January news letter -Great tips for Sellers in 2022

Since 2015, inventory has been low, creating a strong seller’s market where multiple offers are the norm. This has amplified over the Covid-19 pandemic with people wanting to purchase a home for more space, independence, or to take advantage of the historically low cost of borrowing.

 

If you own your current home and plan on moving there are some things to consider.

 

Do you buy or sell first? In a seller’s market like we have today, it can be difficult to find a home. Given this, we recommend buying first. This can pose some challenges, but we are here to help.

 

Imagine this... you find the perfect home, but the seller is looking for a 30-day closing. This means there is a lot to do in a relatively short period of time. You have to get your home ready to sell for top dollar! There is an old saying in sports, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity! With that in mind, don’t put off preparing your home to sell prior to house hunting. You will want to have your house ready to list the moment you find your next home.

 

Below are things that you should consider doing now if you are thinking of making a move this year.

Step 1 - Start Decluttering   Here are some decluttering tips from the website 'Becoming a Minimalist' to help get you started.   Create a decluttering checklist. It’s a lot easier to declutter when you have a plan and know where to start.   View your home as a potential buyer. It’s easy to forget what your home looks like to a new visitor. Enter your home as if you’re visiting the home of a friend. Write down your first impression on how clean and organized the home is and make changes.   Take before and after photos of a small area. Choose one part of your home, like your kitchen counter, and take a photo of a small area. Quickly clear off the items in the photo and take an after photo. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering more of your home.   Use the Four-Box Method. Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Enter any room in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don’t skip a single item, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This may take days, weeks, or months, but it will help you see how many items you really own and you’ll know exactly what to do with each item.   Check out the full article: How to declutter your home: 10 creative decluttering tips By: Joshua Becker at becomingminimalist.com https://www.becomingminimalist.com/creative-ways-to-declutter/

 

 

Step 2 - Paint

 

This will offer you the biggest bang for your buck. Keep paint neutral in colour

 

Check out the most popular colours at Benjamin Moore and some painting tips from HGTV to help you get started.

 

Benjamin Moore most popular colours

 

15-painting-tips-to-paint-like-a-pro

 

 

 

 

Step 3 - Repairs and Upgrades Inspect your home and identify what repairs and upgrades need to be done. It can be helpful to have the JSA team through your home to provide you with guidance on what should be done to increase your home's value. It is our experience that upgrades such as hardwood flooring, updated countertops, light fixtures, and crown molding can bring excellent returns on your investment. We study the homes every day and can advise you if there are certain updates and upgrades that buyers are paying extra for in your area.