Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
Prepare your home for the thaw, warmer days, and the season ahead.
At The Kate Seaman Team, we know how much Ithaca homes go through during the winter months. As the snow melts and temperatures rise (hello, mini heatwave!), spring is the perfect time to assess any winter wear and get ahead of the busy season. This checklist will help you protect your investment, improve efficiency, and avoid costly surprises down the road.
1. Inspect for Winter Damage
The freeze-thaw cycle can be tough on exterior surfaces.
Walk your property and look for cracked pavement, loose shingles, damaged siding, or shifting steps.
Check your foundation for new cracks or signs of settling.
Look closely at exterior paint and trim — peeling or bubbling can signal moisture issues.
2. Clean and Check Gutters & Downspouts
Spring rain is coming — make sure water flows away from your home.
Clear out leaves and debris that have built up over winter.
Confirm downspouts extend several feet away from the foundation.
Look for sagging sections or leaks that may need repair.
3. Service Your Cooling System
Before the first truly hot day hits, get ahead of it.
Schedule HVAC servicing to inspect and tune up your air conditioning system.
Replace air filters for better air quality and efficiency.
Clear debris from around outdoor condenser units and trim back nearby vegetation.
4. Check Windows and Doors
Winter expansion and contraction can affect seals.
Inspect caulking and weatherstripping; replace where cracked or worn.
Open and close windows to ensure smooth operation.
Clean screens and repair small tears before bug season begins.
5. Assess Drainage and Grading
Melting snow reveals how your yard handles water.
Watch where water pools during heavy rain.
Make sure soil slopes away from your foundation.
Check sump pumps for proper operation if you have one.
6. Inspect Decks, Patios & Outdoor Living Areas
Now is the time to prep for outdoor gatherings.
Look for loose boards, protruding nails, or soft spots in wood decking.
Power wash surfaces to remove winter grime.
Consider sealing or staining wood surfaces if needed.
7. Refresh Landscaping Thoughtfully
Spring curb appeal matters — especially in Ithaca’s competitive market.
Trim back dead branches and clear garden beds.
Check trees for winter damage.
Avoid piling mulch directly against your foundation.
If you’re considering selling this year, a clean and tidy exterior makes a powerful first impression.
8. Test Safety & Utility Systems
Seasonal transitions are a great reminder.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Check outdoor faucets and irrigation lines for leaks from winter freezing.
Locate and review your main water shutoff valve.
A little attention now can prevent bigger repairs later — and helps your home look and function its best heading into the warmer months.
Whether you’re settling in for summer or thinking about making a move, proactive maintenance always pays off.
Keep your home safe, warm, and protected through the coldest months of the year.
At The Kate Seaman Team, we know how much care goes into maintaining a home — especially through an Ithaca winter. This seasonal checklist is designed to help you protect your investment, stay comfortable, and avoid those unexpected cold-weather surprises.
1. Keep Entrances Safe and Accessible
Snow and ice are part of the charm (and challenge) of winter living. Try to keep walkways, driveways, and entry steps cleared regularly to prevent buildup. A light layer of salt or sand can help with traction, especially near main entrances or mailboxes.
If you’ll be away for an extended period, consider arranging snow removal ahead of time so everything stays safe and accessible.
2. Protect Your Roof and Gutters
Keep an eye out for ice dams — those ridges of ice that can form along your roofline when snow melts and refreezes. They can cause water to back up under shingles and lead to leaks.
After storms, safely remove snow from roof edges with a roof rake, and make sure gutters and downspouts are clear so melting snow drains properly.
3. Circulate Warm Air Efficiently
A few small adjustments can help your home feel warmer without turning up the thermostat.
Switch ceiling fans to clockwise rotation to push warm air downward.
Check that vents and radiators aren’t blocked by furniture or curtains.
If you have a fireplace or wood stove, schedule a chimney inspection and cleaning before frequent use.
