Attempting to sell your home during the winter months isn’t for the faint of heart. Staging your home properly is paramount to attract more offers because there are fewer home buyers out shopping. Thus, offers typically are lower.
However, while there’s less buyers there’s also less homes for sale out there. So, buyers will also be motivated and more serious during this time of year. These expert home staging tips will make your space will be more appealing, help buyers visualize themselves living in your home, and hopefully incite more visitors to put in an offer!
Embrace seasonal scents and decor
Use subtle season scents such as cinnamon, pine, vanilla, or even baked goods to make the home feel inviting. Like they’re walking into a family holiday get-together. When staging your home in winter, play with adding tasteful winter decor like soft throw blankets, winter-themed centerpieces on tables, and wreaths.
Be careful to not overdecorate. You don’t want to overwhelm your place and make it seem smaller than it really is. When selling your home, you want it to feel large and open. So, you want to make simple swaps and edits to keep rooms feeling spacious but appropriately outfitted for the season.
Maximize natural and artificial lighting
The winter months are shorter and days are darker. Therefore, we want to counteract that while staging your home and emphasize light to make spaces feel bright and welcoming.
Use light-colored, sheer curtains to allow natural light in during the day. Keep windows clean on the exterior and interior. In rooms there are no windows or in dark corners, use warm-hued LED bulbs and layer your lighting. Add floor lamps, table lamps, or other accent lighting to brighten up the space.
Highlight your fireplace or heating features
If you have a fireplace, have it lit for showings to create a cozy atmosphere. Arrange your furniture around your fireplace to draw attention to it as a central gathering spot. For homes without a fireplace, ensure the house is comfortably warm. If you have modern features like a smart thermostat or space heaters and your agent happens to be at the showing, you can have them demonstrate the systems.
Mention the type of furnace and its efficiency rating and any recent maintenance in the marketing of your home. If they’re impressive, you could even provide the average cost of your heating bills to showcase the system’s cost-effectiveness.
Use textures to create warmth
Add plush rugs, knitted throw blankets, and fluffy pillows while staging your home to evoke feelings of comfort and coziness. Other fabrics perfect for this are wool, fleece, and faux fur.
In your bedrooms, layer the blankets on the beds to make them look more inviting.
Winter-friendly curb appeal
Yes, staging your home for a winter sale also includes the outdoors too!
Keep your walkways clear of snow and ice for safety. You can add simple winter touches to the entryway like a festive wreath or potted evergreens. A winterberry holly would be a great addition to the porch as it has bright red berries for a touch of color.
Ensure your outdoor lighting is functional and welcoming as well.
Create a cozy ambiance
If you really want to go all out, you can turn on some soft, relaxing background music – such as instrumental jazz or acoustic – when you leave for showings. You can also make some warm drinks like hot cocoa or cider to further enhance the experience.
Remember, one key to selling your home during winter months is to stand out among the other home tours they take!
Showcase winter-friendly spaces
If you have a reading nook, a sunny breakfast area, or home office you want to highlight these areas best you can.
For reading areas, layer the space with comfortable cushions, and thick warm blankets. In home offices, use the sheer curtains technique described earlier. If it is a naturally dark area, try swapping in items with shiny metallic finishes or mirrors to brighten up the space.
Final thoughts for staging your home for a winter sale
Selling your home in the winter is about showing home buyers how your home accommodates winter needs. Staging your home to look cozy and warm will create a strong first, and lasting, impression.
If you’re looking for a real estate agent who can help with staging your home in Bolivar, MO and Southwest Missouri, the team at Partin Real Estate has been selling homes in the area for decades. Our mission is to use the honest approach in every transaction and interaction we have. Give us a call or send us a message through our website to get started!
