One of the nice things about living in Houston is the fact that the weather tends to be good through most of the year. Even in the winter, you will find that the temperatures are mild when compared with so many other areas of the United States. However, there are certain times when it can get into the 30s and 40s in the winter. There can be some cold fronts, and this can bring along with it some cold rain in December and January.
Fortunately, this does not mean that it will be more difficult to sell your home in the winter in Houston than it would be at other times of the year. You will not have to worry about snow keeping buyers away, and the biggest threat would be the occasional rainstorm. Even though you can still sell your property in the winter without too much trouble from the weather, there are still some things you can do to help increase the salability of your home during these months.
Make Sure the Home’s Indoor Temperature Is Right for the Weather
When you have open houses, and you are getting your property ready, you need to think about quite a few things. One of the elements to consider when you are selling during the colder weather in Houston is just how chilly it might be outside. If you have an open house on a particularly cold day, you want to make sure the temperature of the home is nice and toasty when the prospective buyers come to take a look through the house.
You want people to imagine themselves living in the home, so make it feel as comfortable as possible for them. They shouldn’t have to bundle up just to walk through your home. If you have a fireplace in the home, consider having it going while people visit. This way, they can see just what they are getting, and they can picture themselves and their loved ones sitting right in front of that fireplace. This might seem like a simple thing, but it can have a powerful psychological effect on the potential buyers. In fact, it could be just about enough to sway some people.
Some Treats for Winter
When you are holding an open house, you should also make sure you have a few snacks available for your guests to make them feel at home, and to help them warm up. For the winter, you might want to have some warm spiced cider available, as well as cocoa, coffee, tea, and bottled water. Have some fresh, homemade cookies available, too.
The cookies can also provide the home with a nice welcoming scent that many people are going to associate with home. You definitely want them to think “home” when they come to look at your property. Again, this can have a subconscious psychological effect on them.
Lighting
During the winter, the light can seem a bit dimmer, and it tends to get darker earlier. Therefore, you want to have plenty of lighting inside and outside of the home. The light on the inside should be bright enough for people to see the property well when they are taking their walkthrough.
You might need to place some extra lights in the home, but it will be worth the minimal cost. In addition, you can always reuse these lights in your new home.
While you might be tempted to have mood lighting in certain rooms, it does not always work as intended when you are trying to sell the home. People want to see the property, not a dimly lit room.
The Décor
Still, you can create a general mood in the home with the décor that you have. Ideally, you will want to keep this as minimal as possible. However, you can have a few typical decorations that celebrate the winter months, whether they are holiday decorations, or just a bowl of pinecones as a centerpiece on the dining room table. Little things like this can help, but just do not go overboard.
Music
Having some music playing can be a nice touch, as well. In the winter, you might be tempted to play some Christmas music, but you will likely be better served by just having some soft music playing. Classical music and jazz can work quite well. They sound great and they tend to be unobtrusive. Don’t turn up the music too loud. You still want to everyone to be capable of communicating with one another without the need to yell.
What If It Is Raining?
If it is raining, you do not want people to track mud and dirt through your house. You can’t really ask everyone to take off their shoes, of course. However, what you can do is have a mat where people can wipe their feet before they come into the house. If they offer to take off their shoes before they walk around, be sure you have a place for them to store those shoes safely.
Everything Else
The above can help you during the winter months, but you will find that much of the advice is good no matter what time of year it might be. You will also want to make sure the home is cleaned from top to bottom and that you have removed all of the clutter from the home. Make sure the exterior is in good shape, as well. Stepping up your curb appeal is important, as this will be the first thing that people see when they come to your home. You want to impress them from the moment they arrive.
It’s time to get your home ready to sell this winter. If you find that you are having a lot of trouble selling the home, and there just aren’t any buyers for your property, don’t despair. You have other options, such as renting the property out for a while, and even selling to an investor. Investors are always looking for good properties that they can buy.