooms. Use neutral decor. Less is more! Darlene loves to stage homes so when in doubt, ask her for her opinion. She is always willing to help and give ideas how to better show your home.