Tips for Selling a Home in the Winter
December is here, which means it’s time to buckle down and prepare for a long, cold winter in the midwest.
If you’re a real estate agent or you’ve sold a home at this time of year, you understand that the market is much slower. In fact, in December-February, we only see about 68% of the level of activity that we see in the spring and summer.
If you can, it’s best to try to wait until the spring or summer to get the highest offer out of your house, but what if you can’t wait? Don’t fret just yet!
Selling a home in the winter and getting a good return is totally doable, you’ll just need to be a little more strategic. Keep reading to learn more about selling a home in the winter!
Standing Out From the Competition
First thing’s first, if you’re selling in the winter, you’re going to want to stand out amongst the competition.
Just like you, there’s going to be other people in a situation where they need to sell immediately. With competition still out there but fewer buyers, your listing should knock those buyers’ socks off!
So, how can you make your listing stand out? By utilizing a variety of marketing resources, of course!
These resources include:
The more informative your listing is, the more interest it will generate. While marketing services will need to be paid for upfront, the return you’ll get on the listing will make the cost well worth it!
Set the Stage
If you’re selling in December, why not bring a little holiday cheer into your listing?
Add a few decorations around the house to make it feel a little cozier. While you may be tempted to deck the house out in garland and gold sparkly things, try to restrain yourself a bit. When you’re staging a house that’s meant to impress a variety of people, less may be more.
Buyers will notice the little things, so make adjustments around the house to make it feel a little more “homey.” If there’s a fireplace, turn it on so buyers will see what the house would look like with it on. Drape some blankets over the couches or chairs and have some seasonal air fresheners around the house.
Crank Up the Heat
If you’re a stickler with the thermostat, you may be cringing at this one.
While a lot of us like to keep the thermostat down to save on energy costs, you won’t want to do this when people are viewing the house in the winter. Not only will the heat make the house feel cozier, but it can help hide any drafts.
If you’re selling a house with old, drafty windows, cranking the heat will help distract from them!
Invest in Brighter Lights
With it getting darker much earlier in the winter, you’ll want to make sure that buyers can see the house well once they make the trip out.
To brighten up the house, add new light bulbs throughout. Not only will this make it easier to see, but it will add a modern touch to the house! Trade those yellow, dull lights for some light bulbs with a higher wattage.
Improve Curb Appeal
Snow can be beautiful at the first snowfall, but when it sits, not so much.
You can probably envision what snow looks like when it sits for a while and mixes with the dirt, making a brownish-gray slush that’s an eyesore, to say the least! While you can’t control the climate, you can spruce up the outside of the house a little bit.
Make sure the sidewalks and driveway are shoveled and salted. Not only will this make the property look a little cleaner, but it eliminates falling hazards.
Consider putting up a few lights if it’s still December, as buyers may be more distracted by the lights than imperfections!
How Will You Boost Your Property in the Winter?
While winter can be a slow, dreary season to sell, there are plenty of tricks you can use to make the property more appealing.
Just like you need to sell the house, there will always be somebody who needs to buy a house. So, bring your listing to their attention!
To learn more about our real estate marketing tools, reach out to us today!