Winter is not the hottest time to sell or buy a home, yet there are situations when selling your home during this time of the year is necessary. While you may need to sell your MoCo home when there is snow on the ground or winter storms brewing, there are also buyers who are in need of finding a new home. Increase your chance of selling in winter by preparing your home now.
Clean up your yard to maximize curb appeal. Remove dead leaves from your yard and the street throughout the fall. Cut back dead tree branches and prune shrubs. Take pictures of your home for listing before any snow or ice arrives. If possible take pictures on a sunny day to showcase how your home looks on a bright day. This will help attract interested buyers as they can see how your home looks without being covered in snow.
Complete your normal winterizing chores prior to listing. Be sure to repair any leaks, or broken windows. Check your roof, sidewalk, and front porch for any needed repairs. Replace any furnace filters and cover windows with weather stripping to block drafts. Be sure all outside faucets are insulated, and keep your driveway and any paths around your house clear of snow and ice.
Improve the lighting in your home to combat dreary winter skies. Have your windows cleaned inside and out. Add in a new lamp to each room where possible, and replace any lower watt bulbs with a higher wattage, 75 or 100 being ideal. Turn on all your lights throughout your home when showing to maximize the light in each room.
For show days, stage your home with scent. Bake some cookies or a pie shortly before the open house begins, or you can simmer cinnamon sticks and orange slices on the stove. Scented candles can also be used, but keep the scent the same so it flows through the house. The scent of baking or spices and citrus will bring a cozy feel to your home.
These small steps can help you draw more potential buyers despite the challenges of winter weather. My website has a ton of information for you. You can sign up for a FREE monthly report on the sales trends and statistics for your community, search the entire MLS database, or just click on the area you are interested in: Bethesda, North Potomac, Gaithersburg, Germantown,Boyds, Clarksburg, or Montgomery County. Either way, I am always here to serve!
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