It is no secret that the winter season can be a challenging time to sell a home. With heavy snow on the ground, the curb appeal to many homes is hidden. Let’s not forget that the cold weather has a knack for deterring potential buyers from coming out to see your home. If you’re worried about your home’s ability to sell, you’ll want to check out these helpful tips for selling a home in the winter.
Set a Realistic Timeline
The first tip when it comes to selling your home during the winter is to make sure you are setting a realistic timeline. Wanting to sell your home within 30 days would be idea but can be quite the endeavor. Setting this goal can lead to disappointment and implications for your future plans.
To avoid these issues, consider what a realistic timeline would be. On average most homes tend to take 2-3 months to sell. Factor in the downside of the winter season, you could be looking at more than those 3 months.
Setting a realistic timeline will allow you to accurately plan your next housing opportunities as well as give you enough time to get your personal handlings figured out.
Be Mindful of Your Curb Appeal
The next tip is to be mindful of your curb appeal. Even though there’s plenty of decorative snow on the ground, that doesn’t mean there isn’t area for you to improve its look. In fact, you’re going to want to take your curb appeal up a notch if you are wanting to sell your home quicker.
For example, you want to make sure that all of your sidewalks and pathways are shoveled at all times. You never know when a potential buyer could drive by. You will also want to keep your front yard well lit. Due to the shorter days, many potential buyers not be able to view your home during the sunlight. Making sure your home is well lit at all times will allow your home to remain bright and illuminated no matter the time of day.
You also need to pay attention to the roof—it doesn’t go unnoticed in the winter, either. For example, if you’re noticing ice dams, you’re going to want to remove them and get to the bottom of what’s causing them. Ice dams can be a red flag as they can implicate problems with the home’s insulation or attic ventilation. This something you’ll need to take care of before you sell.
These minor details can affect the image of your home. It’s important to be mindful of them and do your best to showcase the best version of your home.
Showcase Various Photography
For your online listings, don’t focus on the current image of your home. Of course, you want to include the latest pictures, but don’t be afraid to include other images as well. If you include photographs of your home’s exterior from various seasons, potential buyers will be able to see what their future house looks like year-round and not only in the cold and gloomy season that you’re currently in.
Many people believe the winter season is the worst time to sell a home. But the truth is that potential buyers are less patient in the wintertime. With the cold weather and snow, they’re likely to want to expedite the buying process in order to enjoy the warmth and coziness of their future home. For that reason, you should remain optimistic and use these tips for selling a home in the winter. With these helpful suggestions, you’ll be able to sell in no time at all.
