In spring, the warm winds of change bring a fresh crop of houses for sale.

Will yours be one of them?

With exceptionally few homes for sale in some central Ohio neighborhoods, the housing market
could use more listings. But, agents say, most buyers today aren’t looking for fixer-uppers.

“Investors will buy a home that needs work — and pay substantially under retail price for it —
but your average buyer truly wants a house that’s move-in ready,” said Joe Jackson, a veteran agent
with Keller Williams Capital Partners.

Buyers want homes that are tidy and uncluttered, real-estate agents say.

“To get top dollar for your house, it’s important to have it nice, neat and clean,” said Milt
Lustnauer, this year’s president of the Columbus Realtors trade group. “All the mechanicals should
be in good working order — no dripping faucets. That helps show your house better, and those items
are likely to come up in an inspection anyway. You might as well fix them now.”

And don’t forget the outside.

“Cutting the grass, edging, fresh mulching and pruning add a lot to curb appeal,” said
Lustnauer, an agent with RE/MAX Premier Choice.

In the Columbus area, updated homes listed for $150,000 to $275,000 in good neighborhoods could
sell in a day, Jackson said.

“Houses with outstanding curb appeal and updated kitchens and baths are in high demand,” Jackson
said.

In higher-priced areas, such as Dublin, Upper Arlington and Worthington, three- or four-bedroom
homes up to $375,000 are the “sweet spot,” Lustnauer added.

Even though buyers want updated kitchens and baths, Lustnauer said he rarely recommends that
clients remodel just to sell.

“It doesn’t have to be an overall,” he said. “Fresh and clean goes a long way.”

Finally, Jackson and Lustnauer advised that sellers should know where they are going. In other
words, don’t put your home on the market if you don’t know where you’re moving to.

Information from The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle was included in this story.

jweiker@dispatch.com