Preparing Your Home for Top Selling Price This Winter

When staging your home for a sale, make sure your furniture is in good condition.Photo courtesy of Kirk Imports Furniture

The secret to winter selling is appealing to the senses.  The weather makes potential buyers feel dreary and heavy-laden.  Lightening, brightening, and de-cluttering your home goes a long way toward creating an attractive new environment – hopefully, one that buyers can see themselves inhabiting!

On the radio and in the malls, seasonal music surrounds us. The singers proclaim everything from "Oh the weather outside is frightful!" to "It’s the most wonderful time of the year!" For homeowners trying to sell a house this winter, the market can seem just as uncertain. But for those who prepare, selling in winter can be a positive and successful experience.

The seasonal slowdown is a reality of the housing market.  It’s inevitable: the holidays produce fewer buyers.  Fewer people are willing to relocate in the snow or move their children during the school year.  Even those who are looking at homes this winter often feel less pressure to buy and move quickly.
But winter selling can be seen as a great opportunity.  Those who need to move have fewer options.  With attention to detail and a few nice touches, your home can be the cozy, inviting answer they need.

The secret to winter selling is appealing to the senses.  The weather makes potential buyers feel dreary and heavy-laden.  Lightening, brightening, and de-cluttering your home goes a long way toward creating an attractive new environment – hopefully, one that buyers can see themselves inhabiting! As with selling at any time of year, the first step is making sure your home is in the best condition possible.  Make necessary repairs, ensure top quality, and price it appropriately.

After you take care of the basics, have fun with staging your home in the winter.  Here are some hot tips for getting the best offers:
Thoroughly clean and de-clutter your home.  By storing away personal items and neutralizing space, buyers are more likely to picture themselves living in the home.

Keeping rooms comfortably warm and light as well as generally de-cluttered is a way to brighten a would-be dreary winter viewing. Bottom living area photos courtesy of Rug Decor of Raleigh

If there is snow or ice, neatly shovel all walkways and driveways.  Further enhance curb appeal by hanging a simple, classy winter wreath on the front door.
Make sure your furniture is in good condition and arranged for the best traffic flow.  According to Chris Kirk of Kirk Imports Furniture in Raleigh, a beautiful accent piece of furniture does much to enhance a room.  Kirk Imports specializes in unique furniture imports.  Their mantels and fireplaces are especially popular during the winter months.

Use gentle scents such as evergreen, cedar, and cinnamon.  Make sure to use scents lightly, as heavy scents can turn off buyers.  You might bake a pie to fill the house with a comforting aroma.

Open curtains and let in as much light as possible.  This counteracts the darkness of winter and makes buyers feel good. Keep your house at a comfortable temperature (72 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit).  If necessary, let a fresh breeze into the house so the air does not become stale and stagnant.

Create a cozy environment.  Turn on the fireplace, and decorate the mantel in a simple, seasonal way. Arrange light seasonal decorations around your home such as evergreen garlands, red berries, and gold or silver leaves.  Avoid excessive religious symbols which can easily make buyers feel uncomfortable.

Consider using high-quality silk plants.  Ellen Edwards’ store, Silk Plant Gallery in Raleigh, offers everything from custom-made trees to seasonal floral arrangements.  She uses components such as holly, pinecones, magnolia leaves, ivy, amaryllis, and poinsettias to enhance existing arrangements or match them to a client’s room and furniture.

When you show your home, display photos of the house in other seasons.  Winter is beautiful, but a photo of the blooming flowers in your yard may be a better hook for some buyers.
However you decide to enhance and stage your home for selling this winter, make sure you take the time to prepare.  Not only will you receive the best selling price, but you’ll be able to relax and enjoy this season — winter really can be the most wonderful time of the year!

Jenny Fredette is a freelance writer

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