Real Estate Talk:
Selling in spring and summer

How to prepare your house for a spring or summer sale

By Joseph Marovitch

April 24, 2019

Late spring and early-to-mid summer are excellent times to show a property since this is when a property will appear most appealing. The weather is warm, the flowers are budding, and the grass is green. The property is bright and colourful. It is a time of life and renewal.

However, spring and summer is also a short window of opportunity. July is the month when an audience of buyers begin vacation and mid-August is the construction holiday when almost everyone turns to travel and backyard picnics. Therefore, in that wonderful moment of opportunity, prepare in advance.

Late spring and early-to-mid summer are excellent times to show a property since this is when a property will appear most appealing.

Preparing the property for sale in the summer does not mean renovate the bathrooms and add a new kitchen or pave the driveway. These are the renovations a buyer performs upon purchasing a property. Preparing the house for a summer sale means repairing those issues that are most evident. If the front railing of the house is bent and rusty, repair or replace it. If the house requires a serious paint job, paint it. Repair or replace those items that a buyer will see upon visiting the house. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, plant the flowers, fill the pool. Clean the house and remove the clutter. Have a garage sale. If it is easy to repair, remove or clean, do so.

These little items are not a big deal while living in the house, but they can be a turn off for a prospective buyer. Clutter in the front yard, open toilet seats, dishes in the sink, long grass, dead flowers and especially bad smells can turn off most buyers unless they are decorators who see potential. As well, all these slight imperfections are much more apparent in summer when everything else has vivid colour and texture and is not blanketed by snow.

‘Open houses in May, June and July are very good to have and as frequent as possible, so maintain the house and keep it clean and uncluttered.’

I once sold a property for a client who thought it was a good idea to burn incense in the house for good luck. It is not a good idea. Baked cookies and bread smell good, flowers smell good, but “no smell” is the safest bet when showing a property.

Open houses in May, June and July are very good to have and as frequent as possible, so maintain the house and keep it clean and uncluttered. Price the house for the market and it should sell during the summer.

Should you have questions or comments, please refer to the comments section at the bottom of the page. As well, to view past articles, click here.

Have a great week!

Next article: Do ads sell your home? The truth about paper advertising.

State of the market

We are now the second largest housing market in Canada, and we are poised to overtake Vancouver, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. Reasons for this growth include the fact that Montreal is quickly becoming a reseller’s market only, as the city runs out of space to build.

‘We are now the second largest housing market in Canada, and we are poised to overtake Vancouver according the Canadian Real Estate Association.’

Another reason is that while many other provinces have placed restrictions on foreign buyers, Quebec has not. As such, Quebec is experiencing an influx of Asians and Europeans who find both opportunity in Quebec and the fact that their money is safer in Canada than in their own countries due to political and economic strife.

Before foreign buyers purchase what is left in Quebec, and they are purchasing property sight unseen, Quebecers still have an opportunity to purchase as well. In the not too distant future prices will rise significantly. Now is the time to take advantage and invest for the future.

Image: Andrew Burlone

Read other articles by Joseph Marovitch