If selling their current home is on the agenda for autumn, homeowners have every reason to be upbeat about the prospects. The six months from April through September of this year have seen the pace of recovery in the metropolitan Chicago real estate market accelerate considerably. There were 29 percent more home sales and the median sales price was 13 percent higher than during the same period in 2012.
Owners eager to attract serious buyers at this time of year, when temperatures drop, daylight shortens and gardens fade, are well advised to take steps that will increase their odds of garnering not just a single offer, but several.
A home must be priced right to attract buyers, but it is also vital to maintain its curb appeal. Otherwise, buyers may simply drive away without setting foot in the residence, according to Johanna Koslofski, broker/owner of RE/MAX Valley, REALTORS®, in Roscoe, Ill.
“Landscape is important at anytime of year when it comes to curb appeal,” Koslofski says. “You don’t want a landscape that gives the impression the home isn’t nicely maintained.”
That means raking up leaves and cutting back dead plants as much as possible – but don’t damage the perennials. With few if any flowers in the yard to grab the eyes of visitors, be sure the front entrance area looks especially attractive as it is the first thing buyers encounter.
