Yes, You Can Sell Your Home in Winter

No doubt, you’ve heard that the best time to put your home on the market is spring. And while there is certainly a lot to be said for selling your house in the springtime, there are, in fact, many benefits to selling your home right now. That’s right—in winter! Here are some tips for putting your market on the home this season.

Pay attention to holiday décor. While a few tasteful and neutral holiday decorations such as glowing white lights, fragrant evergreens and elegant metallic touches can really make your home glow and sparkle, remember that less is always more. And be sure to pack up those decorations as soon as the holidays have passed. Marketing your home with holiday lights on Feb. 1 will not play in your favor.

Price it right. While there might be a smaller pool of prospective buyers in winter than spring, you will most likely be dealing with more motivated buyers. If they are looking for a home during the holidays or in the dead of winter, there is a compelling reason for doing so, which makes your pricing strategy critical. Talk to your agent about arriving at a price that factors in fewer (but more serious) buyers.

Make accessibility a priority. If snow and ice is a factor for you in winter, you will need to be fastidious about removal. Make sure driveways and walkways are clear at all times. Invest in a plow service and stay stocked up on salt.

Keep things warm. Nothing will turn buyers off faster in winter than walking into a cold house, so make sure your heating system is operating at full capacity. And make sure that’s the case for every room in the house. If there’s one bedroom that tends to be drafty, now’s the time to find out the cause and resolve the issue.

Provide visuals of your home in summer. One thing buyers might not be able to get an accurate picture of in winter is your outdoor space, so make a poster board with photos of your backyard, patio, porch, pool, garden beds…whatever you feel is worth highlighting. Or prepare a slideshow for your agent to display on his/her iPad. This could really seal the deal for winter-time buyers.

Following these strategies will help you take advantage of the market right now and beat the competition to the punch come spring.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2019. All rights reserved.


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