7 Tips for Winter Sellers: Don’t Show Your House, Flaunt it!
Showing your home in the Winter months here in the Northeast requires a little more effort and work than any other time of the year. And that effort is worth it! The Winter months bring out the most serious of buyers and the “looky-lous” tend to stay home. And, some homes have more to “flaunt” over other homes in Winter months. Remember, research shows a buyer decides whether they will buy a home during the first 90 seconds they are in a home. Make those 90 seconds count!
Here are 7 easy tips to make sure your home stands out from the crowd this Winter:
1. Keep Walkways, Driveways AND Patios Clear of Snow – Sounds obvious right? The reason is beyond safety. Some of your best features may be hidden under a blanket of snow…like a wonderful patio or an oversized driveway or front and back paths to the garage, kitchen etc. I have climbed over many a snowbank and pushed the snow around in a yard with my boots looking for a patio for my buyers. Buyers in the Winter LOVE to think about enjoying outdoor space in the other 3 seasons. Show yours off. Take the time to shovel the walks, the driveway And the patios! Many homeowners have wonderful stone and brick work they are hiding under all that snow.
2. Take Window A/C Units Out of Windows – Nothing seems more out place in a well staged room on a 22 degree day than a window air conditioning unit taking up half a window. And, nothing advertises that a home is lacking CAC than window units in many rooms. (If you have the big built-in-the wall units, have covers made for them and paint or wallpaper them to blend in with the room.) Window A/C units get buyers thinking about air conditioning in the middle of winter. Why put the focus on what you don’t have?
Take them out and store them! Also, Air conditioning units typically block half the light that is coming into a window and into a room. With the unit out, let the light shine in…which gets us into my next two tips…
3a. Have the Windows Professionally Washed – This is something I suggest(insist) you do any time of year, but in the Winter it matters even more. With the Winter tilt of the earth and lack of foliage in most yards, the windows show up even more. This is one of the best, cheapest and easy things you can do to dress up your home. Clean windows let in light. Light holds a buyer’s attention and lets them linger. The longer a buyer stays in the home enjoying the light, the more likely they are to bid. My brother and sister-in-law have sold 3 homes the day after she had the windows professionally washed. They swear by it. Let the sun shine in with super clean windows…which leads me to#3b…
3b. Take out Window Screens – While you are having those windows washed, take out the screens and label them with a permanent marker in discreet spot. Screens are fantastic at keeping out bugs, but they also screen out a large percentage of all important light in Winter Months. Take the screens out of French Doors and Sliding doors too. You won’t believe the difference…and remember you are trying hard to make your house show above the others and sun-filled homes are what buyers gravitate towards.
4. Keep the Gutters Clean – Do this before the big snows…buyers love to look out windows and inspect roofs from the ground etc. Frozen leaves, branches and other tree debris really can detract from a house’s overall appearance. In foul weather, the gutters freeze up and start overflowing. But it’s more than just looks to most buyers. In my experience, some buyers equate full gutters with an overall lack of home maintenance. Show you maintain your home by keeping up with the routine maintenance in the places buyers look first.
5. SNIFF SNIFF, What’s that Smell? – In the Winter months, homes just don’t get the fresh air exchange they do in the warmer months. Smells tend to linger longer. Have a good friend stop by now and again and “sniff” the house for you. We are so accustomed to the smell of our own home, we don’t smell anything! If you get a mild sunny, day, crack the windows around the house and swap out the air.
Avoid cooking foods that create strong negative odors like broccoli and cauliflower, etc. Change the litter box more frequently (hide it for showings, please!) and keep the Febreze handy.
6. Everybody Out for Showings – Again, this is something I recommend (no, I insist) any time of the year but it becomes critical in the Winter. In the Winter months, buyers spend 95% of the showing appointment inside and really concentrate on the house and want to discuss the house freely with their agent. I know it is hard to leave your cozy little nest on a cold, dreary afternoon or evening, but put your boots and coat on and go out for a ride around town. Why? Simple…buyers linger in homes where the owners are out and rush through the homes where people are home. Oh, and take EVERYONE with you…the cat, the dogs and the other people!
7. Show Off Your Winter Assets – Flaunt what you got! You might have unique features that other homes don’t have or aren’t clever enough to show off.
If you have a wonderful wood-burning fireplace keep it staged with wood neatly stacked inside the fireplace and a decorative stack on the hearth if space allow. At Open Houses, light the fireplace…Same with gas fireplaces – show your agent how to turn them on.
Have a great mudroom? Stage it! First keep the floors clean and dry. Carefully place and arrange boots, coats, scarves, umbrellas in the mudroom to show how useful it is in the Winter months. Don’t have a mudroom? Perhaps you can create a “landing” space in your entrance or some other entrance or area of your home that will set your home apart from those that don’t have one. One of my favorite listings created such a space in its garage just steps from the kitchen.
Great Sledding hill nearby? Put a sled by the garage or back door and leave out some photos of the s
ledding hill. Skating pond in the neigborhood? Hang skates in the mudroom or near a kitchen entrance. Again, put out some snapshots for buyers to see.
A savvy, local realtor will see these cues and be sure to talk them up during showings and Open Houses.
These are just 7 easy ideas(oh, i got more) to execute to showcase your home in the Winter and even show that your home makes Winter living easier and more inviting. Setting your home apart in a buyer’s mind is what will get your home sold. A great listing agent knows that Winter is a great time to sell and knows how to help you put your best winter boot forward!
If you want more information on how to sell your home, or local market conditions, please email or call me: annieholdreith@danielgale.com or 516. 509-4082.
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