Let's face it, Spring is probably the best time of year to sell your house...the birds are chirping, the sun is out, everyone is happy. Selling your home in winter is a bit more of a challenge, the birds have flown south for the winter, the sun is hiding and everyone is cold and grumpy. With that said, the good news is those looking to buy in the winter are generally serious buyers! So, what do you do to make your home more appealing while it's raining, snowing and down right cold outside? Here are a few tips and tricks:
1. Remove snow and ice.
If a buyer can’t easily park and access your property, it won’t sell. Who wants to drudge through snow, slippy ice and sludge to see a house? Shovel, salt, and tidy your walkway and driveway on a daily basis. If the home is vacant or you don’t have time, hire a neighbor kid to do this on your behalf. It will be well worth the invest.
2. Create a warm atmosphere — and turn on the heat.
If you know a buyer is coming through, turn up the thermostat. It’s tempting to skim on heat to save a few pennies, but buyers who come in and aren’t comfortable (aka: cold) won’t stay long. To create additional ambiance during an open house or showing, throw a log on the fire and my all time favorite, bake cookies. Nothing says home like homemade cookies!
3. Light it up.
Use timers and technology to your advantage to make the home feel lived in. Install motion sensors to light up a driveway in the evening, and program indoor lamps to automatically turn lights on in the evenings. Another trick to create an instant mood is to tune the radio to the local classical station. The soft music is welcoming and soothing to buyers.
4. Limit seasonal decorations.
When it comes to decorating, there’s a fine line between festive and tacky. A few tasteful winter wreaths and dried arrangements are OK, but an inflatable Santa in the yard mid-February is not. Decorating not your thing? Read my blog "10 Staging tips" Remember...“less is more.”
5. Showcase seasonal listing photos
Since buyers won’t be able to fully appreciate your landscaping or outdoor pool during the winter, show them an album of photographs taken during the warm months when everything is in full bloom and the pool looks enticing. If all your listing photos are taken during the snowy winter months, swap them out with a fresh set come spring.
Remember the key is not to list your house, it's to sell your house!
Kimmie DelAndrae
Keller Williams South Valley
801.209.8787
kimmiedelandrae@yahoo.com
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