By Todd Fahlman

There may be no better time to sell your home than in the summer in Marysville, though spring is usually seen as one of the best home-buying periods. If you are considering listing your home before school starts, there are great opportunities.

In Marysville we have seen a slight increase in listings. We have the second-highest inventory in Snohomish County at 1.32 months. Marysville remains the place to find affordable housing. Last month the median home price spiked to $405,000 compared with last year’s $347,750 – that’s an amazing jump of 16.46 percent.

Why are prices escalating so quickly? The median sales price for a home in Lynnwood is $539,975. That is making it easier for home buyers to find the right affordable home in our market.

Let’s take a look at three strategies to help you maximize top dollar for your home this summer.

•Showcase The Exterior: Sprucing up the outside can do wonders for a property’s curb appeal and attract homebuyers. The condition of an home’s exterior gives homebuyers a snapshot of what the rest of the property is like. And summer is when outdoor living areas get the most use. Having a clearly defined outdoor entertaining space can be a real shot of adrenaline to your selling efforts. And keep your grass green.

•Keep Things Cool: It’s vitally important you keep your home as comfortable as possible for homebuyers when they come over. Keep the air conditioning running. That can be costly, but it’s important to think about a return on your money. A couple hundred dollars spent now could be worth thousands of dollars later. Refreshments are another great touch. A pitcher of iced tea and snacks isn’t just something for Realtors to set out. Such additions can make a great and eventually lucrative impression on homebuyers.

•Price It Right: With many more buyers than inventory, sellers reason that listing their property with a high starting price (and wait for the negotiations to begin) is the best approach. Unfortunately, that ignores one of the cardinal rules of real estate: the longer a property sits, the more buyers begin to wonder what’s wrong with it? So price it right from the beginning. Actually, in a competitive market you’ll often get offers above the listing price.

It’s your job when selling your home in summer to ensure you know your local market, your property is clean, fresh, comfortable and priced realistically to help homebuyers picture themselves in your home.

For more tips consult your local real estate broker to save you time and money.

Todd Fahlman sells real estate in the Marysville area. His column runs monthly.