It’s been a hot summer so far, but have no fear – simple strategies exist for combatting the heat that selling that home.
By Peter Ricci
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot outside – quite hot, in fact! All throughout the Midwest, temperatures have been raging (they hit 107 in Evansville, Indiana in June), and they’ve made the home searching process a bit more, how can we phrase it, sweaty?
As with any adversity in real estate, though, there are simple, practical solutions to the 2012 heat wave, and we’ve got five that can make those blistering home showings a bit more bearable.
- Central Air – Make sure you don’t skimp on air conditioning; few things are more trying on a consumer’s nerves than a hot, muggy environment. Keep the property at a col 72 degrees, and if the home does not have central air, you may want to consider holding off on the listing until the Autumn months, when mother nature should be a bit calmer.
- Watch Those Odors – As anyone who has owned a cat will attest, high temperatures can be odors’ best friend, and if the temperature of a home runs too high, certain odors – kitty litter, garbage, etc. – could run rampant. So, in addition to step one, invest in some dehumidifiers, and consider scented candles and plug-in scented oils.
- It Ain’t Easy Being Green – The most obvious sign of hot temperatures is a yellow front lawn, so crank up the sprinklers and make sure the front of the property is green, healthy and welcoming.
- De-Pollinate – Summer flowers are lovely (especially when arranged throughout the home!), but their pollen has the tendency to stick to doors and windows, so be persistent in cleaning the home’s exterior before showings.
- A Cold One – A great touch would be having cold drinks ready for prospective homebuyers, such as a pitcher of lemonade or ice water; those kinds of small touches can make big impressions on people.
Those are the five we came up with, but what strategies have you found helpful in selling during the summer season?