It’s no secret that Spring is typically the best time to sell a home. The holidays are finally over, so people actually have time to look, the weather is prime to make the lawn and landscaping look great, and the school year will be over soon, so parents can buy without uprooting their kids mid-school year.

Combine all those factors with the low interest rates we’re seeing right now, and it’s a great time to sell. However, selling a house is never a cake walk no matter how good the market is. We know anyone looking for a new construction home in Tulsa will have to sell their current home first, so we put together a quick list of how to sell your home in Spring.

Invest in Landscaping– This time of year makes landscaping a no brainer. Make sure the lawn is mowed, weeds are pulled, and fresh flowers are planted. If your thumb isn’t so green, it may be worth hiring a professional landscaper to do the dirty work for you.

First Impression– A home listing will never get more views in a single day than the first day it’s listed. With the steaks this high, you can’t afford to blow this first impression. Make sure the pictures are perfect and the price is right before your home goes live on the market.

Aim for Thursday– Speaking of listing your home, studies have shown that homes listed on Thursdays will sell faster. No one is exactly certain why this happens, but we’re guessing it’s because most buyers look on the weekends, so they start looking online on Thursdays. Regardless of the reason, it’s an easy step to take to increase the odds of a fast sale.

Be Realistic– Yes, it can be a seller’s market this time of year, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to be unrealistic about price and timeframe. You still need to list your home at a fair price and be ready to wait it out.

If you’re in the market for a new construction home in the Tulsa area, call Perry Hood Properties.

 

A fresh coat of paint, new hardwood floors, remodeling the bathroom, and sprucing up the landscaping are all the tried and true ways to increase the value of your home. However, there are a few factors that can move the needle on your home’s value that may surprise you.

Kind of Blue

The study of color psychology is fascinating, and the folks at Zillow decided to conduct a study on how colors affect the value of a home. By looking at more than 30,000 pictures of sold homes across the country, they found painting kitchens and bathrooms blue to be a strong value-adding factor. Blue kitchens fetched an extra $1,809, while blue bathrooms garnered an additional $5,440.

Coffee Run

Homes located within a quarter mile of a Starbucks increased their value by 96% between 1997 and 2014 compared to 65% for all US homes. Researchers also looked to see if a similar boost was seen by homes near other coffee shops. They found that these homes did, in fact, see a greater boost when compared to the average US home, although it was not as high as the Starbucks homes.

Easy Street

Studies have shown that people prefer to live on a street with a name, like Elm, instead of a street with a number, like 31^st. What’s even more surprising is that researchers have found a correlation between price and address suffix. Street is the least expensive, boulevard is the most expensive.

Chip and Jojo

Living in Oklahoma, we’re all well acquainted with that adorable couple down in Waco. The Gaines have made quite a splash on the home improvement and real estate market. By listing some of their favorite home features like “farmhouse sink” or “barn doors” homes are selling for more money and they’re selling much faster.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s March and that means it’s time to clean. No one is sure of the exact origins, but for some reason the Spring season has become synonymous with finally getting around to those cleaning duties you normally neglect. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. That’s why we put together a quick list you can use to get the ball rolling on your Spring cleaning.

Shampoo Rugs and Carpet

Regular vacuuming is a good idea, but rugs and carpet will collect stains and dinginess overtime that vacuums just can’t get out. Giving rugs and carpets a good wash with hot water and shampoo once a year will keep them in tip top shape. You can either rent a carpet cleaner or pay professionals to do it for you.

Clean Walls and Ceilings

Walls will get scuffed up and ceilings will get dusty throughout the year, but it’s easy to not notice these blemishes as they slowly accumulate. Take this opportunity to wipe down walls and dust ceilings.

Polish Knobs and Handles

Every time you open a door or cabinet, your hands leave a little oil on the knob or handle. This oil can slowly build up and become unsightly. Grab a bottle of metal polish and clean off this build up.

Wax Wooden Furniture

Applying a new coat of wax to your wooden furniture will keep it looking good and protect it from damage. Apply the wax with a cotton cloth, let it dry, and then buff with a clean cloth.

Purge Everything

Now is a great time to go room by room and evaluate what you really want to keep. It’s easy to let little knick knacks pile up and end up with a house full of junk. Get some boxes and start filling them with things you don’t really need to keep and then drop the boxes off at your local Goodwill.

Dust Like There’s No Tomorrow

Window seals, ceiling fans, air vents, bookshelves, blinds, and all the other places that collect dust need to be dealt with.

If you want to get really serious about your Spring cleaning, here’s a truly exhaustive list of things you can clean around your house.