The skies are dark and ominous, the air is icy and the ‘For Sale’ sign is dripping in the driveway in front of your showhouse. Selling in Winter certainly has its drawbacks. If you are going to sell your home during the snuggle season, then you need to be aware of certain practicalities …
1) LURE BUYERS OVER WITH A STRIKING ONLINE LISTING
Buyers’ habits change according to the weather, which means that your home will probably receive less physical traffic and more online attention when selling during winter. To lure viewers out of their homes when it’s cold and rainy, make sure your online listing is really enticing by posting high quality photos and by mentioning all the extra features in the description. Social media marketing can also be a very effective marketing tool during winter as a means of reaching people who are scrolling through their newsfeed while they are cosy in bed.
2) CONSIDER THE PRACTICALITIES OF SELLING IN THE RAIN
The next thing sellers need to consider is how to stage the home for when buyers come to view the property. For starters, make sure there is a welcome mat for viewers to wipe their shoes before tracking mud through your home. On particularly rainy days, have a towel at your front door so that viewers can dry off before they see the rest of your property. It is also a good idea to make sure you have a box of tissues available in case any of the viewers has a case of the sniffles.
3) SET THE STAGE TO SELL YOUR HOME DURING WINTER
Next, sellers should try and make the space feel as warm and cosy as possible. Switch on a heater or light a fire before the viewers arrive so that the space is already warm for when they get there. On cloudy days, homes can also feel dark and dingy. By turning on some lights and lighting a few candles, sellers can create a warm glow that makes the space more appealing.
4) WHET THEIR APPETITE TO PURCHASE
As a bonus measure of enticement, work your way into a buyer’s heart through their taste buds. The clichéd trick of having freshly baked cookies come out of the oven before viewers arrive can be particularly effective during the Winter months. Not only does the heat from the oven help to warm up the space, but the aroma also makes the home feel more inviting. You could also give your estate agent permission to offer the viewers a hot beverage upon arrival. The longer a viewer spends in a home, the better. In the time it takes for them to finish their hot chocolate, your agent might have bought enough time to convince the viewers to purchase the property.
To get in touch with your nearest RE/MAX office to help you sell your home this Winter, CLICK HERE.
