Selling in Winter? Make It a Reality

The lawn is brown, trees bare, dirty snow blankets the walkway, the house colder with limited sunlight. The dark days of winter are upon us, the harsh weather conditions can make selling a home more stressful, but sellers don’t need to hibernate until the spring.

While it can be difficult to make something look more appealing this time of year, it’s not impossible and the effort could just provide a seat at the closing table. During the winter months there may be fewer showings, but they’re more powerful. Those taking the time to see the property in winter are usually motivated buyers, those that have to relocate for a job change or who’ve already sold their home and need to find a new place to live. The slower market provides less competition and more attention from agents, so take advantage of this opportunity by making sure your house stands out.

When dealing with winter weather make sure your walkways and driveways are clear from snow and ice, salt and shovel regularly so buyers can easily get to the property. If possible, keep snow in the front yard untouched. It’s always better to have the snow well groomed versus footprints, dirty snow or yellow snow surrounding your front entrance. Look at the outside lighting around the door. Is there enough illumination to make it inviting? If not, either get the fixtures changed or have new ones added.

It’s not just about curb appeal though, sellers need to create a warm, cozy and homey environment, after all it is winter the time when most families hibernate inside their home. When showing, sellers should adjust heat so buyers are comfortable. If there is a fireplace turn it on to create a cozy ambiance. A fireplace screams come cuddle up next to it, however it also provides much needed light.

Take advantage of the natural light you have by having showings during the daylight hours. Winter months brings gray-gloomy days, so make the most of the light you have. Have sellers wash the windows, since the strong southern light reveals dirt and grim. Clean blinds and curtains then open them all the way. Also, clean lamps and replace bulbs to maximum wattage. Turn on all the lights, even light candles to create a relaxing feel. Candles can provide a familiar winter scent, such as, cinnamon rolls, apple spice, vanilla or chocolate-chip cookies.

Take down the holiday decorations and consider adding cozy accents, like warm throws on furniture, thick comforters on the bed, and natural accessories which includes: twigs, dried wreaths, photos of fun family winter vacations together. Display other activities that residents do in the area during this time of year, for instance skiing, ice skating, or knitting.

When hiring a Realtor explain to them the positives of selling your home in the winter. Emphasis if the home is close to transportation that’s convenient or the bedroom has a great water view now that the leaves have fallen. Make the buyer’s visit memorable provide the Realtor with a concession area for cookies, warm apple cider, hot chocolate or bottles of water. Many times buyers will track in the harsh weather conditions, stage a bench in the entry area for buyers to remove shoes or slip on paper booties over their footwear, it will help protect the investment and show buyers the seller maintains the home.

Since there are fewer buyers, be accommodating to interested parties  by having a clear, flexible schedule for showings. So, don’t wait for spring to plant that for sale sign, welcome buyer’s in out of the cold, if they like the home when the weather is gloomy, imagine how much they’ll love it the rest of the year.

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