You may have heard that spring is the optimal time to sell your home, with many home sellers garnering a price thousands of dollars above the going market rate, according to Attom Data. But right behind the peak spring season is summer, which still offers the conveniences of shopping in warm weather and benefits from the overflow of buyers who didn’t find what they were looking for a month or two earlier.
As a home seller, staging your home appropriately for the summer months is an important part of making it as appealing as possible to buyers. Here are a few noteworthy selling and staging tips to make sure your home is presented in the best possible light:
Keep it cool. Nothing is more important in the summer months than keeping your home cool. Heat-weary buyers will immediately appreciate your home if it’s a haven from the scorching sun and uncomfortable humidity, so be sure to keep your central air a couple of degrees lower than you might normally would while showing your home (this is not the time to try to save on energy costs). On the flip side, don’t freeze buyers out either. Strive for comfort, not chill.
Have water on hand. Make sure you’re stocked with enough water to keep your water cooler well supplied, or keep a jug-sized dispenser on a convenient tabletop along with disposable cups and a nearby recycle bin. Summertime home shoppers will undoubtedly be thirsty, so make sure your home is ready to meet this basic need. It will help buyers feel welcome, and sipping cool water—or perhaps some refreshing lemonade—will also help keep them in your home longer.
Don’t shut out the light. While you may be in the habit of closing your blinds and curtains or pulling down the shades during the hottest parts of the day in summer, while your home is on the market, it’s important to keep all window coverings raised or open. This allows home shoppers to appreciate the natural light that flows through your home, and adds to its spaciousness. Having all the window coverings drawn could give the rooms in your home a cave-like feeling, which may be great to cool you off in summer, but not appealing to homebuyers.
Up your outdoor game. Homebuyers will naturally pay more attention to your home’s outdoor environs in the summer months, envisioning how they might spend their summers in your yard or entertain guests on the patio. While you may use your outdoor space less frequently in the dog days of summer, make sure it is as appealing as possible while showing your home. Get rid of unsightly weeds, keep garden beds freshly mulched, add shade elements, such as a patio umbrella or a strategically placed pergola, and make sure your lawn is watered, trim and healthy, doing your best to stave off any dry patches. Keeping a water feature running will give home shoppers a cooling sense, and if you have a pool, make sure the water is sparkling clean and the area is free of pool toys.
Your real estate agent will be able to guide you with more specific ideas for selling your home in summer, so be sure to heed their advice.