Why Winter Could be a Great Time to Sell Your Home
Are you looking to sell your house this year? You might be holding off until spring, the time of year you assume is best to put your home on the market, but winter could be a great time too, especially if it gives you a unique chance to show prospective buyers what makes your house the right one.
Your home can handle the elements
Winter allows buyers see a different, valuable perspective on a house, including how it holds up in the season of cold and snow. A well-shoveled walkway, a sturdy snow-packed roof, and working furnace signal to prospective buyers that your home is ready to move into without any concerns about winter.
Attract buyers with a cozy atmosphere
First, turn up the thermostat, even if it’s a few degrees warmer than you’d usually keep it. You don’t want a cold day to keep buyers from taking their time as they tour your home. If they are uncomfortably chilly, they might decide to take a quick look and move on. Next, if you have a fireplace, show it off. Light a fire, turn on the lights to brighten up each room, brew a pot of coffee or hot chocolate, bake some cookies, and arrange a couple of throw blankets on the arms of your couch.
There’s less competition
If you were thinking spring was the better time to sell, so is everyone else. That means there are fewer homes on the market during the winter months creating better chances for you to sell yours. Of course if your home is priced right, the time of year you’re ready to sell shouldn’t matter, but it helps when yours can stand out in a less crowded field.
The buyers are serious
On a related note, winter is the time of year when there are fewer casual home seekers. Potential buyers who spend a cold evening or weekend afternoon looking at houses instead of relaxing in the comfort of home, they probably mean business. Winter buyers might be looking to upgrade and have a home of their own to sell, or a professional opportunity might mean they are looking to relocate as soon as possible. Buyers ready to make a purchase don’t want to risk losing the perfect house just because winter is considered “off season.”
Internet listings are a plus year-round
With the rise of internet access to property listings, many people sign up for alerts from popular real estate sites like Zillow, Trulia, Reator.com, or local agencies and are waiting for the right home at the right price even if they find it in winter. Yours may just be what they are looking for, so don’t miss the chance for your listing to land in their inbox!
The advice from experts on getting your home ready to sell are basically the same, no matter the time of year. Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture your home and use the winter months as a great time to paint, make those little repairs around the home, and clear out the clutter.
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