Although the real estate market slows down in the winter time, one thing is apparent, homes still sell this time of the year. For those who still have their homes on the market there are several things that create a positive environment to sell during the holiday season.
Winter is a perfect time to get your home ready for the spring selling season. Clean out your garage and storage areas, donate the excess items to your favorite charity as a gesture of holiday goodwill. Check everything for wear and tear, repairing nail holes, any wall cracks, or loose weather stripping. Observe your house in the rain to see how well it holds up, checking to see if your gutters work or if there are any areas where water can intrude under the eaves and fascia boards. Touch up paint, fix the leaky faucet and repair window screens. It”s a good time to have the carpet and drapes professionally cleaned. Remove the clutter from dressers, table tops, shelving and counters. Remove any personal photos or family mementos. Remember you are staging the home so that potential buyers can see themselves as the owners, not you.
This time of the year there is less inventory on the market so those who want to buy have less to choose from. As a result, sellers have a better chance of getting an offer during the holiday season because there is less competition.
The holiday seasons is a time when people decorate their homes like no other time of the year. When you are preparing to decorate, think of your home as a showplace. You want to bring on a homey feeling that creates an atmosphere of warmth and cheer when your home is shown during the holidays.
Brighter is better, a dark and dreary home in the winter is not as appealing to buyers as those that are flooded with light. As you prepare your home for sale, you should maximize the available light. Make sure the windows are clean and the drapes are pulled back making sure all the light bulbs work when the house is being shown. If you home has dark paneling, paint or new lighting can brighten up the room. Your Realtor can give you good advice for simple, cost-effective ideas on how to get the most eye appeal out of your home.
Freshen the bathrooms with flowers and scented candles putting out your best towels and finest linens. Now you are ready to deck the halls with the holiday finery. All the improvements contribute to the favorable impression your home will make on your holiday guests and potential buyers.
Ray Perry is the 2013 Realtor of the Year for Lake County and works for CPS Country Air Properties. He can be reached at 277-8000 or ray@rayperry.com.
