Price it aggressively: Gone are the days where you could nudge the price 3-5% above the comparable sales in your neighborhood and expect a ready, willing and able buyer to come along. Today it's all about competitive pricing. That means setting an asking price that is at least on par with the sold comps, but it could mean going 3-5% under if your market is flooded with homes for sale.
Make it Shine: To-do items like de-cluttering the house, having it professionally cleaned, emptying closets and junk drawers and cleaning out the garage is something you should do no matter when you sell, but is especially important in the slower seasons. A fresh coat of interior paint, new floor coverings and fixing those lingering home repairs should also be addressed, if needed, prior to marketing the house.
Make it accessable: First and foremost, make the property available for showings, even short notice showings. Buyers that can't get an appointment to view your home might simply scratch it from the list of homes they want to see. Selling your home in the winter requires that you keep the driveway, sidewalks, front porch and decks clear of snow and ice. Doing so eliminates safety hazards for buyers and agents. It also sends the message that your home is well maintained.
Enhance your Curb Appeal: Even though our yards are covered in snow, curb appeal is still critical. Summer gardening tools, lawn movers, planters and toys should all be stowed for the winter. Extension cords, snow shovels, ice scoops, and snow blowers should be neatly put away for showings.
Let There Be Light: Winters in Alaska are dark; we currently have less than four hours of possible sunlight a day. Make sure to have functional exterior lights working so the buyes can find their way from the car to the house. Inside, make the house as cheery as possible by turning on all the lights and opening all of your blinds and curtains. If you're not going to be home, invest in inexpensive timers to turn lights on before the buyers arrive. The goal is to wow the buyers from the moment they enter the door; something that's hard to do if they have to fumble for light switches.
Keep the House Warm: With home heating fuel topping $3.00/gallon many homeowners are being more conservative with the thermostat. For showings, it's best to keep the house between 70/72 degrees. A buyer that shivers while walking through the house will probably not remember the house fondly. Make them want to linger, especially on cold days.
Be Mindful of Pets: Not everyone has them or wants to smell them. It's best to remove pets from the house for showings. Having the family dog or cat underfoot could cause an accident, but will certainly be a distraction. Many sellers opt to keep their pets caged but a barking dog is a serious distraction; one that causes many buyers to simply hurry through the house and leave. This is exactly what you don't want. Also, ask your Realtor or a friend if you house passes the 'sniff' test. Pet odors are a major buyer turnoff.
Near Public Transportation? Does the school bus stop in front of your home or on the corner? Are you close to public transportation? Make sure your agent knows so they can relay this information to the buyers. It has been known to make a difference.
Highlight Important Features
Consider creating a "Why we love our home" letter and an "Improvements we've made" letter for your Realtor to include with the property disclosure package. It helps to solidify value and ensures buyers don't miss important features.
As you can see from the charts below, there isn't much of a difference between the average spring/summer and fall/winter sales price. Historically, spring/summer sales averaged $6,600 higher than fall/winter sales.
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