Give these tips for selling your home during springtime a try. CLICK HERE to download the PDF/Printable version of this checklist

1. Wash windows inside and out, and polish all mirrors. 

Sparkle is free, and it sells homes. A potential buyer may not realize why your home seems so inviting but will feel drawn to it if the windows are spotless and your mirrors reflect sunlight. Cleaning is the first step in preparing your home for sale.

2. Rake the yard and trim the back bushes. 

Clean out dead leaves and debris in your lawn. Don't let overgrown vegetation block the windows or path to the entrance. Cutting bushes and tree limbs will let the sun inside and showcase the exterior of your home.

3. Mow your lawn diagonally and don't miss the edge lawn along your driveway and sidewalks. 

Artfully-manicured lawns are given an edge and tell buyers you pay attention to small details. Diagonally mowed lawns make your yard appear larger.

4. Transplant tulips and daffodils or buy flowers in containers. 

Yellow flowers specifically stimulate buying urges. After a long winter, everybody is anxious to see the first signs of spring. Yellow tulips and daffodils induce feelings of happiness and contentment. Arrange containers in groups of three or five near the entrance.

5. Clean drapes, curtains and blinds, and open every window. 

Send your window coverings to the dry cleaners or wash, dry, and press them. Toss blinds into a soapy bathtub for a quick wash. Get rid of all accumulated dust and spider webs. Crisp linens and a spring-time breeze through the windows invite the season inside.

6. Set out fresh flowers.

Freshly-cut lilac branches or peonies bring life to your space. Why not flatter your neighbors and ask if you can borrow flowers from their yards? Natural scents are more appealing than artificial, and trigger fewer allergies among those susceptible.

Peony vases are designed to hold peonies upright but wash the flowers first to avoid carrying ants inside. Clever home staging brings color and fragrance indoors.

7. Polish floors to a high gloss. 

Your hardwood floors should be refinished, if necessary. Make your ceramic and linoleum floors twinkle and shine. Bleach dull grout and thoroughly clean all area rugs.

8. Utilize towels, throws, and pillows in light colors like pastels.

Even if it means replacing items, towels, linens, throws and sofa pillows are inexpensive accents you can buy. In soft spring colors, they will light up a room. Layer towels on bathroom towel racks and place rolled washcloths on the counters in a fashionable pyramid.

9. Offer an outdoor mat for cleaning shoes, and put an umbrella stand at the entrance. 

No matter where you live, spring weather is often unpredictable. In some states, it can be 72 degrees one day and snowing the next. If it's raining, give buyers a place to stash umbrellas and wipe their feet before entering your home.

Some sellers lay down plastic runners across floors for protection, but that tends to ruin the effect of a glittering polish job.

10. Buy brightly-colored helium balloons. 

Stationery and party supply stores sell helium balloons for about a dollar each. So, there's no reason not to pick up a dozen balloons to tie to your open house signs. Balloons build excitement and will get your home noticed by home shoppers.

11. Set out colored flyers and financing options. 

Don't skimp on your home marketing materials. You want home buyers to select your flyer among the dozens they pick up, and color gets noticed more than black and white.

Show home buyers how easily they can afford to buy your home by giving them two or three financing options. The first thing on buyers' minds when considering a home purchase is the monthly mortgage payment. Don't make them guess.

12. Use a color photo for display advertising. 

Spend a little more on newspaper and online advertising by including a color photograph in your ad. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. Look through your photo galleries for a seasonal photograph that flaunts your home to its best advantage.

13. Mail colored postcards with a UV coating. 

Call a local title company to obtain a free direct-mail list of your surrounding neighbors. Print oversized postcards in color and include a UV coating to give the marketing oomph. Top it off by using first-class postage.

14. Fill a sink with ice to chill bottled water for guests. 

Put a dozen or so bottles of water in a sink of ice for buyers. You can also tape labels to the bottles, printed from your computer, with your phone number, a photograph, and address of your home.

15. Set out treats, individually wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon. 

Touring homes makes buyers hungry. Give them a snack. It will give buyers an opportunity to linger in your kitchen and marvel at its elegant touches which might otherwise be overlooked.

Fall in LOVE with Abbotsford...

TAKE A ROMANTIC HELICOPTER RIDE WITH COMPASS HELI TOURS

Think you and your partner have done it all? I bet you haven’t seen the Fraser Valley like this before! Compass Heli Tours is based in Abbotsford and offers a variety of different helicopter adventures. Their trips range from the extreme (exploring ice caves and glacier kayaking) to more romantic options (engagement packages and a wilderness spa experience). Whichever trip you choose you are sure to wow your date and make memories that will last a lifetime!

