Selling in Winter

Despite venturing into the cooler months, there are still people looking to either upgrade, downsize or move into the area.  We believe this winter will prove to be a great time to sell as there are still frustrated people who have not been able to find “the right” house over summer and autumn due to the housing shortage.  With a little bit of thought, you can transform your home into such a cosy oasis that your buyers won’t want to leave.

To begin, ‘first impressions’ is still a ‘thing’ in 2021. Autumns leaves need to be swept away and donated to a Kindy to leave you with a neat drive. An entrance adorned with potted colour, pruned dead-headed bushes and a lawn that is mowed between rainfalls will entice your buyers indoors.

Make sure you think of what the rain will do to your paths and stairs. Slippery when wet is not just a Bon Jovi Album, but a hazard! Removing moss and lichen from paths, stairs and fences is an essential task when preparing your home for a June, July or August sale. Also, for the same reason, securing hand rails so they are supportive is equally an important to-do that may have been overlooked in the warmer months.

Take Care of Home Maintenance

The rain and wind have a way of exposing broken gutters and areas where rain is sneaking into the house. You’ll want to make sure that these fixed, and the rain isn’t being channelled into a trickle just by the front door. Fix issues like leaking roof tiles or gutters. It’s also a good idea to fix leaky taps or damaged fixtures.

Turn up the Heat

After venturing from their car, if the weather is being challenging, your buyer is likely to be making a B-Line for your front door, looking for relief from the cold. There is nothing quite like stepping in from the cold into a warm, comfortable home. I have often had sellers tell me theirs is such a lovely warm home. Don’t tell them, show them.  And if you have a fire, get it roaring for open homes and inspections.

A Few Interior Features

And when the buyer makes it through your front door, your winter home staging can really give you a strong advantage. The ultimate goal is to create an atmosphere of comfort and warmth.

Now, on arrival, and when they see how lovely and warm your home is inside, your agent and buyers will want to put their umbrella and coat somewhere. Provide an umbrella stand, coat rack, and a welcome mat. Remember that a good agent will have your buyers remove their shoes, so consider the underfoot feel of your property. If you were on the fence about whether to replace carpets, a winter sales campaign may provide another nudge to do so. Consider rugs and mats to add another layer of warmth and design, especially if you have exposed floorboards.

Thick blankets, throws, lots of cushions in the lounge and bedrooms can really ham up the feeling that your place is the one to cuddle up in.

Optimise Natural Light

It would be easy to overlook cleaning windows in winter, but when the sun decides to make an appearance, clean windows will make a significant difference for your buyers. On overcast days, the sun will be inhibited from doing it’s best to brighten up your home. Mirrors are natural lights best friend. Place mirrors opposite windows, to reflect the light, open up the space and show off your cleaning and staging.

When natural lighting is at a premium, optimise it as much as you can. This may mean cutting back large bushes or pruning trees that prevent light from entering your home. Make sure that your curtains are pulled right back and if necessary, consider the length of your curtain tracks. Longer tracks make sure all the window is exposed when the curtains are open.

Brighten Even More

Winter is a magnificent time to make artificial light work for you. Turn on all of your lamps and lights for viewings and make sure they are all dust free. If it’s in the budget, consider using lamps and light fittings as a beautiful feature of each room.

You may first hesitate to consider selling your house during the winter season, but by putting yourself in the buyers’ shoes, and by using a bit of creativity, you can transform your house into a cosy oasis in any storm. We are experienced in selling properties in any season, and may have some additional tips that pertain to your specific situation. Get one of us around and ask, that’s what we do.