For sellers planning on putting their houses on the market this summer, there’s no doubt the COVID-19 crisis has thrown your plans for a loop. With social distancing and travel bans in place, there are several aspects of the home-selling process you won’t be able to complete until the worst of the crisis is behind us.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t still get your house ready to go on the market. By getting a head start now rather than later, you’ll only need to take the final steps you couldn’t make during quarantine to get your home ready for sale.

That being said, here are a few ways you can get your home ready to go on the market when the worst of the COVID-19 crisis has passed.

Do your research on local realtors

Local realtors’ offices may be closed for now, but that doesn’t mean the information your need to choose the right realtor for you isn’t available. Do some online research on your local realtors until you have at least three you’d like to work with. Once we come out of the COVID-19 crisis, you can contact each realtor to set up a consultation and determine which of the three is right for you.

Check on your roof

The roofing industry recommends that you have two annual inspections of your roof: one inspection during the spring and one during the fall. This is because winter and summer are the two seasons that are hardest on your roof. To inspect your roof on your own, stand out in the yard and look up at your roof, checking for any missing shingles or dips in the structure.

If you do notice a problem such as a missing or loose shingle, don’t try to fix the problem on your own. About 4.7 million American workers suffer a work injury every year, according to the National Safety Council, and those are professional workers. Instead, take note of the problem and add it to your list of services to contact once businesses re-open.

Spruce up your curb appeal

By spending just 5% of your home’s value on landscaping, you can yield a return on investment of up to 150%. But you don’t need to spend a lot to spruce up your home’s curb appeal. 

Now that spring is officially here, many of the plants you have around your home will begin to bloom. It’s up to you to keep weeds at bay and trim the bushes around your house. Just by working with what you have, you can boost your home’s curb appeal by a long-shot.

Declutter your interior

Decluttering your home before you put your house on the market is something that many sellers need to do whether or not there’s a health crisis. Decluttering helps to make your house look larger and more open. 

You don’t want to have too many things in your home during a showing because it can keep potential buyers from seeing themselves living in the space. Go around your home and make a list of the items that you want to donate before you sell your house. Throw away anything that you don’t want that isn’t salvageable.

Take some photos

If you have a high-quality camera or a special lens you can add on to your phone’s camera, now is the perfect time to grab some shots of your house. Photos are essential for your home listing when it goes on the market. Just make sure that you have plenty of sunlight and that you’re not using any odd effects or lenses when taking your photos.

The COVID-19 crisis may have put your home’s sale on hold, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be ready for when the market gets back up and running again. By following the tips above, you can feel confident knowing that your house is ready to hit the ground running.