Spring is peak home-selling season in Chicago’s western suburbs. Although we may still be in the grip of winter, the spring real estate market is not far off. Now is the time to get your home in the best shape possible for displaying a “For Sale” sign on your lawn.

One of the most effective things you can do to help ensure a successful sale is to work with a john greene agent. Our agents have historically sold homes faster and for more money, which is one reason our brokerage has been voted the best real estate company by readers of Naperville Magazine for ten consecutive years from 2010 to 2019.

Prepping your home for the spring selling season calls for a number of tasks you should complete long before the listing photos are taken. We put together a few essential items for your home-selling to-do list, plus we created an infographic especially for sellers getting ready for the spring market.

Make Necessary Repairs and Improvements

Your john greene agent can help you decide which repairs and improvements you should make before listing your home. Anything broken, however, should be fixed—from small things like dripping faucets to big things like the HVAC system. Consider a pre-inspection to bring any issues to light.

Aside from repairs, you may need to make selective upgrades and improvements. These might include repainting walls and woodwork and replacing old kitchen appliances.

Focus on improvements that typically bring a high return on investment. Ask your john greene agent for advice or do research for your area. One source to check is Remodeling magazine’s 2019 Cost vs. Value Report. Data for the East North Central Region, which includes Illinois, shows that a garage door replacement had 95 percent return on investment.

Declutter and Clean

Your home will make an immediate first impression in listing photos and during viewings. A clean home that’s free of clutter will present your home in the best light.

Eliminating clutter will make it easier to clean your home and keep it clean. Decluttering means clearing surfaces—floors, counters, tables, and anything with a horizontal surface.

Decluttering also means removing personal items like toys, collections, and family photos. Personal items can distract buyers from visualizing themselves living in the home.

Be sure to declutter the attic, basement, and garage of your home. Get these spaces as empty as possible so buyers see all the space they can fill up with their own possessions.

Consider removing extra furniture during the decluttering process. Rooms look bigger with fewer pieces of furniture.

Might clutter include items you want to keep? Of course! Consider packing these items now. Resist the urge to store them in the attic or basement, however. Consider renting a temporary storage locker. Pack up and move items there. This strategy will help you declutter and pack at the same time.

Clean your home top to bottom and inside out. This includes windows and screens, garage, basement, and attic. On the outside of your home, be sure to clean entryways, decks, porches, patios, and pathways.

Improve Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is equally important in listing photos and when prospective buyers come to view your home. Does your home check off the boxes for an attractive exterior? Here are some key areas to check:

• a healthy lawn
• neat flowerbeds
• pruned and trimmed shrubs
• a new mailbox
• exterior lights in perfect working order
• a welcoming entryway
• a well-maintained driveway

Stage Your Home

A 2019 report by the National Association of Realtors offers compelling evidence on the impact of home staging. Eighty-three percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home for sale made it easier for buyers to visualize the property as their future home.

According to the NAR report, the rooms that sellers most commonly staged were the living room (93 percent), kitchen (84 percent), master bedroom (78 percent), and the dining room (72 percent).