When it comes to Real Estate, the Ottawa spring market begins as early as February. As the cold grip of winter starts to loosen, homeowners come out in the masses looking to sell their homes. The statistics don’t lie, homes sold during the spring season sell much faster and on average 2% higher than homes sold during the off seasons.

However, to properly prepare for the rush of Spring home buyers it’s best to start preparing your home now. We’ve narrowed down our top four tips to ensure your home is set for Ottawa’s Spring Home Market.

1. The first step in selling your home is always determining the worth of your home. Pricing your home correctly is imperative to ensure a smooth real estate experience. As the real estate market shifts over time so does the market value of your home. The Ray Otten Team has your back. Check out our home value calculator to see the current value of your home based on recent Ottawa real estate trends! If you’d like to talk more about the value of your home give Ray a call at 613-288-2455.
2. Our second tip involves choosing the correct time to sell. If you sell to late you may experience a decrease in demand but if you sell early you could end up selling for a much lower price than you’d like. Although the real estate industry is constantly shifting the peak Spring season generally runs between March and May. A new home listing is often viewed five times more during its first day online when compared with one week after being posted online. These stats may be slightly alarming but only reinforce the importance of correct timing. Every market has its highs and lows. The Ray Otten Team knows Ottawa, give us a call at 613-288-2455 and we can help you determine the perfect time to list your home.
3. Once you have determined the price and time of your listing it’s time to get your home looking in tip-top shape. This includes the exterior of your home as well. Curb appeal is one of the most prominent draws for potential buyers with 63% of potential buyers following up on listings they passed by. Increasing your curb appeal does not have to involve a complete home overhaul. Simple fixes such as cleaning up clutter from your yard or giving your window trim a quick coat of paint are enough to boost curb appeal to potential buyers. If you feel the need to invest in larger projects such as a roof repair, don’t fret these projects can often add thousands of dollars to your home value.
4. The final step in preparing your home is to ensure the interior of your home is fit for showings. This means tidying up as much clutter as possible and packing up anything nonessential. You want potential home buyers to see themselves living in your home. This means decluttering your closets and main living spaces, cleaning off counters and ensuring personal items are hidden or packed away during showings.

We hope these four tips help you in preparing your home for the Spring Market. If you find yourself searching for more advice give The Ray Otten Team a call at (613) 288-2455 or email us at here, or book an appointment. We’ll be sure to help you, regardless of which stage of home preparation you are in!