The highly anticipated 2018 home selling season is almost here and for the many homeowners that are planning on selling their home this year, there are certain steps to take to ensure they are fully prepared for a successful season.

Marisa Salas, the Showhomes franchisee in Coral Gables, Pinecrest and Key Biscayne provided five helpful tips for homeowners who are looking to get their homes ready of the busy home selling season. Showhomes is America’s largest home staging franchise, and its franchisees across the county help homeowners sell their home significantly faster by staging their home once it goes on the market.

1. Declutter, declutter, declutter!

While this should be done year-round, the months before putting your home on the market is a great time to go through your old items and get rid of anything you don’t need anymore. I always recommend people getting a hamper to put old items in throughout the year. If your son grew out of his shoes in December, put them in the hamper. If you don’t use your old VCR, put it in the hamper. This will decrease the buildup and make spring cleaning easier.  

When you put your home on the market, whether you use a home staging company or not, you should be putting everything that is on your counters and tables away. Proactively doing this before putting your home on that market is a great idea. I also tell my clients that this is pre-packing, so it will help you be proactive in the packing process.

2. Deep Clean Everything

No matter how bad your winter season is, it is always necessary to do a deep clean inside and outside your home. In Florida, I notice a lot of people don’t wash their screens and windows as thoroughly as they should. This causes less light to shine into the home, which looks bad when people are touring. In addition, it is important to do a cleanse of your outside areas. Having an outside living area is a huge plus no matter what part of the country you live in. Being able to show this to potential sellers can really make a difference. Finally, if you have pet, it is important to get rid of all their hair. Aside from people’s preferences about animals, many people are allergic to animals, which could be a huge issue if someone is touring your home.

3. Freshen your Accessories

As we get into the spring season, the popular colors are changing from warm muted colors to bring and vibrant colors. It is important to invest in bringing accent colors into your home with pillows, vases and artwork. I always recommend people to accessorize with matching colors to the artwork to tie the whole room together. Right now, in Florida, blues, light greens and whites are super popular.

Another accessory that many people overthink is using fresh flowers. During the spring season this is a great idea to brighten the inside of a home, especially if potential buyers are touring on a dreary day. I recommend people putting flowers on their coffee table, kitchen island or counter and in the master bathroom.  

4. Increase Curb Appeal

The phrase, ‘you only get once chance at a first impression’, holds true also with homes. It is important to put a lot of effort into increasing your curb appeal. This means to touch up your lawn and garden. After the winter season, there can be old leaves, dead grass and flowers or trash on your lawn. It is worthwhile to invest in cleaning up your lawn and planting new grass or flowers to make the first impression of your home the best possible.

5. Find a Hidden Place for Personal Items

As you are decluttering your home, keep in mind to take away any personal items. This doesn’t just mean to hide personal information like your checkbook or passport but also anything that personalizes your home like beauty products, vacation souvenirs or an abundance of family photos. Buyers want to be able to visualize themselves living in your home so providing a clean slate is a great way to create this possibility.