There are good seasons that you can try to sell a house, and there are lousy seasons to try as well. One of the worst times to try to get a house off the market and into the hands of a new buyer is the dead of winter, especially if you live in a location that gets temperatures cold enough for sleet, freezing rain, and all the other fun bits of a typical winter. However, sometimes you absolutely have to sell your house in winter. Maybe you’ve got a new job starting across the country in the spring and you need out from under your old house. Maybe you’ve already bought a new house, you’re all moved in, and you can’t afford to pay two mortgages through the winter. Whatever the need, here are some important tips on selling your house in the winter.
Make the Outside Presentable and Accessible
There’s nothing that can turn a prospective buyer away than a poorly-maintained home in the winter. You need to ensure that, once your Realtor tells you someone is coming to view the home, that your driveway and walk are free of any sleet. If you live in a neighborhood with sidewalks, make sure they’re clear in front of your home as well. If this means hiring a service to do the sprucing up for you, just chalk it up to the costs of preparing a house for sale.
It’s more than just curb appeal that you’re maintaining by doing this – you’re also making it safe to visit your home in the winter months. You’re not going to win over a prospective buyer if he or she ends up taking a tumble on a patch of cold, muddy, half-frozen lawn.
Keep the driveway and walk clear of any wintry mix of slush and sleet. If you can’t keep up with the work on your own, hire a service. And make sure there are no piles of wet, slippery leaves on the property in places where people will be walking. It’s important that prospective buyers can get to your home safely. Additionally, make sure your gutters are clean and there aren’t any spots that clogs could end up developing. This sends a strong message to possible buyers that there won’t be any unpleasant maintenance surprises they’ll have to deal with once spring comes and all that nasty weather is gone.
Stage Your Home Effectively
If you’re selling in the late fall or early winter while there’s a chill in the air but the festive holiday season is in full swing, you’ve got an excellent opportunity to stage your home. Dressing your home up for Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other of the end-of-year religious holidays in a tasteful manner can do wonders towards your home showing well. Just make sure you do it tastefully – if you usually go crazy with the inflatable snowmen in the front yard, you might want to skip it this year and just go with some stately lights on the outside of your home.
Meanwhile, if it’s after the New Year you can still capitalize on winter décor. Keeping your home well-lit both inside and out during the long nights of winter makes it sparkle, which means keeping the lights on after sunset and the drapes open before that. A cozy fire in the hearth combined with the smell of fresh-baked cookies or apple cider mulling on the stove does wonders for buyers by tapping into that winter spirit. You can charm your prospective buyers this way, and generating goodwill can help you get a final sale closer to your ideal asking price.