Many vendors believe they should put off going to market until New Year or spring, but this is a myth. The truth is that because many people still believe this myth, there are fewer properties coming onto the market so if you want yours to stand out, winter is a good time to sell.
There’s also the drive among buyers to get into a new home by the New Year, so they tend to be more decisive. This can make for faster sales and higher selling prices – what’s not to love about a winter house sale?
If you’ve been thinking of waiting until spring, stop right now and get moving. You’ll need a few tricks to help things along, though…
Work on the exterior
Vendors tend to focus on the interior more than the exterior and this can especially be the case in winter as it’s dark and no-one wants to hang around in the garden.
You should, however, pay more attention to the outside. Clear any fallen leaves, clear the path and salt it to prevent your ideal buyer ending up in A&E and you should at least wash down the exterior walls as buildings can look very drab.
Dress your porch with seasonal decorations and make sure your windows are clean and the interiors are brightly-lit so viewers feel welcome.
Turn on the heat
It’s dark, it’s cold…and that’s just the outside! No-one will feel like buying a house that is as cold and dark as a November night, so make sure everyone who comes through the door feels like they’re getting a warm hug. It won’t hurt to offer hot chocolate and warm biscuits, either.
Head towards the light…
Of course, sunlight is best, but there’s not much we can do about that when we’re so far away from the Equator, so just get creative with what you do have – artificial lights.
Make sure all your bulbs work and swap out any dim ones for a higher wattage; using different colours if you think it’ll bring some life to a dull corner.
Don’t forget the outside, either. Make sure your porch light works and add some fairy lights where you can – everyone loves those when the days are short as they’re so cheering.
