Spring is almost here! The warmer weather, beautiful flowers, and longer days are perfect for viewing homes in person, and it’s no wonder that the spring season is a popular time for home buyers to start looking at homes and neighborhoods.

But before you start driving around and visiting open houses, you should follow these important house hunting tips.

1. Get Preapproved for a Mortgage

Getting preapproved for a home loan is one of the best tools you have when searching for a home, especially when you have competition.

If you are preapproved, the home seller takes your offer seriously and may end up accepting your offer over another interested home buyer who is not preapproved.

2. Get to Know the Neighborhood

If you have a specific home in mind, it’s best to visit the area more than once, at different times of the day and week.

3. Have a List of Your Wants and Needs

Have a detailed house hunting checklist outlining your wants and needs, and make sure that your list covers the type of home (e.g. house or condo), the location, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and home features that you are looking for.

One mistake that home buyers make during their home search, however, is having a wish list that is too strict. You don’t want to get stuck searching for the perfect home that may not exist.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Examine Everything

If you have narrowed your home search and are viewing homes in person, it’s time to examine everything: doorknobs, cabinets, windows, faucets, light switches. Now is the time to find out if there is anything that needs repair, not after closing.

5. Consider the Weather

Relocating from another state or country? When buying a home in a new area, considering weather conditions and seasonal temperature changes is important.

For example, you may value a home that has a covered garage if you move to an area where snow is more common, or you may want to choose a home with a shaded backyard in an area with warmer temperatures.

6. Order the Home Inspection

It’s crucial to have a trained professional examine the home you are interested in buying, even a home that has just been built. This is the best way to identify any major repairs that need to be made.

7. Have the Best Real Estate Agent on Your Side

If you are feeling frustrated and overwhelmed while house hunting and competing with other home buyers, your real estate agent is there to guide you through the process and keep you focused on the next steps.

We want you to be able to find the best home in the best location, and we are here to help. So if you are searching for a home this spring, talk with us about what you are looking for in a home and we can find it together.

The month of March brings spring, and with spring comes bright budding flowers, longer days, warmer weather, and spring cleaning. There is no better way to shake off the dreariness of winter than a freshly cleaned home ready to welcome the season. Here are 10 easy ways you can clean your home for spring.

1. Open the Windows

There’s nothing like the sun shining through your windows to usher in the feeling of spring.

Throw back the curtains, part the blinds, and open up the windows to let the fresh spring air waft through your home.

2. Organize Your Closets

If you are running out of closet space, you can put away many of your bulky winter clothes to leave room for your spring wardrobe. You can even take a few extra minutes to sort out any clothes you no longer wear to donate, giving you even more room for the upcoming season.

3. Use Detergent as an All-Purpose Cleaner

A little bit of laundry detergent can go a long way. Warm water, laundry detergent, and items that you may have around the house can help you clean:

• oil spills
• carpets
• cabinets
• stovetops
• sinks
• toilets
• walls
• countertops
• bathtubs
• and more!

These recipes for all-purpose cleaners recommend just 1/4 cup of detergent for 5 gallons of water. Simple and effective.

4. Brighten Rooms with Simple Changes

A simple change of pillows on a sofa or comforters on a bed can make a world of difference. You can rotate these household items seasonally, keeping your décor fresh and rooms feeling like new with very little effort.

5. Reorganize Living Areas

Again, small changes can make a big difference in the look and feel of your home, and rearranging the furniture in main living areas can leave your home feeling fresh and ready for spring.

6. Clean Light Switches and Fixtures

Take a few minutes to wipe fingerprints off light switches, dust your lamps, tighten the screws on any loose door hinges, and replace any incandescent light bulbs with brighter and more energy-efficient bulbs.

7. Clean Kitchen Appliances

Give your microwave and fridge a fresh look by cleaning any old food remnants from inside the appliances. An easy way to clean the microwave is by heating a bowl of water — the steam loosens the residue for easy clean-up.

8. Bring Plants Indoors

A few indoor flowers and plants can bring the fresh blooms of spring into your home, brightening living rooms, kitchens, or windowsills with ease.

9. Check Your Cabinets

Look in your kitchen and bathroom cabinets to see if anything has expired, is almost empty, or needs to be thrown away. This is a simple way to declutter your home’s key features without spending a lot of time cleaning.

10. Put Out a New Welcome Mat

What better way to welcome spring than with a new welcome mat outside your front door? This fresh feature not only adds another focal point to your entryway, it makes an excellent first impression for visitors.

Cleaning to Sell Your Home This Spring?

These spring cleaning tips can help you prepare your home to sell. Home buyers love to see homes that are bright, clean, and inviting from the front door, and these easy tips can help you get started. We can also recommend other home staging tips and home selling resources to help you make the largest return on your investment this spring; just contact us and we can talk about selling your home.