STROLL THROUGH HISTORIC CLAYBURN VILLAGE

For a more laid back date option take a trip back in time at Clayburn Village. This quaint community is located at the foot of Sumas Mountain and offers its visitors a unique view of Abbotsford’s past. It’s reminiscent of the turn-of-the-century English village atmosphere of the times, with brick buildings with neat gardens, surrounded by white picket fences.

Stop by the Clayburn Village Store, a country store and tea shop that serves fresh currant scones with local jam; homemade soups, pastries and old-fashioned candies. Make your stay extra romantic with a night at the Clayburn Village Bed & Breakfast, an elegant and charming Victorian style home.
 

WINE AND BEER TASTING

Sip your way through Abbotsford by visiting one of our amazing wineries or breweries. For the beer lovers, try a flight at Raven’s Brewing, or cozy up by the fire with your better half at Field House Brewing. The Mt. Lehman neighborhood features 3 beautiful wineries in close proximity; as you make your way through Mt. Lehman winery, Seaside Pearl Winery and Singletree Winery you will love intimate tasting experiences and unbeatable views.

After you’ve found a favorite, pick up a bottle (or two!) to take back to your room at Brookside Inn. This luxurious boutique hotel is a perfect for a lover’s getaway. It features romantic themed rooms and a gourmet breakfast with every stay.

RELAX AT THE WILD ORANGE SPA

Sometimes all you want to do is be pampered with the one you love. Abbotsford is home to one of the Fraser Valley’s best spas, The Wild Orange Spa. Grab your companion and take in a day of massages, facials and pedicures. Close your eyes and let the serene atmosphere transport you to new levels of relaxation in their couple’s treatment room, or try their famous Vichy shower treatment.  Add a spa lunch to your treatment and wind up your peaceful spa day in the eucalyptus steam room. You’re sure to leave refreshed, rejuvenated and in love!

SHARE A DELICIOUS MEAL

They say the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach so what better way to connect than over some good food? Restaurant 62 is the Fraser Valley’s best farm to table restaurant and offers a captivating dining experience. Enjoy the featured set Valentine’s Day menu offering at a special price, reservations recommended! They say oysters are an aphrodisiac and the best place to get them in town is Bow & Stern in Historic Downtown. A laid-back local favorite, Bow & Stern features fresh seafood and an amazing tap list. Cuddle up at an intimate table for two!

The dollar figure on your provincial property assessment notice should not be taken as your home’s market value.

BC Assessment notices have arrived in the mail, giving some homeowners a big smile and a bit more spring in their step (increased property taxes aside), while others wilt and lament at a modest gain or decrease in assessed value.

But neither this assessment document, nor either parties’ emotions, are tied to a current true market value. In fact, provincial property assessments can be significantly too high or too low. Values are determined in July of the previous year, and properties are rarely visited in person by provincial appraisers.

For this reason, provincial property assessments should never be solely relied upon as any sort of relevant indicator of true market value for the purposes of purchase, sale or financing.

Think of the assessed value instead as something similar to a weather forecast, spanning far larger and more diverse areas than the unique ecosystem that is your neighborhood, your specific street, or your specific property. A weather forecast made the previous July, not the previous week. As this is when assessed values are locked in, a full six months prior to the notices being mailed out.

The BC Assessment Authority does offer some useful tools for a high-level view of the market. Go to BC Assessment and start typing an address. You’ll get a drop-down window where you can click on the address you want.
 

What’s My Home Really Worth?

Usually, market value is determined by what a buyer is willing to pay for a home, and what the seller is willing to accept.

A quick survey of recent sales and their relation to assessed values will often demonstrate no clear relationship between sale price and assessed value. It’s often all over the map. Some properties selling well below assessment, and others well above.

You also want an experienced local Realtor to help you determine the selling price of your home. A local agent will have a far better handle on what is happening in your area for prices than does a government document, and in many instances will save you from yourself.

In theory, a comprehensive current market review completed by a real estate agent should not differ radically from the value determined by a professional appraiser.

Professional appraisers spend all day every day appraising properties, and their reports are often seen as less biased. Imagine your reaction, as a buyer, to the following statements…

1. The seller says their house is worth $500,000.
2. The sellers’ listing agent says it’s worth $500,000.
3. This house is listed at $500,000 based on a professional (marketing) appraisal.

Most buyers would consider #3 the most reliable of the above statements. And most buyers requiring financing will have the benefit of the lender ordering their own independent appraisal to confirm fair market value. Sellers rarely order an appraisal in advance, which can create some interesting situations.

In practice, agents are relied upon for listing price estimates. Most buyers don’t care much about what anybody else thinks the house is worth. Buyers care what they think it is worth. This is why we say that market value is ultimately determined by what a buyer is willing to pay for the home, aligned with what is acceptable to the seller.

Wondering what your house is worth? Let's talk,