Selling a house is difficult enough without stressing about the time you are choosing to sell. While most real estate agents claim that late spring and early summer are the best times to sell a house, there are actually a number of different benefits you can make use of when you sell your house in the fall or winter. Here are some ways you can sell your home, even if it is widely considered the “off season,” as well as tips on pricing to attract the most buyers.
Plan out your approach
If you are going to sell your home in the colder months, you have to know how to approach it. Many of the preparations you make during the spring and summer are not quite as effective when it’s cold outside. For example, in summer, you may get a flood of people when you hold an open house, and to attract them even more, you may spend hours on your landscaping, adding flowering plants, fresh white paint, and other attractive things that will help your home’s curb appeal. Curb appeal is still effective in the winter, but there are far fewer people who will attend an open house on a whim.
However, while there are fewer people in general looking for homes, those who are looking for a home in the winter are dedicated to finding a house quickly, so you may just find that the overall selling process is easier once you have an interested buyer. Be sure you price your home as it is valued; do not drop your price just because of the time of year. Always check out housing trends in your area to see what a fair price is for your house. For instance, houses in Lexington, SC, have sold for an average of $260,000 in the past month.
Create an inviting exterior
So it becomes easier to keep a buyer interested once your home has attracted them, but how do you reel them in in the first place? There is a particular style of curb appeal that can help, and it involves keeping the changing quality of the light in mind. The light of late fall and winter is different from the bright sun of summer and can change how your landscaping and the exterior of your house appears from the street. Provide plenty of outdoor light so that your home will seem safe, even during long winter nights. Similarly, provide handrails, doormats, and other things that can help people navigate the path to your front door.
Just like summer, you should take pains to remove any debris from your yard by collecting errant sticks, limbs, and leaves. Even though you may not be able to have many flowers growing in your yard, putting the extra effort in to make what you do look well maintained will do wonders for your overall appeal. Unless you can acquire some seasonal flowers, put your energy into adding a splash of color in your front yard. A brightly painted front door or set of flowerpots can make your home seem more inviting.
Make your interior warm and welcoming
Inside, stage your home with care, again paying particular attention to your sources of light. By using a combination of desk lamps, floor lamps, sconces, and other wall-mounted fixtures, you can create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Carry this through the home by adding little bright touches to your mantel and bar and by lighting lightly scented candles. Finally, make sure your home is a comfortable temperature. A cold home is one of the major things that can turn a potential buyer off in the winter.
Selling a home, no matter the season, is a difficult proposition. However, by paying special attention to the way you present your home, you can attract determined buyers and can sell your home successfully in the fall and winter.