Selling your home in the winter is about more than just clearing the walkway of snow or keeping the house warm.
You’ll get better results when you make the most of what it’s like to live in your home during the winter.
Intrigue buyers with the idea that they’ll love their new home in the winter and they’ll be dying to find out what it’s like to live there next spring and summer.
But as anyone who’s ever tried selling their home in the winter can tell you, it isn’t always easy.
Sometimes you need a targeted strategy to help you get the results you’re after.
So here are 7 easy tips for selling your home in the winter that can help prospective buyers envision themselves living there and move them to make an offer.
1. Light it up
Unless you’re living in a warm, sunny climate, it can often feel like you’re living in a dungeon.
Long days of winter gloom can make even the most cheerful soul feel like hibernating for the winter. Banish those dark corners of your home with plenty of lighting from both natural and man-made sources.
For a warm, cozy feel think soft/white/warm white (approx. 2700 Kelvin) LED lighting for your living room and bedrooms and for task areas such as the bathroom and kitchen opt for cooler, brighter lighting such as a Bright White/Cool White option (approx 4100 Kelvin).
2. Warm it up
Turn up the thermostat!
Nothing says “welcome home” as much as walking into a warm, cozy house. It’s better to have the thermostat a degree or two warmer than usual, to ensure the comfort of prospective buyers.
You want them to stick around, especially when it’s cold outside, so make sure the temperature inside is comfortable. If you have one, use the fireplace to add more warmth and visual appeal, but only if you’ll be available to tend to it.
3. Set the mood
Home staging doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. Sometimes just adding a few touches can make the difference between buyers who make an offer or move on to the next home.
Comfort is important whenever you’re selling a home, but it can have an even more dramatic effect on the feel of a room in the winter. For example, a folded throw on the back of an armchair or a colorful quilt folded up at the end of a bed are subtle hints of comfort that make your home more inviting.
Where possible, show how outdoor rooms – such as an outdoor fireplace or covered porch – can be used in the winter by keeping the area fully furnished. Place throws on your outdoor furniture and build a fire in the fireplace to help potential buyers see themselves using the space.
4. Improve curb appeal
Improvements to your home’s curb appeal are just as important when selling your home in the winter. Simple landscaping touches like holly plants or blue spruce can brighten up your home’s outdoor living spaces.
Structural elements in the garden such as urns, benches, rock walls and gazebos can help buyers see the potential of your home’s outdoor spaces…even when buried in snow.
5. Get professional images
If possible, get professional images.
This is especially true if you didn’t get photos of your home before the winter laid everything bare. The real estate analysis company Redfin found that listings of homes where images were taken by professional-grade cameras sold for $3,400 to $11,200 more relative to their list prices.
6. Price it right the first time
Redfin also reports that a home that is listed will receive nearly four times as many visits in its first week than it will a month later.
Which makes getting your house priced right the first time crucial.
7. Know the football schedule
Surprising?
If you live in a “football household” you probably nodded your head at this last tip, but for everyone else, let’s clarify.
As most individuals have more time on the weekends, that’s when open houses are typically held.
While not normally an issue, if you schedule an open house on nearly any weekend from December to February, make sure that it’s schedule either before or after the game!
