Attempting to sell your house quickly during the winter season presents it’s own set of challenges. Whilst it may not be the perfect time to put your house up for sale, there are still lots of steps you can take to help you sell your property quickly.
If you live in an area which is adversely affected by bad weather in the winter, it can be tough trying to sell a home, as the property won’t appear as enticing as a nice summer’s day. If it’s really cold out there, and the rain or snow is falling, you can still make improvements to make the viewing experience of your home a memorable and pleasant one for potential buyers.
Snow on the Pathway
Remember to keep the pathway to your dream property clear of snow, so potential buyers don’t have to battle through to get to you! Snow will turn to ice pretty quickly out there, and you don’t want buyers collapsing in agony before they reach your property! A sprinkle of salt or sand will do the trick. You can also clear out beyond your doorstep, so people getting out of their cars can reach your front door easily. You can also put down a rubber mat for people coming in with wet boots on, and a pot for people’s umbrellas.
Lighten Up
To help you brighten up your property, do everything you can to lighten the place up. Pull back drapes, open up blind and clean all your windows. You can also turn on all your lights, and put uplighting behind furniture too. Don’t forget to turn off yout T.V. - it can be a distraction to people’s viewing time.
Warm it Up
Keep the property nice and warm. Not bermuda style, so people start sweating, just a little warmer than usual. Presenting a cold house isn’t good - you either have thin walls that let out the heat easily, or your a miser who wants to keep every penny they can get their hands on. Not a good look for negotiations. If you have the temperature nice and warm, buyers may be tempted to stay a little longer too. If you have a fireplace, make sure the fire is buring nicely and looking good. If you have any gas fires too, start them up.
Appearances Count
You can also do some of your own staging here, and create a nice ambiance in the house. You can also use rugs and throws to warm the furniture up and make them appear more welcoming. You can make you bathroom more appealing by setting up big, fluffy towels and spa treatments in there.
Try vases with flowers in them to brighten up a cold winter’s day. Why not try and set up up some romantic arrangements in the home? Maybe a breakfast tray with plates, cups for tea, and some newspapers, ready for two? Or you could set up the dinner table with roses and set for a romantic night?
Try Some Music
You can also use some easy listening music to help people relax - something easy-going like classical or some jazz.
Home Scents
Many people douse their properties in air freshners and so on. Don’t be tempted to do that. Lots of people are allergic to them, and you don’t want that. As long as you have the place clean and smelling fresh, you’ll be ok. A much better idea is to do some home cooking - try cookies - always a favourite. Whatever you do, don’t make something and then put the food away! Major dissapointment! Make sure your guests can get all the cookies they want. ‘Remember that house where we had those great cookies?’. Yes, I do.
What Food?
The idea behind sevring food is threefold: You give people something nice for free, they remember you and they stay a little longer in the property, hopefully noticing things they may have otherwise have missed. What foods to serve? Soups are a great idea. Lovely on a cold day, and takes a while to consume. Hot chocolate too.
Information for Rooms
Is there anything that may be of interest to your potential buyers? Maybe there is a little history in there. Or is there anything interesting about the period of the house? Perhaps your area has some interesting history, a story to tell. Add some character to your property, it makes it more memorable and fascinating. You can print these up and leave them in different rooms, or design an a4 leaflet with all the different features of your property, and local history.
Final Touches
If it’s getting dark early in the evenings, why not set up automatic timers that switch on when a buyer is approaching your doorstep? Remember to switch on interior lights in all rooms before people arrive - you don’t want them wandering into dark rooms. Maybe an electronic timer may be a good idea. You may want to unplug your phones as well, so you have no interruptions.
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