In Connecticut as elsewhere in the northern climate, warm weather usually heats up the real estate market. Summer can be a great time to sell, as houses tend to show better in the sunshine and surrounded by green yards and lush gardens. In addition, buyers with children want to get themselves settled in a new home in time for the next school year. With a little preparation, you can fetch a good price and sell the home quickly.

Here are some practical steps for getting your house ready to sell this summer.

• Make any needed repairs — Hot weather means buyers will be conscious of things like the air conditioning system, so be sure that doesn’t have any issues. Buyers can walk around the house and look at the roof and siding, too, which lets them spot problems easily. Consider getting a pre-listing inspection to find out what parts of the home need repairs, then choose which ones to fix before selling.
• Prep the exterior and spruce up the yard — Strong curb appeal can grab buyers’ attention when they’re browsing online real estate sites, especially in summertime. You want buyers to envision themselves enjoying the outdoor spaces on the property. Mow the lawn, trim the bushes and plant some flowers or put out planters to beautify the area. If you have a patio or deck, clean it and fix any imperfections.
• Clean the windows and refurbish the interior — The long summer days are perfect for pouring natural light into the house. But brightness can also make dusty and dirty spots more obvious. If walls are scuffed, repaint those areas. Wallpaper is generally distractive and makes rooms look smaller, so remove it and repaint if you can. You may also want to remove old, worn carpet, especially to expose wood floors.
• Consider staging the home — The process of staging includes uncluttering and redecorating the home to make it look its best. You want the rooms to feel open and spacious, which helps buyers get a sense of their size and utility. More elaborate home staging involves bringing in rented furniture, wall hangings, plants and patio or deck furnishings. You can temporarily move your things to the attic or basement or to a short-term storage unit.

Finally, price your home right. It’s tempting in today’s market to start out asking for a pie-in-the-sky price. But resist that urge and discuss a realistic market value with a realtor and a real estate attorney. Pricing too high can scare away potential buyers. Pricing it realistically can lead to multiple offers and a higher closing price.

At Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. in Hamden and East Haven, our attorneys are adept at all aspects of Connecticut real estate matters. Please call 203-745-0942 or contact us online for advice on selling or buying a home.