Should You Sell Your Home in the Winter?
We tend to think of spring as the best time to put your house on the market, but a winter listing can be very successful, too! Think about it: people have to move at all times of the year, whether it’s for work or personal reasons. Since many sellers will be spending the winter getting their homes ready for a spring listing, your house will have fewer competitors. Work with your agent to determine the right price for a winter listing, and then, get ready to showcase your home.
Getting Ready Inside
Keep it Warm!
Even if you like to keep the temperature down, make sure it’s comfortably warm when there’s a showing. You want the buyers’ first impression when they walk through the door is to be that they have escaped from the cold elements to a warm and cozy home. The result will be that they linger to see all that your home has to offer.
Let There be Light
Make sure that your windows are always perfectly clean, so when the sun is shining, there are no smudges or streaks to interfere. The lower angle of the sun in winter can really make a dirty window noticeable.
Take this time to identify any inexpensive improvements you can make with the lighting in your home. While you likely cannot update all of the lighting in your house right before selling it, we suggest taking a close look at your kitchen accent lighting and make improvements there if necessary.
Cozy Touches
Amp up the cozy factor by appealing to all of the senses. Layer sofas and chairs with throws and pillows, and use quilts and duvets to make the beds seem warm and inviting. Put down rugs to soften hard surfaces. Bake some cookies to fill the house with the scent of cinnamon, or cheat by throwing some spices in a pot of water and leaving it to simmer on the back of the stove. Then, why not have some ambient music playing in the background to finish the picture?
Holidays
Without going overboard, some festive touches are a nice idea for a December showing. You don’t want to bombard buyers with your complete Santa Claus collection, but a select few pieces placed strategically can help create the sense of a welcoming home. Just make sure that the decorations come down right after New Year’s!
Snowy Curb Appeal
First impressions matter and when it’s winter, you have to work a little harder to keep the outside of your home as appealing as possible to your buyers.
Keep that Shovel Handy!
This cannot be stated too strongly. If buyers have to struggle through even ankle-deep snow to reach your front door, you’ve probably lost the sale. Even as they drive by, they should see walkways, driveways and porches shovelled at all times. Do you have a patio or deck that you tend to abandon in the winter? Not this year! Keep those spaces cleared of snow so that buyers can see what outdoor spaces will be available to them when things warm up.
Color
Offset the drab browns or white expanses of winter with bright accents. As long as the holiday season lasts, have some tasteful and colorful decorations to create a welcoming first impression. Once the new year rolls around, switch them out for some winter embellishments like topiaries in urns that can stay until spring.
Photos
Make sure that you have great photography from all seasons to show off your property. Don’t leave your summer flower gardens or autumn colour up to the buyers’ imaginations. Don’t be afraid to move ahead with a winter listing! Work with your realtor to prepare your home , and then put your home’s best foot forward, no matter what the season!
Hopefully, these tips will give you some inspiration and will remove the fear of selling a home in the winter.
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