Although the spring property market would usually be in full swing right about now, most real estate operations have been temporarily halted by the coronavirus pandemic.  Even so, it really does not mean that you can’t take the opportunity to get your home ready to go on sale once the pandemic is under control and things are getting back to normal. 

With all that in mind, we have put together some suggestions of things to do to get your home ready for the post-coronavirus property market. Keep on reading to find out more. 

Get on top of any minor repairs

We all know what it is like. That slightly drippy faucet, or that dodgy roof tile that is so easy and quick to sort out but you just never seem to have time to do – now is the time to do it! Order your materials online if you are self-isolating or want to avoid the socially-distant queues at the store, get your ladders out and get fixing.

Some of the jobs might include:

  • Minor roof fixes – loose tiles etc
  • Unblock or replace guttering
  • Sort out blocked drain repair
  • Replace broken fences and gates
  • Tighten faucets
  • Fill holes in walls and doors

In most cases, these repairs will not take a huge amount of time or effort or money on your part, even if you call in the professionals to do it for you. However, when it comes to putting your property on the market, it can help increase the value of your home and makes it much more likely to get your asking price.

Improve the curb appeal

By curb appeal, we mean the impression that any potential buyers get when they pull up to the kerb outside your property. First impressions always count, and if your front yard is overgrown, the trash cans are scattered around, the paint on the door is flaking and the windows are dirty – well, it is not going to give your buyers the best first impression and they are likely to drive off without taking a look, let alone putting in a reasonable offer.

Some tasks to improve the curb appeal include:

  • Hiding the trash cans out of sight
  • Giving the front door, window sills and garage doors a new lick of paint
  • Mowing and weeding the front lawn
  • Tidying up any flower beds or window boxes
  • Cleaning up the windows
  • Putting in some shrubs 
  • Adding plenty of lighting around your front door
  • Fixing and painting any fences and gates
  • Jetwashing and resanding the paths or driveway

Give it a good declutter

Clutter is not only extremely off-putting to people who look at your property with a view to buying, but it also makes it much easier for you when you come to move house. Go through every room in the house systematically and give it a good declutter.

One way to approach this is to apply the Kon Mari method. If something does not have a useful purpose or does not bring you any sort of joy, get rid. Do not hold onto something just for the sake of it or in case you need it in the future. The chances are that if you have not used it in six months, you are not going to use it again in the future. 

Make sure that you do get rid of anything you decide not to keep responsibly. Of course, if it is broken and beyond repair, the only place to put it is in the trash. Anything that may be reused, look at the following options:

  • eBay
  • Facebook Marketplace or buy and sell groups
  • Thrift stores
  • Tabletop sales
  • Craigslist
  • Donate to a women’s refuge or homeless shelter
  • Ask friends or family if they want it

Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

Get all of your paperwork in order

One of the worst things to happen would be that you start the process of putting your property on the market to sell but when it comes to it, the paperwork is all over the place and you cannot find half of it. Buying and selling a property can be stressful enough as it is, and you really do not want to be adding to that in any way. 

Use this time to start collating your paperwork and documents and putting them in some sort of order, so you know precisely where everything is when it comes to needing it. This includes any legal documents and deeds, land surveys, insurance documents, proof of identity and income, receipts and invoices for work done around the house and useful information such as recent utility bills to show potential buyers.

Pack away anything you no longer need

Once you have had a big declutter and got rid of anything unnecessary, you could start looking at packing away anything that you know you will not need until after you have found and moved into a new property. Start with the stuff you usually keep shut away in the basement or attic, such as seasonal items. You are likely to have moved before Christmas, so you could probably pack up and label Christmas decorations so that is one less box to pack when you start the moving process. 

Get quotes

Now you have a better idea of how much stuff you will be taking with you to a new house and have started packing away the odd thing here and there, you may want to start collating quotes for your removal company. Make them aware that at the moment, it is just a quote that you are after as you are not entirely sure how many boxes you will have. This will give you an idea about how much money you need to put aside to cover this part of the moving process.

While you may feel like the COVID-19 pandemic has halted your plans to sell your house and find the home of your dreams, it hasn’t. Use this time wisely and before you know it, your house will be on the market.