Winter is a great time to sell your home. Fewer homes tend to be listed on the market, meaning less competition. However, winter can be dark and cold, potentially impacting your home’s appeal. Make sure to keep these environmental factors in mind when you prepare your house for sale. These tips can help you sell your home successfully before your residential move.
1. Light the Interior and Exterior Properly
The days are shorter, and nighttime arrives quickly at this time of year. This makes interior and exterior lighting important during the home-selling process. A well-lit property feels more inviting and safe to home buyers.
Evaluate your exterior lighting to determine whether your walkways and pathways are easy to see outside. Pay special attention to lighting around stairways that lead up to your home, as you wouldn’t want buyers to trip or have an accident when they arrive at your property.
To ensure that your interior lighting is adequate, replace any burned-out light bulbs. Electric candles can add a homey quality to your house and a twinkly quality to your home’s decor. If your room has a dark space, consider purchasing a lamp. Then make sure the lights are lit for your open house and showings day and night.
2. Keep Driveway and Walkways Safe
Snow and ice make driveways and walkways slippery in winter. Keep your driveways safe by shoveling snow early and often following snow storms, and use de-icing techniques whenever possible.
If potential buyers must park in the street outside your house, reduce the snow piles on your curb, to provide an adequate area for buyers to park their cars. The easier buyers can get out of their vehicles when they come to your house, the better.
3. Make the Interior Inviting and Cozy
Winter is when people like to feel cozy and safe inside their homes. Show that your home is a place that feels warm and cozy by adding decorative touches and staging your home. For example, add extra throw blankets or pillows to your chairs and couches. Use potpourri to make your home smell like seasonal drinks or seasonal desserts that people enjoy.
4. Maintain a Comfortable Temperature
Maintain a comfortable temperature between 68 and 72 degrees. It should be a temperature that allows home buyers to walk around your house in a long-sleeve shirt or a sweater and feel relatively comfortable the entire time. Lowering the temperature on your thermostat during the day can save you money but may give buyers the impression that your house is incapable of staying warm enough in winter.
5. Avoid Over Decorating for Holidays
Tasteful touches of holiday decor like wreaths and holiday lights can make your home feel cozy and inviting to buyers. Too many decorations, on the other hand, can be distracting. Avoid putting sizeable inflatable holiday decorations on your front lawn, for example. Instead, take a “less is more” approach to holiday decor for this holiday season.
6. Feature Photos of Your Home in All Seasons
Provide photos to potential buyers of your home in all four seasons. For example, winter might show off only some of your home and yard features. In fact, your realtor might recommend you have professional photos to showcase your property. Professional images help draw potential buyers to view your home.
Simplify Your Move
Once your house sells, it’s time to move! Make this easier on yourself by hiring a professional moving company with a reputation for excellence. Contact us for a free quote.