How To Sell Your Home In Winter

What makes selling a home more stressful? Selling it in the middle of winter.

The lawn is brown, the weather is usually bad and, unlike the longer days of summer, you have less time to show it off during daylight hours.

But not everyone has the luxury of waiting until the traditional spring or summer home-buying season to put in that "for sale" sign. And while it's true that in most areas you'll probably have fewer buyers during the winter, you will have less competition from other sellers.

This makes staging your home even more important. Be prepared to put a little extra effort into it. If you do it right, you can really make your home stand out.

Keep snow and ice at bay.

Keeping walkways and driveways free of snow and ice. Just like trimming the lawn in the summer, you want to make the home looks like it's been maintained. If you're away or live in an area that has bad weather, it can pay to hire a service to come in and salt or shovel the driveway and sidewalks.

Warm it up.

If you're showing during the winter, think "warm and cozy”. Before a buyer comes through, adjust the thermostat to a warmer temperature. Most homeowners keep the thermostat lower to save on the heating bills in the winter, but buyers who come in and aren’t comfortable will not stay long enough to see the whole home. If you have a gas or wood burning fireplace, turning it on right or lighting it up before the buyers walk thru gives them that warm and inviting feeling. Encourage showing the home during the daylight hours. Set the scene and help the buyers see themselves living happily in this home. Putting a warm throw on the sofa or folding down the thick comforter on the bed will give them that sense of wanting to live there.

Play music softly in the background.

To create a little atmosphere, put in a classical CD or turn the radio to the local classical station. Turn it down so that you can hear it in the background. People tend to stay around and look a bit longer with this type of music.

Set up timers.

You always want your home to look warm and inviting whenever prospective buyers drive past by. But of course, most people are not home all the time, so set the indoor and outdoor lights on timers. Look at the outside lighting around the door and around the driveway. Is there enough lighting to make your home inviting and appealing to buyers?

Use the season to your advantage.

You can use winter wreaths and dried arrangements around the door to draw interest. In the winter, with the leaves off the trees, you might also have a nice view that isn't as apparent in the spring and summer months. Also, if you have water property, this is a great time to see the full view of the water.

Again, use your imagination and be inventive in creating an atmosphere where buyers will want to some in and see your home, from the ones down the road for sale that is left in the dark and has no appeal.

I was born and raised in Hoboken, and lived in Italy for several years. We settled back in Hoboken until my teen years and then moved to Carteret. It was there after completing high school that I met my husband John, we married and after two years, we were blessed to have our first born son, Billy. It was nine years later, that my daughter Meghan Marie was born and our life was complete. Our lives were busy taking the children to sporting events and cheerleading competitions and other school activities. I worked part time for St Joseph’s Parish & School and was involved in their Home School Association and was recording secretary for the board. More...