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Summer is here and the time is right to sell Memphis house or property that you don’t need anymore. People often move this time of year thanks to kids being out of school, so it’s a great time to get into the market. Buyers are everywhere, and the clock is ticking.
The excitement of summer and the large number of people out in the market means, selling a home can be an exciting yet challenging process. Competition can be tough and every home has its own unique features. Not to mention, every family has their own unique needs.
What are the benefits of selling a house in Memphis in the summer?
Selling a house in Memphis during the summer might be just right move for your family. Prospective properties consumers in TN are often looking for the right kind of Shelby County home to fit their needs, and sellers like you need to get your home sold quickly. Whether you’re selling a family home that came to you as an inheritance or are moving to consolidate expenses, getting your home sold in the timeframe that works for you matters.
It’s a seller’s market, which means that there is more demand than supply. Additionally, Memphis is home to many attractions, such as Graceland and Beale Street, making it an attractive location for buyers. The Memphis International Airport gives people an ease of coming and going, and home buyers headed to the area are constantly perusing real estate listings.
Finding a good fit in a real estate agent or cash home buyer for your Memphis TN home is part of the process, but getting from the MLS to closing is going to be faster if you have some grounding in what works during the summer for homeowners trying to sell. To help you navigate the summer selling season successfully, we’ve come up with a list of top tips for selling your Memphis home this summer.
Enhance Curb Appeal
First impressions matter, especially in the summer when buyers are more likely to notice the exterior of your home. Tennessee is known for its lush outdoor spaces, where an acre or even a large backyard can look like paradise.
Enhance your home’s curb appeal by mowing the lawn, trimming bushes, and adding colorful flowers. Consider power washing the exterior, repainting the front door, and ensuring that the pathway and driveway are clean and well-maintained. You want people to imagine themselves in your space, just like you would want to imagine yourself in other spaces if you were moving to a new home.
Curb appeal is a cliche that’s talked about endlessly in home selling circles, but it’s a cliche for a reason. The outside of the home matters tremendously in how well a house sells. Price and speed of sale are both affected incredibly by curb appeal. Don’t sell yourself short by not giving your home a little love on the front. You don’t have to put a ton of time, effort, or money into the curb appeal, but you do want to make it as good as possible.
Creating an inviting and well-kept exterior will attract buyers and make your home stand out. It doesn’t have to take a whole lot of effort, but it can make a huge difference. The simplest things like clearing out clutter and keeping the vegetation neat will make all the difference.
Keep Your Home Cool
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In the summer heat, it’s crucial to keep your home cool during showings. No one wants to feel that Memphis, Tennessee scorching sun in the house.
Ensure that the air conditioning system is in good working condition and set at a comfortable temperature. Open windows to allow fresh air to circulate, and consider using fans or natural ventilation to create a pleasant indoor environment. No one can resist a Southern home with a ceiling fan turning or a summer breeze blowing in the window. Even condos can get that breezy, easy summer feeling inside with the right staging.
In outdoor spaces, maximize the shade that’s available by moving outdoor furniture to shady spots or opening patio umbrellas when the heat is boiling. In the summer, homes sell on their outside as much as their inside, so try to create a cool feeling everywhere.
Providing a cool and comfortable atmosphere will encourage potential buyers to spend more time exploring your home. You want them to wander through the square feet of the house and feel comfortable, as though this could be home.
Highlight Outdoor Spaces
Take advantage of the summer season by showcasing any outdoor spaces your home offers. The outside will make a big difference in how well buyers imagine themselves living in your home.
Clean and stage the patio, deck, or backyard to demonstrate their potential for relaxation and entertainment. Arrange outdoor furniture, add cozy cushions, and set up an inviting outdoor dining area. Again, this doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy lots of things or pour a ton of time into the space.
Sometimes it’s more about making things look comfortable than them actually being practical when you are trying to sell Memphis houses. You might have your outdoor space arranged in a way that’s actually functional, but does it look beautiful? You might need to move things around so that they’re less practical in service of making things look nicer. Maybe the grill actually works better for cooking when it’s close to the back patio door, but it looks nice to put it on the other side of the deck where it looks out over the view of the backyard.
Look for features like porches, patios, and lawns to be the heart of the outdoor spaces in your Memphis home. If you have a long forgotten shed in the backyard, it could well be worth clearing it out to stage it as an open workshop instead of a junk shed. Hang a clever sign to give potential buyers the idea of what it could be.
Buyers will appreciate being able to envision themselves enjoying the outdoor spaces during the summer months.
