5 Tips for Selling a House During the Winter Off-Season
Updated: Apr. 20, 2018Winter is considered the off-season for selling a home. However, winter can be a great time as long as the seller’s home is market ready. We sat down with Jared Hoylo, ReMax Advantage Plus, for some advice on selling your home in the winter months. He explained, “winter is absolutely a good time to sell. Do your DIY home repairs and home maintenance projects and then do your market research to make sure your home is priced right.”
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Make Your Home Turn-Key
One way to make your house stand out is to make it turn-key. Potential buyers will see that they could move right in without a lot of work. "A turn-key home is a home the buyer can see themselves moving into right away," said Jared Hoylo, ReMax Advantage Plus. "In the winter months, home buyers want a house they don't have to put any sweat into making it fit their needs." Turn-key means update paint colors, put in new faucets, new sinks or new toilets. Also ensure carpet is clean or laminate flooring is new.
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Price Your Home Right
Home sellers do need to be keenly aware of the other homes on the market in their neighborhood and surrounding communities. If there has been a slight dip in pricing, the home seller needs to plan accordingly. For a winter home sale, sellers need to price the home right with other homes on the market.
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Don't Take Your House off the Market During the Holidays
For years, the myth from various brokerage offices is that sellers should take the holidays off (Thanksgiving through Christmas) and re-list in the new year. "I tell my clients that is great advice for the competition but nothing I would recommend doing," Hoylo said. "While the competition is off the market, your home can stand out and be ready for the relocation or the out-of-town home buyer who is ready to move." Plus: Christmas Storage Tricks You Should Know
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Take Advantage of the Dip of Home Inventory
The reality is homes do sell year-round. And any time there is a dip in inventory, a home seller can take advantage and attract the home buyers who are ready. Be ready to have open houses and crank up the furnace or turn on the fireplace and pay attention to lighting. That way, when home buyers enter the home it's warm and cozy. Learn DIY furnace repair here.
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Plan Ahead
If you know you'll be listing your home in the fall or winter months, plan ahead. Get some photos of the exterior of the home in the spring or summer. Make sure to spruce up the curb appeal with appropriate lawn maintenance and gardening and snap the photos in the best summer light. "It's important for home buyers in the northern climates, particularly when the snow covers up the landscaping, to see photos of what the home looks like in the summer," Hoylo said.
Originally Published: September 19, 2017