Selling your home in the winter might not have been your first choice. But whether you need to move for a new job, you’re downsizing, or you’ve run into an unexpected circumstance that requires you to get your house on the market now, know that you can still sell your home in the winter. It might take a little more effort, but it’s definitely still doable.
If you plan on selling a house in the winter, here are our tips to help you sell quickly and get the best possible offers.
Preparing to sell your home during the winter season can present unique challenges. But with our eight expert tips, you can navigate the colder months with confidence and enhance your chances of a successful sale.
It’s important to make your home as warm and as inviting as possible, but excessive holiday decorations turn off many buyers. Everyone decorates differently, and your buyers may celebrate different holidays than you.
The goal of any potential home buyer is for them to be able to picture themselves in the new home, so we recommend keeping decorations to a cheery minimum so buyers can imagine what their own decorations might look like in their new house. We recommend a few lights outside and a tasteful wreath on the front door.
First impressions are everything; you don’t want your buyer’s first impression of your home to be a slippery walk up to the front door. Do your best to stay on top of the snow, and ensure you’re putting salt down regularly to stave off any ice. A shoveled walk tells buyers that you care about your home and property and that you care about their first impression, too.
Winter, especially here in Michigan, is a pretty dark time. When the sun goes down around 4:30 in the afternoon, you need to allow potential buyers to see your home in its best light. Remember to keep as many of your outdoor lights on as possible. If you have dimension or landscaping lights, keep those on, too. The brighter your home looks, the more likely buyers will notice its charm.
Buyers typically don’t spend much time outside checking out the yard or the home’s exterior; they usually put extra focus on the inside of the house – so it’s critical that you make it shine.
When you’re getting ready to show your home, make sure you go the extra mile by cleaning out the grout between tiles and fixing up any of those little issues, like the bedroom door that doesn’t quite close or the closet lightbulb that pull-chain is too short. Paying attention to and fixing these tiny details ensures your potential buyers have the best possible experience in your home.
Embrace the vibe of the winter season by infusing your home with warmth and comfort. To entice potential buyers during the colder months, enhance the ambiance with cozy elements. Lay out throw blankets and plush pillows on sofas and chairs, inviting visitors to imagine snuggling up on a winter evening.
To create an inviting and familiar environment, you can introduce a subtle touch of seasonal scents, such as cinnamon or vanilla. These simple additions will make your home more appealing and allow potential buyers to envision themselves enjoying the comforts of winter in their new abode.
Unfortunately, winter home sales are known for being slightly lower than sales throughout the rest of the year. While you might not have to settle for a lowball offer, you should prepare to see some lower offers during the winter. Buyers might still make reasonable offers, but they probably won’t have the punch you might see in the spring or summer.
With the holidays breaking up the winter, closing often takes much longer. Many lenders take holidays off, employees are out to spend time with family, and more. This adds to the timeline to get all the necessary paperwork to close your home. If you’re selling your home in the winter, account for that additional processing time that the holidays will add.
It’s important to remember that while selling a home in the winter isn’t ideal, the good thing is that most winter buyers mean business. You don’t have to worry too much about people who are “just looking.” If people are touring your house in the dead of December, they’re motivated and determined to buy soon.
Though there are some drawbacks to selling in the winter, you should keep in mind that the buyers who do show up probably have a legitimate interest in your home and are likely to make an offer.
Winter can be a challenging time to sell a home, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible! If you’ve run into unexpected circumstances and need to sell your home as quickly as possible this winter, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Renewed Homes team.
We can make you a fair cash offer based on the market value of your home, or we can provide you with unique additional options to help you get out from under your troublesome home as quickly as possible. Whatever you need, we’re here to help. Contact us today!
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