4. Prevent Frozen Pipes
When temperatures drop, even a little preparation makes a big difference.
On especially cold nights, let a slow trickle of water run from faucets.
Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to allow warm air to circulate.
Check basements, crawl spaces, and unheated areas for exposed pipes and insulate them if needed.
5. Test and Refresh Safety Devices
Winter often means more time indoors — make sure your safety systems are ready.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if needed.
Inspect fire extinguishers for expiration dates or visible wear.
If you use a generator, double-check that it’s in good working order and always operate it outdoors.
6. Watch for Drafts and Moisture
Condensation or frost around windows can signal heat loss.
Add weatherstripping or window film to reduce drafts.
Keep an eye on basement corners and foundation walls for signs of moisture, especially during freeze-thaw cycles.
Consider running a dehumidifier in damp areas to maintain air quality.
7. Review Emergency Supplies and Access
Make sure you have a clear path to your furnace, electrical panel, and main water shutoff valve in case of emergencies.
Review your emergency kit — include flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, water, blankets, and a first-aid kit.
Confirm that backup heat sources are safe and ready to use.
A bit of winter maintenance now can make the whole season easier and more comfortable.
Whether you’re staying cozy at home or preparing to sell in the months ahead, taking care of these small details helps protect your property and peace of mind.
We earned a HomeLight Achievement for 2021! Real estate agents earn this award when they rank in the top 5% of agents in their area based on historical real estate transaction data. Each year, HomeLight awards agents at both the local and national levels for excellence in 3 distinct categories. As a winner of HomeLight Achievements, I’m proud to represent some of the top-performing agents working in America today.
There were nearly half as many homes for sale at the end of February, compared with a year earlier, according to a new calculation by realtor.com.
A pullback by sellers resulted in roughly 207,000 fewer homes newly listed for sale in the first two months of 2021 compared with the average for the same period over the last four years.
In January, prices were up just over 10% year over year, according to CoreLogic.
The spring housing market is shaping up to be the leanest and most competitive ever.
A sharp drop in new listings partly due to severe weather, combined with already record-low supply, will make it increasingly difficult for buyers to find their dream home at the perfect price.
There were nearly half as many homes for sale at the end of February, compared with a year earlier, according to a new calculation by realtor.com. Low supply was exacerbated by a drop in the number of new listings to come on the market.
“Last month’s record cold and snowstorms likely caused sellers to hit pause, even if only temporarily,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com. “However, in today’s inventory-starved market, any setback is significant.”
A pullback by sellers resulted in roughly 207,000 fewer homes newly listed for sale in the first two months of 2021 compared with the average for the same period over the last four years. To catch up, new listings would have to grow by 25% annually in March and April, which is unlikely.
While the biggest drops in new supply were in Oklahoma City and Kansas City, Missouri, declines were widespread across the country. The only major cities seeing gains in inventory were San Jose, California, and San Francisco and Denver.
The increasingly tight supply of homes for sale continues to fuel the fire under home prices. In January, prices were up just over 10% year over year, according to CoreLogic. Rising mortgage rates are now hurting affordability but so far have not thrown any cold water on home prices.
The tight supply has only made sellers more bullish on their potential gains. Asking prices of newly listed homes hit an all-time high of $347,475 in February, according to Redfin.
Sellers have plenty of reason to feel confident. Redfin also found that just over half (55%) of homes that went under contract in February did so within their first two weeks on the market. That share was 44% a year ago.
“Over the last few weeks winter storms have disrupted the housing market, and mortgage rates have risen sharply,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s chief economist. “Although pending sales and new listings have taken a small hit in the last couple of weeks, home price gains are showing no signs of slowing down.”
While the effects of the winter storms should be temporary, higher mortgage rates will cut further into affordability and could mean fewer bidding wars as the spring market progresses.
Let’s face it, showing your home to potential homeowners can be inconvenient. You have to straighten up, pack up the family, take the dog and vacate your home. And the longer your home is on the market, the more burdensome it becomes. Sometimes the timing is just plain bad. But think twice before denying showings of your home.
I NEED TO SELL MY HOME BUT I DON’T WANT TO LET YOU IN TO SEE IT
Occasionally, I have home sellers that just seem to deny half the showings that are requested…..
Or, often when I am working as a Buyer’s Agent, there are always houses that are extremely difficult to show.
We have family…. we have to get the kids of to soccer… I have to bake a cake for my nephews birthday party….. or a myriad of other reasons that seem to make it impossible to show their home.
Yet they wonder why their home doesn’t sell.
CONSISTENTLY DENYING SHOWINGS OF YOUR HOME DOES SEVERAL THINGS
1- DENYING HOME SHOWINGS TELLS BUYERS YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING
Deny one showing to a home buyer and they will most likely reschedule. Deny two and the chances of them trying to schedule a third appointment drastically decreases. Deny a third showing, no matter how interested they are they probably gone for good.
A home comes on the market and sparks a buyers interest. They get excited. Hopefully your home is the one. But your home will quickly be replaced by the next one if you don’t allow them in.
2- DENYING HOME SHOWINGS CAN DETER AGENTS
Many times an agent will have several buyers looking for the same thing. If you make it difficult for the real estate community to schedule showings they will probably steer away from your home.
Often, an agent has put a schedule together for multiple homes to be seen by one client in one session. You deny an agent a showing it messes up their schedule and creates extra work.
3- DENYING SHOWINGS OF YOUR HOME CAN COST YOU AN OFFER OR WORSE SELLING YOUR HOME
I did four showings yesterday, 1 condominium in one complex and 3 condominiums in another. The complex with the three had two different styles, my client preferred one style over another.
Funny thing, there was another unit right next door priced exactly the same as the style they liked, but that showing was denied. No reason was given except that it was inconvenient for the seller.
Guess what, instead of waiting to see the second unit, we wrote an offer on the one unit we could see. The client did not want to wait to see the other unit, and miss the opportunity of losing the one they did see waiting for when it was convenient for the seller.
Even worse your home can expire on the market unsold if you continually deny showings of your home.
It makes you wonder, was there something about the unseen unit that would have been more attractive to my client? Was it worth denying the showing?
The longer the your home sits on the market, the less interest buyers will have. It is so easy for buyers to see how long your home has been on the market or if it was on the market previously. They wonder why no one else bought the house.
Their are may benefits to selling your home in under the first 30-45 days. First if you sell your home quickly you are also probably getting the best price you can. Secondly, buyers who offer early are your best buyers and it is more likely the deal will stay together.
I have been doing this long enough to tell you home buyers come in every flavor. Some have flexible jobs, others don’t. There are buyers that work nights and weekends and can only come during the day. There are others that work long hours and can only do weekends… You get my point.
Every buyer will have different times they are available and their schedules will be different than yours. But you need to accommodate all the buyers and their various schedules to get your home sold.
SO MAYBE YOU DO HAVE A DIFFICULT SHOWING SCHEDULE
Occasionally I do run into sellers who have difficult showing schedules. One big issue we run into is pets that need to come out of the house for showings.
Think about alternatives. Maybe one or two days a week you can stick your dog in doggy day care to accommodate the buyers who can only come during the week. Or maybe a neighborhood kid can take the dog for a couple of afternoons for a few bucks.
If you truly have a difficult schedule. Put together a schedule that works for you and leave a variety of times and days where your home is available for showings. Your real estate agent can post that directly in the Multiple Listing Service so that it make it easier for the buyers agent to coordinate showings.
It is much easier for an agent and a buyer to plan ahead then to find out last minute… that time doesn’t work, nope not good either, yeah that won’t work….. Get the buyers in!!
SHOWINGS = OFFERS = GETTING YOUR HOME SOLD!
