Benefits of Selling Your Home in the Winter

Do houses sell in the winter? This is a very divisive idea: On one hand, there’s a large number of homeowners who are very enthusiastic of the unique opportunities winter brings to sell their homes; but equally large is also the group of people who follow the conventional wisdom that houses don’t really sell in winter because bad weather and festive activities lead to very few buyers making it hard to reach desirable prices.

Conventional wisdom dictates that spring and summer are the seasons to list your home for sale. But an expert home seller will tell you that there’s no universal season representing the best time to sell your home because preparation is what matters. Even if Spring and summer coincide with tremendous buyer activity, these times won’t do you any good if they find you unprepared.

Consequently, the best time to list your home for sale is when you comfortable doing so, even during the winter, and here’s is why you should list your house for sale in November, December, January all the way to February.

What are the advantages of selling your house in winter?

1.      Less competition

Many sellers are less enthusiastic about listing their homes during winter because they fear that fewer people will be looking to buy homes leading to reduced property prices.

But as the supply of homes drops immensely during winter because sellers take their properties off the market, you don’t have to fret about a saturated housing. The few buyers available will be looking at a smaller supply of houses, and you can easily grab their attention, unlike during the spring and summer housing rush.

2.     Corporate transfers make winter an opportune time

According to statistics, most corporate employees transfer and relocate to new places in January and February. These job transfers make winter an opportune time to offer your house for sale.

3.     Become a non-contingent buyer come Spring

For those who are looking to sell and buy, selling during winter ensures that come Spring you’ll be a non-contingent buyer i.e., you won’t have to wait for a Spring Buyer to sell so you can buy a new home; you’d just use the money you made by selling your home in winter. Also, because of the spring house rush, market prices could go down hence an opportunity to buy low!

4.    Serious buyers

People who are looking to buy homes during winter are very motivated, which means higher purchase intent. The reason being that they’re probably growing impatient after searching for a long time or something is seriously compelling them to move sooner; it could be weather issues or job transfers. Either way, anyone who is willing to shop around for a new home amid the festivities and bad winter weather is likely a serious and qualified buyer who is ready to move now.

The process of searching for a home can be very exhaustive, so most buyers looking for a home during winter just want the path that offers the least resistance and gets the deal done. Selling a house during winter shouldn’t, therefore, be hard. As long as you know why it has taken the buyers so long to find a home, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t leverage this information.

5.     Increased web traffic

As buyers have been looking for homes to move in throughout the summer and fall now, internet searches for houses increase as the buyers are determined to find homes that arouse their interest.

6.    Showings are better during the winter

Nothing is quite inviting, like stepping out of the cold into a warm house; this will significantly attract the buyer. Clean, declutter, and organize the interior, if you have a heating system, fire it up to make the house warm and inviting to the buyer.

If you have a fireplace, don’t forget to enhance it. These great interior elements can be the focal point in the home. Fan-favorite fireplace systems are the ethanol-burning and the mirrored glass fireplace. Also, fire it up, so the buyer knows it’s functional, not just symbolic.

7.     Flexible pricing

Spring and summer coincide with tremendous activity that makes many homeowners to list their houses for sale. Still, the slower housing market during winter can lead to a more desirable listing price for your home too.

In the spring and summer, buyers have multiple homes to choose from, but in winter transactions, it’s sellers who have the power. Because of fewer listing, you can list your home at top dollar then take advantage of multiple offers to sell it at a desirable price.

8.    End-of-year financial bonus

As corporations carry out year-end performance reviews dishing out payouts and financial bonuses, more people get money to upgrade their current living situations by spending the money on new homes. This is also when first-time buyers get the cash to get into the housing market.

9.    New parents will be looking to upgrade

Yes, you heard it right, new parents; numbers from the Centre for Health Statistics show that more births occur in September than any other month of the year, and these new parents will be looking for spacious homes for their family once the baby has arrived and settled.

Tips for selling a home during winter

Sure, the horrid weather, among other circumstances, could be pushing the buyer really hard to make a move to a new home. But that doesn’t mean the buyers won’t want to expect the house. Buyers know that snow and ice can cover severe issues with a property and so they are on the lookout for winter-specific things such as heating, insulation, condition of the roof, etc. So, to grab the buyers’ attention, use the following tips:

1.      Create a warm and inviting look

start by ensuring your home is well lit and bright. Open the curtains and drapes if not enough winter sun is reaching the interior of the house during the daytime. To ensure proper lighting, clean lamps, bulbs, and fixtures thoroughly too.

Next, clean and organize every inch of your home. Gleaming windows, clean driveways, shining floors, and clean counters are inviting. While at it, organize those cupboards and closets. You can rent an offsite storage facility for your excess items to declutter your home and create more space in the eyes of the buyer.

To complete the welcoming mood, warm the house using some good music, and don’t forget the buyer could be kept for longer with something warm to eat and drink so you can reach a deal on the house.

2.     Clear away snow and ice.

Keeping the home clear of snow and ice makes it inviting and accessible. So, shovel off any snow from the driveway and front door, sprinkle some salt, and get a rubber mat to manage excess water that may enter the house. Remember, curb appeal is not just about making things look great, make your home approachable too.

3.     Get the heating system inspected and maintained

Now is not the time to worry about the house heating bill. Turning up the heat makes it cozy for the potential buyer. So, ensure the heating system is working correctly and utilize it.

Leaving the heater on when the buyer is around is the best way to show them that the system is in working condition. Also, as it gets cold outside, the buyer will be comfortable staying for a while, giving you time to make an offer.

4.    Employ a festive marketing strategy

The holiday months present an excellent opportunity to reach out with festive marketing strategies. Whether it’s social media, direct mail, email marketing, or bandit signs, getting a little festive can boost results.

But whatever holiday aesthetics you incorporate in your marketing strategy, remember to remain neutral i.e., use generic phrases only, e.g., “happy holiday.” Instead of “Merry Christmas.”

5.     Highlight the energy-efficiency

People looking to buy homes during winter are attracted to warm, inviting houses with working heating systems. But at the same time, buyers know that house heating bills are always massive during winter, so they’d be pleased to be told that the home is energy-efficient. It’s a great selling point that shouldn’t be neglected.

So do not forget to highlight the energy-conserving measures you have implemented on your property. Tell them about those insulated doors, dual-pane glasses, daylighting, etc

You can install wood or pellet stove as an alternative to energy-wasting furnaces. Remember to tightly seal the home and insulate against leakages that may make a heating system to overwork during those frosty winter days. Seal large holes in the attic and ceiling areas; use weatherstripping to seal the attic access panel.

Make use of daylighting by installing clerestory windows that are mounted high on the wall to shield from the summer sun and allow winter sun in for natural lighting and warmth. Also, insulate and seal doors and windows edges and cracks to reduce energy loss.

Ta-dah, there you go homeowners, Spring or summer are not the only seasons when the housing market is hot. Sure, the winter season is known for its treacherous weather and busy holiday activities, but if you are prepared, you can sell your home and at the best price since you are bound to receive multiple offers on the listed property.