Stage with Seasonal Decor
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Embrace the summer theme by incorporating seasonal decor into your home staging. You don’t want to go overboard in your East Memphis or Chattanooga home, but keeping things looking like they are inviting on theme will help people to see themselves in that space. It’s summer, after all!
Use bright and light colors, such as pastels and neutrals, to create an airy and refreshing ambiance. Arrange vases with fresh flowers, place citrus-scented candles, and strategically position summer-themed accessories throughout the house. Little things matter. You want to make sure that a realtor or potential tenants feel welcome and as though they’re in the right space for them.
It’s not necessarily about how someone thinks, but how they feel. Part of buying a home is feeling like you belong there, associating it with positive things that make you want to stay there. This is true if you’re a personal, non-commercial real estate buyer or if you’re a corporate buyer. Emotion will always have some role in the decision to buy a piece of property – we’re only human after all.
These little summer touches will evoke positive emotions and make buyers feel more connected to your home. That connection is what will get them to make the offer.
Maximize Natural Tennessee Light
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Make the most of the longer daylight hours by maximizing natural light in your home in Memphis. The Tennessee light is beautiful in the summer, so ensure that you take the best possible advantage of it. You don’t want to waste that precious resource!
Open curtains and blinds to let the sunlight in and make your space feel brighter and more spacious. Remove any heavy drapes or dark window treatments that can block natural light. You want that airy, breezy, happy feeling to permeate everything in the space. Be mindful of anything that might block the light coming into the home. Open doors that are blocking the light and raise shades or blinds where you can.
Consider adding mirrors to reflect light and make rooms appear larger. A well-lit home creates an inviting and cheerful atmosphere that buyers will appreciate.
Highlight Outdoor Activities in TN
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Memphis offers plenty of outdoor activities during the summer, so highlight nearby attractions and amenities in your marketing materials. Showcase proximity to parks, golf courses, community pools, or recreational areas. What is the home close to that people would want to do? Remember that these don’t have to be things that you yourself actually enjoy – they can be things that other people find fun or attractive.
Emphasize any features that cater to outdoor enthusiasts, such as biking trails, hiking paths, or water sports facilities. Think about local groups that offer bird watching or star gazing nearby. Potential buyers might not be into these things, but they still add to the appeal. Presenting these attractions can be a significant selling point for buyers who value an active lifestyle.
Be Mindful of Summer Maintenance
Keep up with regular maintenance tasks specific to the summer season. If you’re going to sell Memphis house in the summer, you need to keep things in as good a working order as possible. Making sure things are well taken care of shows potential buyers that you’re serious about doing the right thing for them in the short term and in the long run.
Ensure that your sprinkler system is working correctly to keep your lawn green and well-watered. Something as basic as a green lawn will make a major difference in the way that people view your home. If your lawn is patchy and clearly under watered, potential buyers will assume that you are not taking care of other things that could be more serious. It’s also simply appealing to see a lawn that’s lush when you walk into a house.
Clean and maintain your swimming pool, if applicable, to showcase it as a desirable feature. If the pool is in rough shape and needs a lot of maintenance that you don’t want to put into it right now, at least take the time to have it covered properly so that it doesn’t become an eyesore. This goes for other outdoor features like a hot tub or fountains as well. If they aren’t working properly, have them covered or even taken out. If something doesn’t add to the appeal of the home, it’s slowing you down.
Address any issues with outdoor lighting or irrigation systems. These often require minimal maintenance, but they also make a big impression. Change lightbulbs and amend any quality issues to ensure that the exterior of your home is summer ready.
By demonstrating that your home has been well-maintained, you reassure buyers of its long-term viability. It’s also important because you want potential buyers to have that visceral reaction of loving the way the house looks. Even if there are underlying problems, they shouldn’t jolt the potential buyers with unpleasant images as soon as they see the backyard or outdoor features.
Take advantage of the summer energy to get to closing
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Take advantage of the longer daylight hours by scheduling showings strategically. Consider offering extended viewing hours to accommodate potential buyers’ schedules. Sometimes later showings in the evening will draw in people who would not otherwise be able to attend your home showing.
Additionally, if your home has outdoor spaces that shine during a specific time of day, schedule showings accordingly to showcase them in the best light. Flexibility in scheduling can increase the number of potential buyers who can view your property. Be as open minded as you can when it comes to showing your home.
If you’re planning to sell your Memphis house this summer, you’ll want to make the most of the season’s favorable market conditions. The warm weather and longer days can attract more buyers and create a sense of urgency in the market.
