Winter is coming. Make sure the buyers are too.
Sellers have traditionally waited until spring to put their homes on the market, but with real estate in short supply it looks like a busy winter on the property front.
If you’re thinking of selling, here are five tips to make sure your home is a hot property in the cooler months.
1. Create a warm welcome.
On a grey and dreary day, nothing lifts the spirits like stepping into a warm home. You can create a great first impression by ensuring the heaters are on well before your open inspection. An open or combustion fire will also create a lovely visual for potential buyers. Staging your home for winter will extend that warm feeling too. Textured throws and blankets on beds and couches, and soft rugs on bare floors make your property look like a cosy place to come home to.
2. Make your home a front runner.
The front yard is the first thing a buyer will see when arriving at your home. And in real estate, first impressions count. Flowering plants are in short supply in winter, but one or two in pots by the front door can work wonders. Give the lawn a mow and rake up dead leaves in garden beds or on the lawn. Give straggly plants a prune too. If it looks like you don’t maintain your garden, buyers will think you don’t maintain your home either.
3. Lighten up.
A bright home is a welcoming one, so you’ll want your open inspection in the middle of the day when light is best. Open curtains and blinds and clean your windows to bring as much natural light into your home as possible. Rooms that face north will be brighter in winter, but south facing rooms might need some artificial light to create the same effect. Lamps with warm globes are great for eliminating dark corners and making a room feel more inviting.
4. Maintain and make more.
In winter especially, buyers are on the lookout for little problems that might become big expensive ones, so it’s important to get on top of any maintenance issues. Outside, make sure your gutters, roofs and downpipes are clean and not leaking. The same goes for taps, toilets and shower heads inside. Repair any broken fixtures, air out damp rooms and remove all signs of mould well before inspections.
5. Keep it clean.
Make sure your floors look their best from the first inspection to the last. If one is scheduled on a rainy day, have somewhere for people to leave their umbrellas and wet coats, and even their shoes if necessary, to protect your carpets and rugs.
