Are you preparing to sell your house in the winter? Worrying that it won’t sell as quickly or for as much money when the weather cools?
Don’t force yourself or your family to stay in your older house in hopes that selling in spring will bring more cash because that’s not necessarily the truth.
There are pros and cons to any season when it comes to real estate.
In fact, since there are less homes on the market during the winter that means less competition for you and that could mean your home sells faster.
Furthermore, buyers running around looking at homes during the colder weather usually aren’t doing so just to be window shopping. In our experience, they are usually more serious about making a purchase.
So, here’s a few tips to make sure selling your house in the winter is a successful venture.
Less is more with christmas decorations
We aren’t saying to be a Scrooge, but try to take the pictures of your home for your listing before the decorations go up and keep the decorations simple while you are showing your old home.
Once Christmas is over, make sure to take down the decorations in a reasonable amount of time.
You want to make sure your home looks just as the buyer would have it when they come to take a tour. Any decorations in your home — holiday or not — should only accent the area. Not be the focal point.
Take your pictures in clear weather
Another tip for your listing pictures – don’t take outside shots of your home when it is covered in snow. Buyers want to be able to see the features of your home.
Post pictures that are bright, clear, and snow-free.
Fire up the fireplace and oven
If you have any sort of fireplace, turn it on for the showings of your house during the winter to make your home warm and welcoming.
Are you any good at baking? Bake some cookies or other holiday treats for the guests too.
Cliche or not, it sets a good mood for homebuyers.
Be prepared to negotiate
No matter what season you’re in, most buyers will attempt to negotiate and you may have to come down from your asking price. Most times, the only thing that will prevent this is having multiple offers.
So, set a realistic price and do what it takes to attract several buyers!
Then, over time, you’ll naturally get an offer you will feel comfortable with.
The best thing you can do is hire a real estate agent like Partin Real Estate and we will do a comparative market analysis to find that perfect price point.
Make sure your online listings are up to par
Nearly all buyers use the internet during their home search. In 2019, half of buyers used it to find the home they eventually purchased.
Many might utilize it even more so to narrow down how many homes they visit during colder weather months.
So spruce up your listing and get it on all the most popular websites.
