Almost everyone knows that more home buyers are out during the Summer. It’s the peak season! The weather is warm. Kids are out of school for a couple of months so it makes sense to make a move during this time. But what about selling your home in Winter? If it’s necessary, what’s the best way to handle it?
This article gives you the top six strategies to sell your home this Winter. Take it from Louisville’s real estate expert, These are the big ones.
Let’s dig right in!
#1 Price at Fair Market Value
It’s always important to price the home appropriately at the very beginning of the listing period. This is even more important during Winter!
During the “selling season,” you might get multiple offers which and drive up the sales price. With fewer buyers out in the cold, selling your home in Winter is less likely to happen. List your home at market value from the start! Have your Realtor create a quality Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) to know your home’s true value and go from there.
Do not trust Zillow, or any automated valuation model (AVM), to tell you the value of your property. Zillow is notoriously poor at doing this. It’s far better to have an expert to actually visit the home to see first-hand its updates and current condition.
Your CMA should also give you the homes that your listing will be competing with. Information is king so if you want as much as possible then… price it right!
#2 Make It Move-in Ready
Like never before, buyers are looking for move-in-ready homes. So correct as many issues before putting your home on the market.
This is critical during the busy holiday season when people will have less time to make repairs or updates to the home before moving right in.
Don’t forget your home’s exterior! Especially the front door and area immediately nearby. Buyers will have extra time to evaluate your home while their agent works to get the key and get everyone inside.
#3 Professional Online Marketing
Almost 100% of home buyers see the house online before visiting it in person. Therefore it’s critical to make the best possible impression with your online listing.
Professional photographs are huge! Don’t skimp here. If your Realtor won’t cover the cost of having the house professionally shot, maybe you’re working with the wrong Realtor.
Then your agent needs to use the latest online marketing strategies to make sure your home’s listing is in front of every home shopper in the world! It’s not rocket science, but there is an art to it.
#4 Smart Staging
Make sure your home gives off a warm, welcoming impression to everyone who enters. If you like to decorate your home for the Holidays, that’s completely fine as long as you do it tastefully.
Don’t go overboard with flashing lights, juvenile inflatables, or animated statues in the yard. Think more Martha Stewart and less Clark Griswold.
#5 Flexibility Is Fabulous
Make sure that you are ready when that call comes. If a buyer wants to see your home and only gives you 60 minutes’ notice, you still say, “Yes!” because Winter home shoppers are more serious home buyers. This could be the one!
People are always looking for things to be simple. If you make any prospective buyer jump through hoops to fit your schedule, that’s not nearly as good as accommodating their request.
Being flexible and being reasonable go hand in hand. Try to see yourself in the other person’s position and, in return, you might just get the quick sale.
#6 Highlight Your Home’s Strengths
It’s always a smart strategy to highlight your home’s strengths. This is especially true when there are fewer buyers out looking.
Maybe your home’s incredible backyard is what separates it from the competition. It could be your recently updated kitchen. Did you just put in a brand-new HVAC system?
Work with your Realtor to see what buyers are “keying on” right now in their home search. Realtors that work with both buyers and sellers have more knowledge to pull from so use that to your advantage.
There you have it! These are the six most important strategies for selling your home in Winter. Please share this article with your friends and if I can help you in any way, just ask!
