By Vicki Trapp, AHWD, ASP, CRS, GRI, SRES, SRS, President
Greater Chattanooga Association of REALTORS®
Selling your home during the winter months can be a daunting task. The holiday season is already a hectic time of year and selling a house can be stressful. However, there are distinct advantages to selling your home at this time of year.
The housing inventory is always lower in the winter months, meaning fewer listings and less competition. By just taking a few simple steps to prepare and stage your home, you can sell your home sooner rather than later.
To make sure your house is sold at the best price and with the least amount of stress this winter, consider the following tips.
Keep your home warm. It may seem obvious, but make sure that the moment potential buyers walk into your home they can warm up from the chilly outdoors. This will help would-be homebuyers imagine themselves coming in from the cold into their new house. You’ll also want to find any drafts in your house and seal them up. They’ll be very noticeable in your otherwise warm and toasty home.
Holiday Plans. Make sure that you plan any trips out of town or holiday parties well ahead of time. Timing is extremely important when selling a home, so you want to make sure that offers aren’t coming in when you’re out of town or that potential buyers show up during your annual family holiday dinner.
Decorate for the season. Keep your seasonal decorations conservative, but a light and bright or beautifully decorated home with well-placed greenery can give prospective buyers a picture of how their own decorations could fit in the home. Just make sure that you remove any holiday decorations as soon as the holidays are over. Do not be the house with lights still up in February.
Manage Your Curb Appeal. Many houses look their best during the warmer months, but a home with simple seasonal decorations, bright lights or greenery is still warm and inviting and appealing to would-be buyers. You should make sure that your driveway and sidewalks are always swept or shoveled and clear off any decks or patios. Also, remove any potentially dangerous dangling icicles or built up snow from your roof.
Hire a REALTOR®. All real estate is local, so it’s important to work with a REALTOR® who is familiar with your neighborhood and community. REALTORS® know what buyers in your area are looking for and can create a marketing strategy that will help you achieve the best results.