Selling your home in the slowest and dreariest sales season of all is not as bad as some think!
Cheer up! It's a cheerful season with opportunities to sell the comfort and intimacy the holidays bring!
Many homeowners will pull their houses off the market going into the slower season. I, myself, think this is patently absurd - for three reasons:
(1) Others are pulling theirs off the market and thus the competition is less;
(2) when you put it back on the market - it's still calculating those days on Market; and
(3) winter buyers are not "looky-lous" - they're buyers. There is a reason they are looking in the winter - and it's likely not to shop around.
Some Tips to help you move your home in a slower season:
Basics:
Maintenance issues still need to be done. A thorough cleaning and clutter ridding is essential. Nothing contrasts more in snow than yard clutter. Get rid of it and hope for a fresh dusting to cover up it's tracks.
In a slow market, nothing counts more than pricing aggressively. Check the recent home sales price in your neighborhood and price your home competitively.
Think warm, cozy and inviting:
Stage for the Seasons. Re-arrange that furniture and apply a fresh coat of paint to any room in need. convey a cozy impression in winter. Turn up that thermostat and have a fire crackling for open houses. You've just put yourself ahead all the vacant homes on the market.
Burn that expensive highly fragranced pine candle. Remember the Olafactory's are 1/6th of the deciding factor!
Display some pictures of how the home looks in the summer.
Keep paths shoveled and salted! Not only does it look nice and can help to get people out of the car and into the home (versus those properties that you'd have to traverse through a few feet of snow), it's a potential liability factory.
Good lighting is essential! Darker months require brighter lighting! People are already fighting the gloom. Replace the lights with higher wattage bulbs, open the drapes and let the natural light pour in as well. Keep that winter grime off the windows too!
Encourage showings during high-daylight hours.
Keep decorations tasteful
The holidays give you an extra chance to make your home stand out. Keep decorations conservative and don’t overdo it on outdoor lighting. A big red bow on the For Sale sign and some holiday greenery, twinkling lights and elegant decorations inside can help give buyers a dose of seasonal cheer.
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