Spring is wrapping up and summer is quickly approaching, which most people would consider the busiest months of the year! The sun shines for longer hours, the children conclude their year of schoolwork, gardens and yard foliage burst back to life, festivals arise around every town, outdoor amusement parks and pools reopen and people just generally leave the comfort of their home more regularly!

As a home seller, all of these aspects of summer can help you sell if you know how to promote your surroundings.

When selling, you tend to think that it’s all about the house. Usually, it is. That’s why you should keep the inside clean and decluttered, keep the outside inviting and visually appealing, and keep everything updated and desirable. However, when the summer months are upon us, it’s also equally important to show your potential buyers why they not only want to buy your house, but why they want to buy your house and its location! How do you do that? Research!

Start researching your community’s calendar now, so that when the summer slew of potential homebuyers start flocking to your open houses and following up with your advertisements, you will have already acquired a whole list of reasons why they should want to move here! When making a list, start with reasons closest to your house, and then continue the list as you move further away. Then, decide what reasons your potential homebuyer would be interested in most. For example, if it is a family with young children, mention the neighborhood parks or local schools. If it’s a newlywed couple, mention the renowned cuisine or the waterfront boardwalk.

More examples to include on the list:

• Neighborhood perks: friendly neighbors you’ve known forever, garbage and recycling services, included maintenance, local parks or bike paths, block parties, community amenities and services, local bus stops.
• Community perks: favorite area restaurants, distance to convenience stores and malls, family-owned establishments, distance to expressways and other means of transportation, all area churches, schools with impressive ratings, parks and recreational activities, fitness centers, local volunteer groups, book clubs.
• Specialty perks: most popular seasonal festivals, nearby tourist attractions, free events in parks or through local groups or schools, holiday decorations, gatherings or celebrations, local school programs, parades, bar crawls, charities.

Gain information from sites and bulletin boards in the area, such as those of the park district, schools, churches, local shops and meeting halls, but more importantly, sit down and think about what you’ve loved most about the area. Personal stories and emotions are worth more than a whole list of impersonal perks. Good luck!