Home Selling Strategies: Tips for Selling Your Home During Winter

Winter is an ideal time to sell your house. People are looking for homes to buy, there are often fewer homes on the market, and you can get a good deal on the sale price if you wait until winter. If selling your home in winter sounds like a good idea, then here are some tips that will help you through the process:

EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE

Invest in exterior maintenance now, so buyers know what they’re getting into. Sellers can do this by getting their roof inspected and any necessary repairs made, repainting the home’s exterior to freshen it up, and making sure porch steps are safe. Additionally, avoid having too many holiday decorations up as this can obscure exterior details that buyers want to see.

CLEAN THOROUGHLY

Prepare your house for showings by cleaning thoroughly to ensure it looks visually appealing and well cared for to potential buyers. Also, make sure your yard is looking great, and try to get exterior shots of the home without snow on the ground to show off landscaping features. If you have a fireplace, winter is a great time to highlight that cozy amenity!

COMPENSATE FOR LIGHT AND WEATHER

Shorter days can mean more showings in the dark. Make sure you make your home bright by opening curtains, adding lamps or other light sources, and ensuring your heater works well to avoid a chilly house. If it snows, clean off sidewalks and driveways so potential buyers can walk safely.

DROPPING PRICES

Be prepared to drop the price if a buyer’s offer is not quite what you want or needs something else thrown in. You can also put in an offer yourself that is lower than what you are asking but with the option to counter their offers later on without giving up your original price.

MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE

If necessary, take time off work so you’re available when buyers want to see your home or make appointments for showings. Don’t be afraid of coming across as pushy or unavailable.

LOWER PRICES

If you can find a buyer quickly, consider selling your house for less than you hoped, so it’s sold and off the market faster. You’ll make up for it as long as there aren’t other homes on the market that are similar to yours because buyers will assume they’re getting a good deal if multiple homes are for sale.

CLOSING COSTS

Offer to pay the buyer’s closing costs if you want to get your house sold quickly, or try offering a home warranty that will cover repairs up to $1000 after the sale closes.

HIRING A REAL ESTATE AGENT

Consider hiring an experienced real estate agent who knows how to sell homes in winter so they can help guide you through the process.

Originally published on JohnShramko.com on December 22, 2021