Are you looking to sell in winter? It’s not uncommon to avoid it but there are some great advantages to choosing a quieter time like less competition, more demand from buyers, and better quality foot traffic. In fact, we’re a huge advocate of selling in winter and Anthony Birdsall has shared the reasons why before. So, if you’ve made the decision to sell during the coldest season, how do you make the best first impression?
Make the best first impression
You want to wow any potential buyer from the moment they arrive which means from the outside in. You don’t want an unkempt outdoor area or shabby appearance to lower your value if it can be easily fixed.
Make it feel like home
There a few clever tricks you can use to really create the warmth and welcome of home. If it’s a chilli early morning and you have a fire or heater, turn it on so the atmosphere inside is warm – if you have a fireplace, even better. Put warm and inviting blankets out in the lounge and bedrooms which will add to the décor and the ambience – and hopefully make anyone feel right at home as soon as they walk in. Then have something delicious baking in the oven, like bread or pastries, so a warm and inviting smell wafts through the air.
Light the way
Everything looks better on a bright sunny day, so what happens when your inspection is on a dismal one? It’s inevitable that this will happen, unless you’re very very lucky, but there are ways around it using artificial light. Try to steer clear of bright, cold, blinding lights and use lamps and lighting fixtures to create a warm glow in every room.
Make the windows sparkle in the sun
Have the windows cleaned so that the sunlight can stream through. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference clean, fresh windows can make.
Fix what needs to be fixed
If you have anything around the house that needs to be addressed – chips in the walls, broken doors, leaky roof – then these should be fixed before any inspection. You want to show the property off at its best, and you don’t want potential buyers walking through and making a mental note of all the work that needs to be done, you want them walking around imagining themselves living there.
Put the pictures on display
If you’re home looks simply amazing in spring or summer because a particular flower is in bloom outside, don’t be afraid to showcase a picture of it looking its best. This can help buyers visualise what it will look like in the warmer months which could be especially helpful on a dull, dismal day.