How to Sell Your Home this Winter

It's hard to believe that the holidays are upon us and 2012 will soon be here. This can be an extremely busy time for most people, and particularly for those juggling family life and holiday celebrations with the added element of selling a home. Thinking of taking your home off the market until spring? You may want to reconsider if you are serious about making that sale.   

Winter is actually a very successful selling season. Buyers who do take a break from a home search over the holidays tend to return to house hunting with the start of the New Year, creating a significant increase in demand at the beginning of January. Many corporate buyers are also looking to relocate during the winter months, because employers tend to make changes at the end of the year.  

With many sellers taking their homes off the market during the holidays and planning to re-list in the spring, there is less competition during the winter and though there may be fewer buyers, they tend to be more serious. If you’re willing to keep your home on the market, you may be surprised at the number of inquiries you receive.

In order to increase your chances of selling during the next couple of months, keep the following tips in mind:

1) Update online photos of your home. Most prospective buyers scour the Internet before they start scheduling showings. It’s important that your online photos reflect the current season. If your listing only includes summertime photos, buyers may sense that your home has been on the market a long time or that it’s overpriced and you’re having a hard time selling it. If you'd like to showcase the landscaping, provide some extra photos to your realtor that show flowers in bloom and your picturesque yard. This will help prospective buyers see what their new home will look like in springtime!  If it’s snowy when you list your home, try to post outdoor shots featuring freshly fallen snow before a few days’ worth of dirt accumulates.

2) Store your summer clothes and any other unneeded belongings at a remote location. Storing anything you aren’t currently using will make your home and closets seem larger, and give the appearance of extra space to potential buyers. Closets that have some open space are also sure to impress both types of home seekers.

3) Be meticulous about your landscape. Removing those last stray leaves can be tedious and time consuming, but it's necessary if you want to impress buyers.  Winter may not be the most appealing time of year for landscaping, but you can spruce up your property by removing unappealing foliage and by keeping driveways, paths, and walkways cleaned up and free of snow.

4)  Seasonal changes to decor help sell homes. Investing in bath towels, throw pillows, and other warm touches that give a sense of the season will show prospective buyers how nice their new home can look at this time of year. Clean or replace rugs and flooring that have taken a beating over the previous months. It is, after all, a new year. Ask your realtor to provide shoe covers to buyers when showing your home. This will protect the floors and ensure they stay clean!

Don’t take your house off the market just because it’s winter. The season can actually prove to be an advantage when selling your home. Weathering a winter market may seem counterintuitive, but lower inventory and motivated buyers may just be your ticket to a home sale and a fresh start in the New Year.