It is cool outside, and festivities are in full force. While selling your home in the middle of winter is laden with pros and cons, the following list features ten handy hints to help you sell your home during the holidays.
Decorate Your Home Tastefully
Sometimes, less is more. While houses that are decked out to the brim with decorations may feel festive, they can also sometimes feel tacky. Minimize the decorations to appeal to a wider audience. This applies to both the exterior and interior of your home.
Create a Welcoming Environment
When potential buyers are coming in from the cold, a welcoming environment is bound to be received with open arms. Be generous with the heating and keep some candles lit to create a cosy feeling throughout your home. If you have the time, maybe have a pie cooking in the oven to give off a pleasant aroma around your home and remind potential buyers why your property appeals all year round.
Keep It Clean
While this may be obvious, a clean home is an attractive home. Be sure to clear up any dirt that's been trailed in - vacuum and clear clutter often. Again, this applies to the outside of your home too. It's important to keep your yard raked and your gutters clear. Also, perhaps most importantly, keep your driveway and sidewalk clear of ice or snow – for both cosmetic reasons and the safety of your potential buyers.
Keep Up Curb Appeal
Trees that are without leaves may show the less than perfect areas of your home more than usual, be sure to tend to this. Keep walkways clear and salted and ignore the blanket of snow that may be deterring you from stepping outside. You want buyers to be inspired as soon as they pull up to the curb.
Show Your Home in Other Seasons
If you have images of your home throughout other, brighter seasons such as Spring or Summer, then make use of them. Have the photos on display and show potential buyers, so they have a good idea of how your home looks throughout the year.
Pick a slim tree, if possible. Although they may be pretty and impressive, a larger tree can make a sizeable room seem much smaller than it is – and an idea of space can be important to your potential buyers.
Create an Impressive Online Listing
Today's buyers typically begin their searches online, so it is important to show your homes appeal when you list it. Make sure photos are high-quality, show off the home's exterior in all seasons and if you have the time, even include a video tour so potential buyers can have an even better feel for the home before they come to view it.
Price Your Home to Sell
If a buyer is interested in your home during the seasonal period, then they're typically motivated to buy and do not want to mess around. Make use of resources online and communicate with your estate agent to find an appropriate price for your home.
Be as Available as Possible
The holidays make it more difficult your agents to schedule showings since everyone involved – yourself, your estate agent, and the potential buyers – have a lot going on during the season. Try and keep your schedule as clear or be open to rearranging your plans when possible in order to accommodate buyers. It's okay to be unavailable on certain days – such as Thanksgiving and Christmas day – but keep these days to a minimum where possible.
