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Tips To Help You Sell Your Home During the Winter (And What NOT To Do)

Tips To Help You Sell Your Home During the Winter (And What NOT To Do)

While the winter season can be one of the more challenging times of the years to put your home on the market, you may not have much of an option due to personal reasons and time constraints.

But just as serious as you’ll be about selling your home, interested buyers are likely to be just as committed to making the purchase. That’s why you’ll want to make sure that your home is properly staged and that you follow a few essential tips so that your home leaves a lasting impression. (You’ll also want to avoid certain missteps that can cost you a sell.)

Our dedicated team of McAllen realtors at Equity Assets Realty understands that life happens and sometimes you need someone who can help guide you through the process. If you are placing your home on the market during the winter season, consider the following steps to help you make the selling process a better experience.

Tips to Help You Sell Your Home During the Winter

1. Keep the Lights On
During the winter, the day gets darker earlier. This means the outside of your home can be difficult to see for potential buyers. Make sure to have some outdoor lights on that accentuate the parts of the home that you want to draw attention to. While holiday lights aren’t necessarily the best option, if you do decide to go that route, just make sure to keep things to a minimum.

Don’t forget the inside of your home, either. Turn on as many lights as possible to brighten up dark rooms.

2. Price It to Sell
If you are invested in selling your home, then you’ll want to price it to sell right out the gate. There’s no sense in playing games with a potential buyer and asking for an unreasonable asking price only to lower it a few days (or even weeks) later.

Your real estate agent can help you to come up with a reasonable price for your home. Don’t make reductions after an offer, cut down the price beforehand.

3. Use Excellent Real Estate Photos
Most listings go online, so you’ll want the most flattering, high-quality photos of your home for individuals who are browsing on the Internet. If you’ve had the opportunity to take pictures of your home during the spring or summer, make sure to include those as well.

A first impression goes a long way.

4. Create a Virtual/Video Tour
Why not help out potential buyers by providing them with a virtual or video tour of your home? This can help to provide them with a preview if they are short on time and can be especially beneficial for individuals moving down from elsewhere who might not be available to view the home for some time.

Coordinate with your real estate agent to see if this is possible to include in any online listings.

5. Spread the Holiday Cheer
Sometimes it’s the little things that count, especially during the holiday season. Consider having some cookies and nice hot coffee or hot chocolate for potential buyers who may be visiting in the evening when temperatures dip.

What NOT To Do When Selling Your Home During the Winter

1. Failing to list your house.
Enlisting the aid of a qualified realty agent can be the key to getting your house sold in a timely manner. They can list your house on their company website as well as local publications, helping it get sold quicker.

Failing to list your home can draw out the home selling process longer than you intended.

2. Not Opening Your Home on Certain Days
Christmas Eve. New Year’s Eve. These aren’t days that we think would be great for selling a home. But the reality is that some interested buyers may only be able to view your home on those days and failing to meet their needs can limit your opportunity to get that sale.

If you’re a bit wary of opening your home during these days, have another family member host activities at their house – you can even ask them to hold your gifts there, too.

Keep in mind that serious buyers may be moving in from another area and with little time. Allowing them to view your home on these “off days” may be just what helps you get the sale.

3. Not Having Your Home Prepped
Yes, the winter season can be extremely hectic with the holidays and family time. But if you are truly invested in getting your home sold in a timely manner, you’ll need to have it always ready for a tour.

Some areas to pay extra attention to include:

  • While we rarely, if ever, get any ice or snow in the Rio Grande Valley, we do get plenty of rain during the winter. That means making sure walks ways to your home are safe to individuals walking up to your door.
  • Speaking of the outside of your home…the winter months can dry up trees and leave them with unsightly limbs. Trim your trees as necessary and make sure your yard is spruced up properly. Curb appeal really counts.
  • Your entryway needs to be clean as this is the first section of the home a visitor will likely see. Make sure to have an area where they can wipe off their feet and you can place any wet coats, gloves, hats, etc.
  • Declutter your home from personal items that can make your home feel smaller. Depersonalizing also helps potential buyers to visualize where their belongings would go.
  • Make sure your home is always clean.

4. Do Not Let the House Get Cold
Sure, you might love the cold weather so much that you want the inside of your home at a crisp temperature. But when trying to sell your home, it isn’t about what you want. It’s about making your house as attractive as possible and that means keeping things nice and warm inside.

While your home shouldn’t be boiling, it should definitely feel cozy. Especially in comparison to the cold winter day outside. In fact, a warm interior might encourage them to stay inside a couple of extra minutes longer to avoid going back out into the cold, which can be just enough time to help your real estate agent make that perfect pitch.

5. Not Adding That Extra Pop
Maybe you want to avoid personalizing your home too much with a Christmas tree and the likes. But that doesn’t mean you should completely avoid decorating. Consider adding a wreath to your front door, lighting some gorgeous candles to add a nice winter smell, and some colorful decor to add some life to the home.

Want a little more guidance and support in making sure your home is ready for the market? Let the expert realtors at Equity Assets Realty help you make your home shine.

Contact us today at 956-994-9455 and let our team of McAllen realtors make the selling process as easy and enjoyable as possible.

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