Boston Midtown high rise condos for sale: The importance of spring cleaning

Boston Luxury Condos for Sale and Apartment Rentals

Early spring in Boston is when we get some breaks from the weather, and Boston condo for sale buyers come out of winter hibernation. Is your Boston midtown high rise condo ready to be admired?

Here are our three easy steps to getting your Boston high rise condo in shape to sell this spring.

Staging Step 1: Declutter

It’s been a long winter — and stuff tends to pile up. If you haven’t quite finished putting holiday decorations away, now’s a good time. Moreover, clutter is distracting. You want their eyes to be focused on the great features of your home, not on your stuff.

Here are a few more decluttering tips we recommend for our Boston high rise condo clients:

Work on the Master closet. Buyers will not open most of the closets, but they will almost certainly check out the Master closet. In their eyes that’s where their stuff will go. Make sure the Master closets are clean and tidy or empty altogether. As for the rest of the closets, feel free to stuff them, but try to keep the floor space cleared. The closet will feel larger if they can see the full dimensions.
Start small and beat the “I don’t have time” excuse. Decluttering experts recommend giving yourself five minutes to spend on getting rid of some things. Warning: Once you start you might not want to stop.
Don’t put off hauling it away. Deciding to get rid of something is just the first step. It has to go somewhere. If you don’t have time to make a run to your nearest thrift shop, call one of Boston’s many junk hauling services.

Staging Step 2: Clean

Okay, maybe this isn’t the most exciting step for you, but the rewards can be great. In our experience, Boston midtown condos that are decluttered and clean sold faster and for more money, than homes that aren’t. Put yourself in the buyers’ shoes: Would you want to move into a place that makes you feel overwhelmed?

If you can’t get around to cleaning before you list your Boston condo for sale, hire a maid service. Typically they’ll be able to quote you a flat rate to do the whole house — and your real estate agent will almost guarantee a return on that investment.

When cleaning your Boston condos for sale, here are some areas to be sure not to miss:

The windows. They’re the eyes of the home, but after a Boston winter, they can get pretty clouded. Scrub the windows with a microfiber cloth, then rinse with a hose. Use a squeegee to wipe them dry and avoid water spots.
Window screens. Wiping them with a damp microfiber cloth should take care of most of the dirt.
Cobwebs up high, indoors and out. Use a spider mop — a special round broom with an extendable handle — to take care of all those spider homes in your Portland home.
Floors. After you decluttered, you can see a lot more of it, right? Consider renting a carpet cleaner if it’s been a while. Mop with the right product to clean and add shine to wood floors, tile, linoleum, etc.
Kitchen counters and sink. It’s one of the most difficult parts of keeping a Boston midtown condo ready for showings — staying on top of the dishes. Buyers absolutely love an immaculate kitchen, so communicate to your family that this is a priority. Wiping down counters after every meal will help keep the mess from re-accumulating after a deep clean. For all the kitchen counter mail and other stuff, designate a drawer that you can sweep everything into before the showing.

Some good news: It’s okay to skip areas that buyers won’t see on the first walk-through. Upper shelves and cabinets can get a free pass if you’re short on time and energy to clean.

Home Staging Step 3: Refresh

Now that you’ve gotten rid of unnecessary stuff in your home and made it sparkling clean, the final step is the staging itself.

For a fresh spring look, the classic choice is fresh flowers. They’re colorful, and they make your Boston condo for sale smell great. A bouquet on the coffee table will make the living room seem brighter; a small vase in a windowsill brings attention to the window.

Other key Spring home staging zones:

Entry. The front door is the first impression of the home, and buyers should find it easy to remove their shoes and hang their coat. Put out a new welcome mat, add some hooks if there are none available, and consider an umbrella stand and shoe rack to protect your nice clean floors.
Bathrooms. A new shower curtain and towels can do wonders, but be sure you’ve cleaned first. Again, keep personal items stored away, or pared down to one bottle of shampoo in the shower and one soap by the sink.
Closets. Go ahead and box up the winter wardrobe to show off more space.
Bedroom. Time to throw off the winter flannels and heavy quilts and bring out the bright colors.

Now that you’ve overhauled the indoors, don’t forget to stage outdoors.

Get the front steps and porch in tip-top shape. Invest in some non-slip mats and keep everything swept and clean during these late-spring storms.
Check for new cracks or raised areas in the walkway and take appropriate action. If it’s something someone’s going to trip on, fix or mark it.
For Beacon Hill Townhouses spruce up the mailbox with new hardware or replace it entirely if it’s in a prominent place. Ditto for anything else visible from the curb — porch lights, door knockers and outdoor furniture.

Ready to sell your Boston luxury condo this spring? Our agents are ready, please call us at 617-595-3712.

Boston Midtown high rise condos for sale: The importance of spring cleaning