WINTER SELLING

WINTER SELLING

Winter presents a unique set of challenges when selling your home. If you live where it gets cold and snows, there are steps you should take to brighten your home and make showings enjoyable and safe for the buyer.

Clear the Path for Safety and Ease of Viewing

Continually shovel a path through the winter snow so there is easy and safe access to the home. Shoveling helps make your house look well-maintained, much like mowing the lawn in the summer. If you’re not living in the home, or not home enough to keep on top of the snow, hire a service to salt and shovel the driveway and walkways. It is always a good idea to keep extra salt by the door just in case it is needed.

Open a wide path from the street to the sidewalk so buyers aren’t hurdling snowdrifts. Make sure you can park a car in the driveway and that there is a clear and comfortable path to the door. If your snow service only shows up after big storms- then you need to routinely check up on the house. Ask a neighbor to notify you if walkways and drives are not cleared.

Safety is a critical component when selling a home. If a buyer can’t get to the front door safely, they will likely drive away – that could have been your perfect buyer!

Natural and Artificial Light is Critical for a Positive Experience.

It is important to pull up blinds, open shutters and push back drapes to let natural light flood into rooms. Turn on the lights…including appliance lights and closets, when possible. Make sure all the light fixtures are clean, and use bulbs with the highest wattage they can safely handle.

Brighten dark rooms by placing spotlights behind furniture. When staging Impact Interior Design Solutions, LLC uses timers to ensure lights are always on during daytime viewing hours. In empty rooms leave at least one lamp. A lamp is especially important, if you do not have ceiling light fixtures.

Unkempt and dirty windows can turn off buyers-make sure windows are squeaky clean. Clean windows will reflect natural light much brighter. Clean bright windows will positively contribute to a buyer’s first impression.

Keep Home in Showing Condition

By being proactive you can ensure the house is show ready anytime. Keep the house tidy, make it easy for buyers previewing. Put a rubber mat by the front door to hold wet shoes and boots. Many realtors also provide booties for shoes so buyers can put them on over the shoes to keep the floors clean.

Realtors showing the house need to notify the listing agent right away if they see a problem. For example, a few years ago a realtor showed a house- then did not call the listing agent to tell them there was water in the basement. Water had been running for 3 days!

Turn on the Heat

When selling a house, it is critical for the house to be a comfortable temperature. If it is cold, a buyer may think that you have poor insulation or have a negative opinion about the house.  Heat the house 1 or 2 degrees higher than normal – this is not the time to worry about a few extra heating dollars. If you are not locale and showings are infrequent, then your agent or a family member should go to the house to raise the temperature at least 2 hours before hand.

Light the fireplace for open houses to create an inviting glow. Everyone loves the warmth a fire projects.

Winterized Homes Need to be Clearly Identified.

If the home is winterized, it is important to tape closed and a note be placed on the toilets so they cannot be used.   Home sellers, or realtors, should leave a note to let prospective buyers know the house has been winterized, which provides the explanation of no water and no or low heat.

Timers and Technology

Some sellers have Smart Houses- connected to the newest technology for turning on and off heat and or lights. A Smart House is something we can all aspire to! In the meantime, use motion sensors that will light up in the evening as a buyer approaches. Make sure the outdoor lights are in working order on the house and the garage. If you don’t have a motion detector, you can add a dusk to dawn sensor (if you have clear glass shade) to your regular outdoor fixtures. Dusk to dawn sensors are available at home improvement stores for about $7.00.

Timers used inside will make for good lighting every day. We find it helpful to leave a note for showing agents to not turn off the lamp lights when timers are used.

Selling in the winter should be safe for both the home owner and the potential buyer.   Make your home stand out through the cold and snowy winter months. By being proactive now, you won’t have to wait to sell in spring!

Copywright www.impactids.com