Selling Your House This Fall in Ann Arbor? Do These Things First

"Is fall an okay time to list, or should I wait until spring?"

Tara asked me that on camera this week, and it's one of the most common questions I get this time of year. My short answer: people move all year long. Life happens. A new job, a divorce, a death in the family, the school calendar. So depending on your situation, the right answer might be "yes," "let's wait," or "let's get going today."

If you're listing this fall, here's what I tell my sellers to handle first.

Prefer to watch? Tara and I cover all of this in Episode 4 of Asking My Broker Husband:

Fix this before the inspector shows up

Service the furnace. I always like to see that the furnace has been serviced recently.

Clean the gutters. This time of year, leaves clog them fast. Clogged gutters can lead to water problems, so you want them clear and sending water away from the house.

Clean and touch up. A good cleaning always helps. If the carpet needs a cleaning or a wall needs paint, now is the time.

Before it freezes

Michigan is going to freeze soon, and a few things need attention before it does:

• Winterize the sprinkler system. Have the lines blown out.

• Protect the outdoor faucets. Either have frost-free (safety) spigots on them, or turn off the water to them.

(Which reminded me, on camera, that I still needed to do ours.)

Do you really need to rake before listing photos?

I'd love it if you did. If you can't, or you'd rather not, let's get somebody out there. I have people we can call.

When to take listing photos

Ideally, a beautiful sunny day with color still in the trees. We want to beat the point where it's just bare branches. And in the fall, that photo window is earlier in the day than it is in summer.

When it's dark by 5

By late November, the sun sets around 5:05 p.m. in Ann Arbor, and a lot of showings happen in the evening. So I want the house to feel warm the moment someone walks in:

• Open all the blinds. Even after dark, a little outside light still comes in.

• Turn on every light. The hallway light, the one above the front door, the porch light. All of them.

Tara will tell you it bugs me when people leave a room with the light on at home. If this were my house, I'd die a little on the inside. But I'd leave every light on, because I want to sell the house.

Holiday decorations

Keep it light and tasteful. Not every buyer celebrates the same holidays, and while this is your home and you have great memories there, you're selling it. You want buyers to walk in and picture making their own memories. Heavy decor, or decor that isn't to someone's taste, can turn off a buyer who would otherwise have chosen your house.

If the house is vacant this winter

Sometimes our sellers aren't living in the house while it's on the market. Michigan weather can get a little crazy, so:

• Keep the furnace on and running. You want to keep the pipes from freezing.

• If the sale could take a while, winterize the house. That means getting the water out of the pipes and keeping it off.

• At minimum, turn off the main water supply and open the faucets. It's a good preventive step, but if you'll be away for a long stretch in the cold, I'd recommend a real winterization.

It's also worth a quick call to your insurance agent to ask how your policy treats a vacant house.

Snow and ice

It's not snowing yet, but line up lawn and snow care now. We want the house to look its best and be safe:

• Keep sidewalks and the driveway clear. Ice and snow are a real liability risk.

• Make it easy to get in. If someone has to walk through eight inches of snow to see a house, that's a turnoff. Some buyers will turn around and never go in.

If the house is in the City of Ann Arbor, it's also the rule: after a snowfall of more than 1 inch, the owner or occupant has to clear the sidewalk within 24 hours after the snow stops, and treat ice within 18 hours (City of Ann Arbor). Townships set their own rules, so check yours.

Your fall listing checklist

• Furnace serviced

• Gutters cleared

• House cleaned, small touch-ups done

• Sprinklers blown out, outdoor faucets protected

• Leaves raked (or someone lined up to do it)

• Listing photos on a sunny day, earlier in the day

• Blinds open and every light on for evening showings

• Holiday decor kept light

• Furnace on and a winterization plan if the house is vacant

• Snow and ice care lined up

What's your one fall fix? Tell us in the comments on the video.

Selling this fall?

If you're thinking about selling in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, or anywhere in Southeast Michigan, call or text me at 734-274-9521. We'll talk through your timing and what's worth doing before you list.

This post is general information. Local rules vary by city and township, so check what applies to your property.

About the author: Gerrit Stukkie is the Broker/Owner of Block Real Estate Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan.