Top Tips for Selling Your Home in the Winter

Selling your home during the winter can be challenging with the cold days and not many hours of sunlight keeping many prospective buyers inside sipping a cup of hot chocolate.  Even tougher are homes in snowy locations where the streets may be hard to navigate.  Luckily London gets very little snow, but the dreary gray days can create their own issues.  There are however steps which you can take to make your property standout and present an inviting aura that attracts buyers. Since potential clients need a home where they can enjoy both the inside and outside year round, here are some tips to turn the challenges into opportunities.

Take Great Pictures

Take great pictures.  Since many buyers start their search on the internet, it’s really important to take great pictures, ideally on a sunny day.  Inside the home should be tidy and well presented and stage rooms if necessary to give a clear indication of usage.

Maintain a Clear Path

Once buyers have been enticed to book a viewing, the first area that they will come across is the path leading to the property. During winter the path may be unclear due to fallen leaves, debris or even trash bins in the way.  Keep paths clear and even consider putting up decorative lights (not too many) or a lovely wreath to welcome at the front door.

Keep Rooms Well Lit

During the wintertime in London when there may be no sun entering the rooms, they can appear dull and unpleasing to potential buyers.  Make sure that shutters are open, blinds are pulled up and drapes on every window are pulled back to allow enough natural light to enter the house.  For additional brightening of the rooms, ensure that all lights in the house are turned on, including closet and appliances lights. Floor spotlights behind furniture can also be used to brighten dark rooms and lighten the entire mood of the house.

Warm the House

A cold house is likely to turn away potential buyers, even if it’s just because they are too cold to stand still, especially those who may be viewing with small children. A programmable thermostat will be the best option to ensure that the temperature around the house is well maintained. Make sure to check individual room temps so that rooms throughout feel warm but not stuffy.   Also if you have an older heating system that may be very noisy, it may be a good time to have this checked out.  For the homes with a fireplace, while ideally it would be lovely to have it light (caution that it is never left unattended), a second option to have all the logs and fire screen set up to indicate that it is a working fireplace. A warm house in winter will give the potential client more reasons to walk around and explore the home.

Engage the Other Senses

Enlist other senses by scenting the home with fresh baked cookies or aromatic candles.  This will create an inviting environment and helps engage potential buyers.  But make sure to start with a clean home where carpets have been steam cleaned and there are no lingering smells from last nights dinner. If the home has a sound system, show it off by featuring some low level classical or soothing jazz.

Make the Home Visually Attractive

Finally, and most importantly create a visual picture that appeals to potential buyers. A well-maintained home assures buyers that they will not be undergoing extra costs for repairs and cleaning. Ensure that there are no cobwebs, unattended gardens, dangling electricity cables, gaps in the bathroom tiles or along the floorboards. During the festive season, don’t go overboard with the decorations as it may put some buyers off, but do create an environment that is fun and seasonally appropriate.

If you’d like specific tips on the best way to get top prices during the winter, get in touch and will stop by for a no cost valuation.