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Staging Tips for the Spring<br />
With spring being the busiest time for real estate, homeowners planning to put their homes on the<br />
market shouldn’t wait for flowers to bloom before getting ready to sell. Having a few months to prepare<br />
can make for a much smoother selling experience. If you’re a prospective home seller, here are five<br />
things you can do now to get ready for a spring sale:<br />
Start Packing<br />
It may sound crazy to start packing months in advance of your move, but since you’ll eventually need<br />
to do this anyway, you might as well get organized now. We’re not suggesting you pack up your kitchen<br />
and eat off paper plates, but you can sort through your storage closets, attic, basement or garage to<br />
determine what you want to keep, what to give away and what to sell. Boxing up items will make your<br />
space look larger and neater when it’s time to show your home. You can also get an idea of whether<br />
you need to rent a storage facility while your home is on the market.<br />
Clear Away the Clutter<br />
If you visit model homes or open houses of homes that have been staged, you’ll never see a stack of<br />
unread magazines, children’s artwork loosely hanging on the refrigerator, or a cluster of unpaid bills on<br />
a table. While everyone has clutter, buyers want to see a fantasy version of your house, in which they<br />
can envision living. Once your home is on the market you’ll need to keep it as neat as possible. One<br />
way to make that easier is to reduce the amount of clutter you have on your shelves and surfaces. Put<br />
away items that are regularly on your kitchen sink and pack away the family photos that gather dust.<br />
Improve Your Home<br />
While you don’t necessarily want to do a major, expensive renovation project before you sell, you can<br />
make minor repairs and improvements that will make your home look fresher to buyers. Try things<br />
such as replacing the caulk and grout in your bathroom, updating old or rusted ceiling fans and light<br />
fixtures, and changing switch plates, doorknobs and other hardware for a clean and neat appearance.<br />
Consider painting your front door and trim even if your rooms don’t need new paint.<br />
Interview REALTORS®<br />
Your choice of a listing agent will make a big difference in how quickly your home sells and how much<br />
of a profit you’ll realize. Get recommendations from friends and interview several listing agents to see<br />
which ones have the right experience with similar homes in your price range and area. A REALTOR®<br />
with a great marketing plan and deep local knowledge is extremely important. Don’t just go with the<br />
one who tells you they can sell for the highest price; choose someone who can present you with a<br />
detailed market analysis.<br />
Research Your Market<br />
If you plan to buy another home, an important decision to make is whether to sell your home first or<br />
make an offer on a new home before putting yours on the market. A knowledgeable REALTOR® can<br />
help you evaluate how fast homes are selling in your market and help you estimate how long it will<br />
take you to find a home. This decision also depends on your financing, so you may want to consult with<br />
a lender to see how you can finance the transition from one home to another if you choose not to sell<br />
your home first.<br />
Events Around Town<br />
for April <strong>2015</strong><br />
MLB Spring Training<br />
<strong>March</strong> 3rd - April 4th<br />
Schedule:<br />
http://<br />
www.cactusleague.com/files/<br />
schedule<strong>2015</strong>.pdf<br />
40th Annual Maricopa County<br />
Fair<br />
April 8 - April 12, <strong>2015</strong><br />
Phoenix - Arizona State<br />
Fairgrounds<br />
40th Annual Maricopa County Fair<br />
– Here We Grow Again - State<br />
Fairgrounds, an annual occasion<br />
to celebrate & pursue the<br />
traditional values of educational<br />
opportunity, agricultural prosperity<br />
& l o v e o f f a m i l y, m i d w a y,<br />
commercial exhibits, hobbies,<br />
agriculture & youth exhibits,<br />
motorized events, $9, children 7 &<br />
under are free, 602-252-0717 or<br />
www.maricopacountyfair.org<br />
Disney On Ice presents Worlds<br />
of Fantasy<br />
Disney On Ice presents Worlds of<br />
Fantasy<br />
April 8 - April 12, <strong>2015</strong><br />
Disney On Ice presents Worlds of<br />
Fantasy – US Airways Center, by<br />
Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt,<br />
with four favorite Disney stories,<br />
high-speed stunts as Lightning<br />
McQueen, Mater and the crew of<br />
Pixar's Cars race across the ice;<br />
dive into The Little Mermaid's<br />
enchanting undersea kingdom;<br />
enter the mystical world of Pixie<br />
Hollow with Tinker Bell and the<br />
Disney Fairies and the magic that<br />
lies within; Buzz Lightyear,<br />
Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story<br />
g a n g e s c a p e f r o m t h e<br />
rambunctious tots of Sunnyside<br />
Daycare in their most daring<br />
adventure ever, $24-69,<br />
usairwayscenter.com<br />
<strong>2015</strong> Country Thunder<br />
Florence<br />
April 9 - April 12, <strong>2015</strong><br />
4 days of the hottest country acts,<br />
this year headliners include in<br />
addition to 20 other national and<br />
local country acts, 866-802-6418<br />
or www.countrythunder.com
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