Top Tips for Selling Your Home This Winter

When it is time to sell your home, you may wonder if it is wise to sell up and move during the winter or if you should wait until the spring, which is when the housing market is at its most buoyant.Although the winter is a much quieter time for ...

When it is time to sell your home, you may wonder if it is wise to sell up and move during the winter or if you should wait until the spring, which is when the housing market is at its most buoyant.

Although the winter is a much quieter time for house sales than the spring and summer, buyers looking for a new home during the winter tend to be more serious about buying. This means that although you may get less viewing booked, those that do view your house are a much better prospect.

Winter house buyers are more motivated to buy, especially those moving to the area to start a new job and need a home closer to their workplace. With less competition on the market and more motivated buyers, you may get nearer your asking price for your home.

With this in mind, let's look at some top tips to help boost your chances of selling your home this winter.

Dress your home for the season

You may be a summer person and love bright yellow colours, fresh flowers, and sunshine, but if you want to sell your home during winter, your should pack away your flowering bedding and brightly coloured soft furnishings ready for your move.

Styling your home to reflect the winter season will help to create a cosy and warm atmosphere for your winter viewers. Swap out sunny cushions and tablecloths for heavier fabrics with deeper, richer colours.

Add some winter greenery with a few low-maintenance green plants. Adding a touch of greenery can add life to your home and make it feel more homely for your viewers.

If you have house viewings on the run-up to Christmas, don't let selling your home put you off hanging up your Christmas decorations. As long as you keep it simple and tasteful, your decorations can give a cheery feel to your home and let your viewers imagine spending their own family Christmases in their new home.

Lighting your home for winter viewings

During winter, there are low natural light levels, so even if you have house viewings during daylight hours, your home can risk looking and feeling gloomy if you don't light it properly.

Let in as much natural light as possible during daytime viewings by pulling back the curtains and window blinds. Make sure your windows are clean. Winter winds can quickly blow dust and wet leaves onto windows, making them look dull and dirty.

Remove as much heavy and oversized furniture as possible. Put large wardrobes, sideboards, and armchairs into storage until you move home. This will open up your home and brighten up dark corners.

Adding standard lamps and desk lamps to illuminate dark corners and emphasise the height of each room can give your home a more spacious feel. Using lamps can add a warm glow to your home, making it feel more welcoming than stark winter light.

Boost your kerb appeal

Winter is a season notorious for high winds and rain, and even days of ice and snow, so you need to be prepared for all weather events during your viewings.

Keeping on top of your garden maintenance is essential. Sweeping up fallen leaves, removing dead flowers, and refreshing your planting tubs and containers with some evergreens will help to spruce up your home and give excellent kerb appeal as your prospective new buyers see your house for the first time.

However, even though you may have swept your front path clean and removed all fallen leaves, you must be prepared to do this over and over again, as winter winds can undo all of your hard work overnight.

It is worth scheduling a daily maintenance routine because even though you don't have any viewings booked in, there are always potential buyers driving around and taking a first-peek at a property from the outside before deciding to view it.

Add some winter sparkle to your garden

With shorter daylight hours during winter, your viewers will have difficulty seeing your garden. It can help to install some exterior lighting, such as solar-powered garden lights, to help illuminate the corners and pathways of your garden.

Lighting up your garden will allow your viewers to see the available space and what interesting things that may come with it. You may have a beautiful tree, pretty flower borders, a seating area, a greenhouse, or a garden room that can entice prospective buyers to make an offer.

If you are keen to sell your house during the winter and you are ready to start marketing your home, do not hesitate to contact us here for our help with getting your property listed.