Spring is generally touted as the best time of year to sell a house but there are plenty of benefits to selling your home during winter too.
Even coastal homes can attract serious buyers during winter, so let’s look at the reasons why it’s a good idea to sell your home in winter and how best to prepare it for winter sale success!
Less stock means less competition for your property
As people subscribe to the notion that spring is the best time to sell, the market is often flooded with properties which means more options for buyers. With less properties on the market but serious buyers still looking, a well-marketed property may be quicker and easier to sell during winter.
Higher demand leads to higher prices
Supply and demand determine price in any market. With less properties on the market during winter but people still needing to buy, the negotiation power leans more favourably towards vendors. The bottom line? You may get a better price for your home in winter than in spring, autumn or summer.
Winter buyers are usually serious
Winter reduces the number of sticky beaks, market browsers and nosy neighbours trekking through your open inspections, meaning your real estate agent can focus on interested buyers who are likely to make an offer.
Winter may suit your home better
Your property may have features that are strong assets in chilly winter weather. North-facing winter sunshine, roaring gas log fires and deep freestanding bath tubs are visible drawcards at winter-time open inspections, as are plush bedroom carpets, ‘cosy’ rooms, and heat lamps in bathrooms.
Least busy time of year
Buying and selling property and moving house is stressful – even more so when you are time-poor and under pressure to juggle many things at once. If your lifestyle is less busy during winter it can be a better time of year to relocate and settle into a new home.
Real estate agents are less busy too
With less demands on their time, real estate agents may have more flexibility to schedule open inspections at times which best showcase the property in accordance with the weather, optimum light, and vendor’s commitments.
Lawns are lush and green
‘Dead’ in any form is not something you want to see at open inspections, and that includes lawns and plants. If summer and autumn have been hard on your garden, ‘the green, green grass of home’ might be easier to achieve in winter. Even if the green element comes from weeds, a good mow will present your garden as fresh and appealing, along with a bit of potted colour.
Tips for presenting a home for sale in winter
Winter is a fabulous time for presenting your home with a warm and welcoming vibe. To create a sense of cosy warmth and comfort:
- Light fires and gas heaters
- Turn on bathroom heat lamps
- Switch on lounge room and bedroom lamps
- Place a thick floor rug in your living area
- Scatter snuggly throw rugs about sofas, occasional chairs and beds
- Leave lingering smells of baking or coffee
- Create a playlist of uplifting songs for quiet background ambience
- Clean the windows to allow optimum light and fresh visibility
- Weed the garden
- Make sure your gutters are clear to avoid waterfalls during open inspections
When it’s cold and wet partly close the blinds in the alfresco, turn on outdoor heaters and place an outdoor rug beneath your outdoor table setting to make your alfresco look fabulous and functional – even in winter.
If you’re thinking about selling your home this winter, give the team at Ous Property a call! We don’t let winter dampen our spirits – we’re always out and about amongst the community whether it’s rain, hail or shine.