If you are considering putting your home on the real estate market this spring, you’re on the right track to successfully selling your home. Studies show that year after year, springtime is the best time to sell a home. It’s true that many potential home buyers prefer to wait out the harsh, bitter winter weather for the sunny days of spring to tour properties of interest.

That being the case, as a seller, you likely have questions about how you can best prepare your home for its springtime debut. We’ve listed some common seller questions and answers below:

What type of spring care should be given to my home’s exterior?

Ensure that your home has great curb appeal by ridding your lawn of dead leaves and debris that most likely gathered through the winter months. Make sure all shrubbery is neatly trimmed so that walkways are accessible to potential buyers. As soon as your grass begins its seasonal growth, keep on top of mowing so that it consistently looks well-kept and attractive.

Should I consider planting spring flowers?

In addition to taking good care of your lawn and shrubbery, you can vastly improve your home’s curb appeal by planting some vibrant flowers in visible flower beds. It has been shown that homeowners who give special attention to spring landscaping typically experience more interest from buyers.

What is an affordable way to improve the appearance of my home’s interior?

First, give all of your windows a proper spring cleaning session, both inside and out. Additionally, clean all of your window treatments/draperies and arrange them so that optimal sunlight can enter your home. Brighter homes are much more welcoming because they feel warm, joyful and happy.

Should I hire a cleaning company?

Whether you pay someone or do it yourself, a detailed cleaning of your entire home should be done prior to listing it on the market. It’s easy to let spider webs and a little bit of dust accumulate throughout the cold winter months, and a home can begin to smell musty. Dust every surface, power clean all of your floors, make sure bathrooms are spotless, and open your windows on a regular basis to let the fresh spring air wash away any lingering stuffiness from winter.

How can I keep buyers from tracking dirt and debris onto my newly cleaned floors?

After all of your hard work, you want to keep your home clean so that multiple buyers have an opportunity to appreciate your spring cleaning! Spring weather is often sunny and cheery, but can also bring rain storms. In order to preserve your clean floors, place a quality outdoor mat outside and inside each exterior door, along with an umbrella stand. Directly inside the main entrance, consider installing a coat rack or coat tree so buyers can hang their potentially wet coats and hats rather than dripping rainwater throughout your home.

Some homeowners go so far as to install plastic sheeting along freshly cleaning floors. However, this can sometimes backfire and take away from all of the effort you put into spring cleaning. Setting up snacks for scheduled buyer visits is a good idea, as is filling a small cooler with ice and beverages. Spruce up your home décor a bit by replacing dated items, and remove all clutter. A simple coat of paint on a few walls, trim, or doors can make your home look cleaner and newer.

After all of your attention to preparing your home for a springtime listing, be sure to touch up any areas that may need it in between buyer visits. If you follow the advice listed above, you’ll have a much higher success rate in getting the offer you’ve been hoping for.