Summer Real Estate Tips: Selling a Home

Why is summer such a great time to sell a home? Well, if you live in a family-friendly area, then real estate is likely booming during this time.

That’s because parents with children want to get settled in a new home before the school year begins. This is true whether you live in a place where school starts at the end of July or August, or the beginning of September.

Tips on selling during summer

So, what are some of the uniquely summer things that you can do to prepare your home to sell? Here are some house showing and staging tips that you should keep in mind when selling a summer real estate market.

Make curb appeal top of mind

How your home looks from the outside can be the difference between a buyer booking a showing and driving right by. So, in summer, you have to pay extra attention to curb appeal.

Here are some tasks you’ll have to attend to regularly.

1. Keeping lawn mowed.

2. Weeding gardens.

3. Pruning bushes and flowers.

4. Sweeping porch, walk and driveway.

5. Clearing away cobwebs.

6. Replacing burned out exterior lights.

7. Maintaining your mailbox.

8. Putting away summer accessories, toys and bicycles.

9. Store trashcans out of sight.

10. Freshening mulch in gardens as necessary.

Highlight your outdoor living space

During warm-weather months, it’s natural for homebuyers to imagine themselves spending time outdoors. If you have a backyard that’s perfect for entertaining, play it up.

Make sure your outdoor living space includes everything a buyer would want in the ideal backyard:

1. Grill

2. Patio furniture

3. Umbrella

4. Lounge chairs or Adirondack chairs

5. Fire pit

6. Patio or deck

7. Well-kept lawn

Summer real estate staging tips

It’s important that your home's staging reflects the season. So, when staging a home to selling in spring and summer, keep spring and summer “images” in mind.

What might appeal to homebuyers based on that season? For example, if you’re selling a home with a pool, you may want to have colorful beach towels and plastic drinkware staged outside in the backyard.

Fresh flowers are abundant during spring and summer. So make sure you have them in vases throughout your home.

If you live near the beach, you may want to decorate with beach-themed items. When we were selling our home at the Jersey Shore, some of our staging props included a book on lighthouses, glass jars full of shells and new doormats that said things like “Life is Better at the Beach.”