Brighten your Curb Appeal

The importance of a good first impression cannot be overemphasised. When it comes to selling your house, you’ll make your first impression based on the exterior of the property. The last thing you want is a depressing, unkempt outdoor area. You can freshen up your property by putting out potted winter flowers to breathe life into the garden. Raking leaves, mowing the lawn, and pruning bushes that may contain dead flowers will all help your home look more vibrant.

Use Winter Staging Tricks

Home staging in winter will need to be conducted with the ultimate goal of creating an atmosphere of comfort and warmth. A roaring fire can be a great asset in the winter, so you’ll want to use your fireplace during an inspection. Thick blankets can be used on couches and in the bedroom to create a cosy feeling, making buyers want to snuggle up in your home.

Clean the Windows

Having clean windows can help you enhance sunlight during the winter months. Most winter days tend to be overcast, and with clean windows you’ll ensure that any sunlight that appears is able to stream freely into the home. Another reason to keep your windows clean is to avoid muddy streaks due to winter rain showers. This could dampen what would otherwise be a top feature of the home.

Use Lighting to your Advantage

On dark winter days, you may not have as much natural lighting as you would prefer. In addition to cleaning your windows and pulling back curtains, you’ll also want to make the most of artificial light. Turn on all of your lamps and lighting fixtures to banish dark corners from the home and give the place a cosy glow. Another way to brighten up your home is by using mirrors. Place these across from windows, to open up the space and show off your cleaning and staging to its best effect.

Keep the Heating On

There’s nothing like stepping in from the cold into a warm, comfortable home. The warmth will help put buyers at ease, and will help erase any doubts about whether or not the heating system works. However, take care not to turn it up too high. You want a warm and cosy home, not a sauna.

Take Care of Home Repairs

No matter what time of year you plan on selling your house in, you’ll want to prepare for the sale by having a property that’s in proper working order. Fix issues like leaking roof tiles or gutters, to prevent water running down the walls of your property during inspection. Leaky faucets or chipped fixtures should also be replaced.

Protect Interior of the Home

Wet weather can do a number on your property’s interior as well. Provide an umbrella stand, coat rack, and welcome mat outside the door to prevent drips and mud being tracked in onto the carpet. You could even leave a polite sign asking buyers to remove their shoes when they enter the home, to protect carpets. This shows buyers that you care about protecting your property, which can be a bonus to those who rank cleanliness high on their list of positive attributes. It also helps to draw attention to your flooring, which is helpful if you’ve just installed new carpeting or floorboards.

Show Off Your Home Looking its Best

If you’re worried about buyers not being able to imagine your home in any other surroundings, you could display a photo of your home in warmer months. This will help buyers visualise what the house is like throughout the year. This could redeem your property in the eyes of buyers if the drab weather is not doing it any favours.

Planning for Open for Inspections

Although you can’t control the weather, you can try to check the forecast and pick a time of day for inspections when the sun is at its peak. This will help maximise your interior lighting.

Although selling your house during the winter season can be a bit more complicated, if you follow these basic steps you can transform your house into a cosy oasis in any storm and take advantage of less competition!

Contact me if you would like to discuss further!