Knowing that all it takes is one buyer to sell your home, try to maximize every showing and allow every showing to occur. Yes, there are times in life where it is impossible to do a showing and that is certainly alright.
2020 has been an odd year to say the least, but has it opened up some new thoughts about what people are looking for in a forever home? ABSOLUTELY. After adapting to new lifestyles (remote work, virtual learning, working out at home, etc…) many are finding that the homes that seemed like they were big enough actually do not have the space to be able to accomplish all of these new home tasks.
“According to the latest Home Price Insights from CoreLogic, prices have appreciated 7.3% year-over-year. At the same time, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that inventory has dropped 22% from one year ago.”
Why do these statistics matter to you? Inventory is down and demand is up. If you are thinking about selling to upgrade – the equity in your house has likely increased and there are many buyers looking.
Give the Kate Seaman Team a call and find out how we can get you into a home that will fit your new lifestyle.
Renters – there are pluses and minuses involved in the housing market as of December 22, 2020. Good news: more renters are able to afford buying! It went from 33% to 38% as of the 3rd Quarter of 2020. Bad news: down payments can be tricky for some renters , but don’t let that deter you!
“According to NAR’s 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, first-time buyers typically financed 93% of their home, or put down 7% for down payment. NAR’s monthly Realtors® Confidence Index survey places the average down payment among first-time buyers at around 9% to 10%. While a 3% FHA loan is available, first-time buyers are putting down a higher down payment, presumably to save on the monthly mortgage payment.”
The Kate Seaman Team knows how to get you through each hurdle. We analyze the market trends and use data to assist you throughout any buying process. We have contacts with top professionals in the area to assist with mortgage needs and give you the best advice for financing.
2020 has been filled with challenges for certain, but good news – the 2021 real estate forecast is looking great! Why you ask?
1. The Economy Is Expected to Continue Improving
“There is nothing fundamentally ‘broken’ in the economy that needs to heal…there was no obvious financial bubble driving excessive activity in any one economic sector when the pandemic hit…With Covid-19 cases surging again, it is understandably hard to look optimistically to the other side of this winter…Don’t let the near-term challenges distract from the economic stage being set for next four years.” – Tim Duy, University of Oregon
2. Interest Rates Are Projected to Stay Low
“In the latest projections from Freddie Mac, interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage are expected to remain at or near 3% next year.”
3. Future Home Sales Are Forecasted to Grow
“We expect home sales in 2021 to come in 7.0% above 2020 levels, following a more normal seasonal trend and building momentum through the spring and sustaining the pace in the second half of the year.” – Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com
If you’ve thought about buying or selling in 2020 but have held off, now may be the time to make your move!
Winter is not the time for slowing down with the way this housing market has been! Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors says it perfectly – “The demand for home buying remains super strong…And we’re still likely to end the year with more homes sold overall in 2020 than in 2019…With persistent low mortgage rates and some degree of a continuing jobs recovery, more contract signings are expected in the near future.”
The housing market is on fire and now is the time to list. Buyers are still actively seeking and inventory is low. Chief Economist for Realtor.com, Danielle Hale, says ““We currently see buyers sticking around in the housing market much later than we usually do this fall. If that trend continues, we will see more buyers in the market this winter, too. So, this winter is likely to be a good time to sell.”
Low interest rates and job recovery on the rise – Buyers: this is your time to get the house you’ve been looking with the kind of rate you’ve been waiting for!
Inventory is low and buyers are still primed – Sellers: if you want to list, don’t be shy the buyers are still looking!
“This winter’s real estate market… is shaping up to be unlike any other before it—and, contrary to what some may have feared, is slated to be an excellent time to sell a home. In fact, Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, predicts “it will be one of the best winter sales years ever.”
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Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
Let’s face it, showing your home to potential homeowners can be inconvenient. You have to straighten up, pack up the family, take the dog and vacate your home. And the longer your home is on the market, the more burdensome it becomes. Sometimes the timing is just plain bad. But think twice before denying showings of your home.
