Selling your Home in Fall and Winter: The Best Strategies
While spring is traditionally the best time to sell your home that
does not mean that you must write off the opportunity to sell your home
in the fall or even the winter. It is still possible to sell your
property by the end of the year; however, you will need to be creative
and realistic in your approach.
Many home sellers make the mistake of thinking the market becomes completely
stagnant during the fall and especially during the holiday season. This
is not completely true. Many markets actually experience a surge during
fall as prospective buyers return from their vacations refreshed and
invigorated. Even during the holiday season there are usually at least
some home buyers out there looking for a good deal. In fact, some buyers are
even more highly motivated during the holiday season than any other time
of the year. The advantage of catering to these home buyers is that are
usually not just lookers; they are serious buyers.
There is also another advantage to preparing your home for sale during
the fall and winter. You will likely face less competition because quite
simply the inventory of available homes tends to drop during this time
of the year. If you have experienced a wealth of For Sale signs in your
local market the rest of the year, the fall and winter could be an ideal
time to sell your house.
When selling your home in the fall and winter; however, it is important
to recognize that the value of your home does not depend on the season.
Many home sellers make the mistake of adjusting the price of their home
during what they consider to be an off season. The price of your home is
completely separate from the current season. Factors which affect the
value of your home include local employment trends as well as local
supply and demand.
Sellers should also recognize that buyers today are far more savvy and
sophisticated than in the past. Thanks to the Internet, buyers are now
quite able to spend a month and even more surfing the net, investigating
the local market, before they even speak to a real estate agent. It is a
huge mistake to believe that you can land a buyer who is willing to pay
a price that is above the prevailing market average.
To encourage showings of your home during the fall and winter make sure
the path to your home is always cleared; particularly if you live in an
area with frequent snowfall. Since there is usually less light during
the fall and winter, take steps to let in as much light as possible.
Pull up the blinds and pull back the drapes. Turn on all the lights in
the home and consider placing spotlights behind the furniture.
While the holidays are the perfect time to set a mood in your home, make
sure you do not overdo it. Decorate for the holidays if you would
normally do so, but do not put out so many decorations that your home
appears to be crowded. This rule is especially true when it comes to
Christmas trees.
Take advantage of the opportunity to make your home appear warm,
inviting and romantic. Tossing afghans across the back of a soft,
setting out fresh winter flowers, dressing your dining table for an
intimate dinner and playing soft music are all great examples of ways in
which you can set the perfect mood in your home for showings during the
fall and winter.
Do remember; however, to exercise caution when using scents during the
winter. While many home sellers try to invoke the spirit of the season by
burning scented candles this could backfire if buyers are allergic to
certain scents. Rather than linger in your home they will be more likely
to look for the quickest exit.
Serving snacks during an open house is an excellent idea but do try to
tailor the foods you serve to the season. Fall and winter is the perfect
time to set out hot soups as well as cocoa and hot apple cider.
Above all else, make sure that your home is in excellent condition. Fall
and winter is not the time to let maintenance issues slide. Make sure
your home is well maintained as well as sparkling clean.
Finally, you can utilize technology to its full advantage
when selling your home during the fall and winter. Indoor lamps can be
put on a timer so that they automatically come on while buyers are
viewing the home. You can also utilize motion sensor to light up your
home during the darker months of fall and winter.
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