How to Sell a Home In the Fall and Winter Months
When selling your house in the colder months, know the tips and tricks to make your house inviting, warm, and appealing to a wide range of buyers. With a few tricks, you can make your home look, sound, and smell like the dream home they’re looking for.
- Cut back any flowers or plants that have finished blooming
- Rake, blow, or remove leaves
- Pick up any sticks that may have fallen
- Plow or shovel snow from walkways and driveways
- Remove any ice on paths
- Hire someone to keep on top of snow removal and ice if you cannot – nothing turns off a buyer like a hard-to-navigate walkway or a potential fall
- Keep your entryway as clean as possible – Keep a tray inside the door for snow boots to keep floors clean
- Leave the most convenient parking spot open for realtors and potential homebuyers
- Simple holiday decorations are great but remember to stay uncluttered to stay appealing and not appalling!
- Don’t block windows or make a small room smaller by adding too many decorations.
- Keep Halloween decorations on the light side – nothing too scary as some homeowners have small children who may frighten easily
- Don’t ignore your garden just because it’s not blooming. Highlight fountains or flowerpots with lighting or by filling them with seasonal greenery
- Highlight the best parts of your indoor areas – ask your realtor to let buyers know how great the playroom is in winter, or the breakfast nook during a snowfall
- If you have particularly amazing outdoor space, set up a large electronic picture frame highlighting lawn and garden in the warmer months. Place it on a kitchen counter near the brochure and listing sheets so buyers will see it
- Open those shades and curtains and turn on all the lights, even in the daytime. Your home will feel sunny and cozy even on a grey winter day.
- Make sure your home is in tip-top shape. No one wants to tour a home whose heat is on the fritz, or when the roof is leaking from snow melt.
- Place throw blankets and pillows strategically to illicit a feeling of warmth
- Light a fire in the fireplace (if you have one)
- Light unscented flame or electric candles
- Put a frozen apple pie or instant-bake cookies in the oven to make the home smell welcoming. Feeling ambitious? Check out this recipe for apple pie from scratch – https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/2016/01/08/easy-homemade-apple-pie/
- Make your bed with layers of comfortable-looking comforters and quilts
- Use twinkle lights to create romance
- Put on a playlist on your stereo that will appeal to everyone. Consider holiday jazz, classical, or simple piano music.
- Set the dining room table with your best china, napkins, silverware, and glassware as if a family and friend gathering may spring up at any moment.
- Be flexible with showing times. Fall and winter are busy for everyone, so if someone is making time to view your home, try to accommodate
Always talk to your real estate agent about the specific things they think might make your home shine for the cooler months. They will have the best insight as to what will work for your type of home and neighborhood, as well as the likes and dislikes of area home buyers.
And remember, though you may have fewer showings in the winter months, there’s no reason to assume that the buyers who look then aren’t serious. They may very well be the ones. So, get your home warm and inviting, comfy and cozy, and let the showings begin!