Many people believe it’s harder to sell your home in winter than summer.
But there are a number of real advantages to selling during the cooler months! And there will always be those brave house hunters that are looking for the right home to ring in the new year. Winter buyers have more time to look for homes and sellers have a little more time to consider offer. Also, with fewer homes on the market – there is less competition and with the economy improving each each year, mortgage rates are predicted to keep going up. So, it’s a good time for buyers to get in and buy a house before next spring when rates will most likely increase. There are a lot of factors that lead people to buying new homes all year long such as new jobs, growing families, downsizing and a handful of other factors. Winter is a great time for playing up your home’s cosy, family-friendly charm.
Start Outside.
A family home in the suburbs on a sunny winter day.
The outside of your house makes the first impression. Make sure your house looks, maintained and cared for with clean roof gutters, clean siding and paintwork, and freshly washed windows.
Tend to foliage
Check out your shrubs and trees, and make sure they look neat and trimmed. You don’t want anything obstructing pathways or entrances. Make sure your sidewalks are shoveled and salted; not only is this a courtesy and crucial to making the home look well maintained, but if a visitor slips and is hurt, you could be liable for damages.
Don’t overdo it on the lights!
Don’t Clark Griswald the house, a few strings of white lights on the trees or on the roof will be charming and elegant.
Adorn the entryway
A wreath or sash on the front door goes a long way. Christmas lights and garland can be hung on the doorframe to create a welcoming, warm entryway. You can plant pots with festive greenery, winterberries and cool weather foliage, the fuller the better! Think cedar or pine boughs, sprigs of holly, dried berries, magnolia leaves, corkscrew hazel or red osier branches, with silver ball ornaments and perhaps gold wire ribbon woven through the arrangement.
Make a good first impression
Your prospective buyers get a feel for the house the moment they walk in the door. Make sure the heat has been turned on prior to their arrival! No one will want to walk around a freezing house. You want to use this time of year to play up the cosiness of your home, so make sure it’s cosy!
Complement your palette.
Before you start untangling your tinsel, make sure your holiday collection matches your current decor. If your living room is painted a soothing ocean-blue hue, skip the clashing red garland and opt for white snowflakes or a silver glass-ball wreath. If you’ve got an earthy color scheme, accent with rich tones like cranberries, forest greens and gold.
Light candles
Candles create a warm welcoming and romantic ambiance. You will appeal to your visitors’ senses by lighting some mild fragrant candles in main rooms. A time-honored but still effective trick, especially on a cold winter’s day, is to have a pot of cider simmering on the stove, or cookies or fresh bread baking.
Protect the floors
To protect your floors, put down rubber mats by the door for snowy boots; or buy a few pairs of comfy one-size-fits-all slippers from a department or discount store for visitors to wear while they view your home.
Light a fire
If you have a wood-burning fireplace, light a fire and let it glow during the showing. Put big, colourful poinsettias in each main room, including the kitchen; consider more modest winter flower arrangements or amaryllis blooms in other rooms, such as the bath and master bedroom. Decorate banisters and mantels with pine garlands (natural ones impart a delicious, nostalgic fragrance); a decorated and lit Christmas tree or menorah enhances an image of home and family. Just don’t over-do it!
After the holidays, seasonal decorations can be taken down, but urn arrangements and even the front door wreath can stay up for the rest of the winter, if it isn’t too Christmasy in design. Make sure you continue to maintain walkways clear of ice and snow, and think warm thoughts!
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