With winter now upon us, spring will be here before you know it. When we first bought our home here, I distinctly remember our Big Canoe Realty agent saying that within a few years, we may be ready to put the house back on the market. His thought was that we might outgrow the space or want to move to a different neighborhood within the community. I thought he was crazy. Well, fast-forward 3 years, and we are now looking to move a little bit farther up the mountain for an even better view. Here are some tips to get your house ready for the selling season.

Make sure that your interior wall colors are current, but still neutral enough that a prospective homebuyer can see himself or herself in the home. That also goes for the exterior of your home. Before you run down to Ace and get a few gallons of paint, make sure you are familiar with Big Canoe’s Architectural & Environmental Control guidelines. When in doubt about exterior colors or landscaping questions, give them a call at (706) 268-3394.

When it comes to decorating, I leave it to an expert and call in a professional home-stager. But before bringing in the pros, make sure to at least declutter each room. Another great resource we have at Big Canoe is the recycling center. Don’t forget that the last Saturday of each month is bulk trash day. I have been reminded by my wife several times that my papasan chair, although once cool when I was in college, no longer resonates with today’s home buyer. Speaking of today’s homebuyer, they are doing their homework and want homes that are more energy efficient. Make sure to upgrade HVAC systems, hot water heaters, etc. Replacing those outdated thermostats with new digital upgrades from manufacturers like Nest will not only be money well spent, it will allow the new home buyer to control the temperatures via smart phones and other devices when they are away from the house.