Fall is one of the better times of year to sell your Sioux Falls home. People who are thinking of moving want to find a place and settle in before the cold winds of winter descend, and you’ll want to nail down your new living situation, as well. Of course, you’re going to face challenges to selling in any season. If you have kids, fall can be a busy time, what with preparing to send them back to school and trying to get them on a regular schedule after the carefree days of summer.
This could make for a house in chaos, and that’s not even including seasonal challenges like falling leaves cluttering the yard and clogging the gutters. If you’re keen to take advantage of this popular real estate market, start by finding an experienced realtor to help you prepare, and then put a few practices in place to give yourself the best chance to sell your home during the busy back-to-school season.
Add Storage
In preparation for sending the kids back to school, you’ve probably cleared out old supplies and clothing. Of course, you’ve replaced them with a lot of new stuff, and when kids come home after a long day of reading, writing, and arithmetic, they may unceremoniously dump their stuff and spread homework hither and yon.
This is not good news when you’re getting last minute calls for viewings of the house. What can you do to keep clutter to an easy-to-clean minimum? Create a dedicated space for homework so that the clutter is contained, and add attractive storage so you can sweep everything out of sight at a moment’s notice, if necessary.
Create a Game Plan
If you can swing it, try to arrange for at least 1-2 hours’ notice before prospective buyers show up to view the house. This will give you time to tidy up, especially if you have a checklist in place for stashing clutter, wiping counters, sweeping, and so on. If you just can’t arrange for this buffer every time, at least have dedicated storage ready to dump the clutter and get the family on board with light cleaning daily.
You also need to have an idea of where to go when realtors show up with their clients to view the house. Make a list of nearby parks, museums, coffee shops, and even friends’ houses where you can pop in for a bit while your house is being viewed.
Tidy Your Home Exterior
Fall is notoriously messy, what with leaves falling and inclement weather striking. You’ll want to get your gutters cleaned before you list your home, but you’ll also have to prune plants, rake regularly, and perhaps power wash the house and clean the windows in preparation for showings. Add a few plants in seasonal reds and golds to create some curb appeal.
Add Seasonal Hallmarks to Your Sioux Falls Home
You can mirror outdoor hues inside with well-placed vases of sunflowers, but you should also make sure your home is nice and cozy. Service your HVAC and have your chimney and fireplace cleaned, just in case you need to fire up the furnace or even add the pleasant crackle of a fire to an open house.
