Selling Off-Season ~ Prepping a House for Sale in the Fall and Winter

Selling Off-Season:
Prepping a House for Sale in Fall and Winter

Just because more people sell homes during the spring and summer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to sell late in the year. In fact, there are certain distinct advantages to selling a home in fall or winter, and your selling price doesn’t have to dip due to the season. In fact, homes in Kansas City, KS, have sold for an average of $120K in the last month, a figure comparable to the warmer months of the year.

Though there are typically fewer buyers, you can be pretty sure that anyone who’s going to the trouble of checking out properties in the rain, snow and cold is intent on buying, whether it’s due to relocation, or an expiring lease or contract on another home. There are also several tax breaks that come with purchasing a home before the year’s end, so your chances of dealing with a motivated buyer are definitely on the high side. When you get right down to it, selling is selling, though there are a few points that should be taken into consideration.

Prep inside and out

It goes without saying that you and your real estate agent will have worked diligently to stage your house, but working with a renowned professional home stager can give you an extra edge in selling your home quickly. A pro will help you set up your home so it not only looks inviting to home shoppers, but also allows them to envision what their own lives will look like in your beautiful, spacious home once they move in.

Additionally, make sure that leaves, sticks, lawn debris, snow and ice are cleared out and that walkways and your front porch are clean and easily accessible. Open the window shades to let that warm holiday ambiance radiate to the outside of your home so buyers can easily see the warmth inside. Pay particular attention to your front door and entryway, which should be clean and free of clutter throughout the selling process. Place an umbrella stand inside the doorway, as well as a decorative welcome mat and a coat rack nearby so your guests are greeted in a well-appointed and organized space. There’s nothing wrong with having a little hot cocoa and a batch of your best Christmas treats waiting on the sideboard.

Declutter

A busy house late in the year tends to accumulate a lot of stuff: receipts, mail, holiday cards, wrapping paper and more. Be sure to declutter by throwing out or recycling anything you don’t need, and organizing and keeping receipts, bills and any other important papers out of sight. Shoes, boots, blankets and pillows should be kept in closets so that you’re maintaining an open space that’s easy to walk through. If you lack square footage, consider renting a storage unit during the selling process to store excess belongings.

Shorter days, brighter lights

Lighting is always an important factor in attracting buyers to your house, especially when there are fewer hours of sunlight and more overcast days to contend with. If you’re into exterior illumination, this is the time to show it. Floodlights should be positioned to highlight your home’s most attractive features, and holiday lights will make a nice touch and help create a very special kind of curb appeal. Quality outdoor lights also provide an extra layer of security during the holidays, so be sure to make the investment in the right fixtures, like these Good Earth motion-activated flood lamps, which run around $50.

It also helps to use plenty of lighting inside as well, especially in those parts of the house that tend to be shadowy and hard to see distinctly. You may need to move lamps around or switch to light bulbs that cast a warmer glow.

Bring out the holiday cliches

If your home is on the market after November 1, it’s time to trot out the decorations and use some holiday cheer to make your house look appealing. Hang that wreath, string those lights, decorate the tree, and keep a cheery fire going in the hearth. Just be careful not to do so much decorating that you overwhelm prospective buyers who are trying to get a good visual feel for how all their stuff would look in your home. For a late-season home seller, tasteful and charming will get you farther than a jaw-dropping display that overpowers the senses. When you get down to it, selling close to the holidays probably makes it easier to make a house look homey and welcoming than other times of the year.

Make it sparkle

A clean, well-prepared house should sparkle for potential buyers. Make those faucet fixtures, doorknobs, towel racks and mirrors shine so the light bounces off them. Give the caulking and grout in the bathroom a close look; if it’s dingy and mildewy, it’s time to give it a good cleaning or replace it altogether.

There’s no reason to think you can’t sell your home during the off-season fall and winter months. You have the advantage of dealing with motivated buyers and prepping a house that’s probably looking its best anyway for the impending holiday season.

Courtesy of Pixabay.com.

Written by: Julian Lane