It’s common knowledge that selling a home during the winter months is difficult, and it’s easy to understand why. People are busy with the holidays, the weather keeps people indoors, and no one is excited at the prospect of having to move during the winter.
All of this is doubly true when you’re talking about properties at the Jersey Shore. This is a summer-focused area, and the appeal of many of the properties we deal with lies in their potential as a place to be during the summer. Beach access. Water access. And so on.
But that doesn’t mean homes don’t sell during the winter. They do. You just need to keep a few things in mind to stand out. Here are five things that will help:
Clean the Yard
Appearance is even more important during the winter months than usual. You don’t have pleasant weather and sunny days to help add visual appeal to your home. Instead, you have to combat dreary weather and overcast skies.
This is why it’s essential to do a good exterior cleanup going into the winter months. Ensure any fallen leaves are raked and removed. Do one final round of weeding before the weather gets cold. Remove dead branches and other debris. And finally, give your gardens a layer of fresh mulch so they look crisp and new.
These small efforts might take you a Saturday, but the curbside appeal they will add during those down winter months is priceless.
Welcome the Sunlight
As we mentioned above, the winter months can be dim and dreary. Combat that by embracing whatever natural sunlight you can get in your home. When showing the property, have your blinds up and curtains wide open. Let the natural light pour in.
Also consider replacing any dim lightbulbs with bright, white LED bulbs. Doing these two things will make the house feel larger, more welcoming, and more inviting, all good traits when you are trying to sell your home.
Keep the House Warm
We know you’d prefer not to spend money on utilities for a house you may not even be living in anymore, but during the winter one of the uphill battles when trying to sell a home is just getting people to go out in the wet and cold.
Once they do, greeting them with a nice, warm house is an ideal way to instantly make them feel comfortable. It’s a subtle psychological effect that can really make your property feel more welcome. It’s not necessary to keep the heat on full blast all the time, either, just ensure it’s set to a nice warm temperature the day before anyone comes to view it.
Skip the Seasonal Décor
Decorations for Christmas, Halloween, and other seasonal holidays can be a lot of fun, but avoid them on a property you have on the market. They’ll prove to be a distraction when potential buyers are looking at the house.
More importantly, they set a person’s impression of your house to a specific time of year and get in the way of them imagining themselves there. You want your property to be a clean slate. Potential buyers should be able to walk in and imagine themselves in that space, including their own seasonal decorations. Avoid things that can get in the way of that.
Showcase Winter Amenities
For the most part, when you’re showing properties at the shore, potential buyers want to know about summer living: how close is the beach? Is the house on the water? Does it have a good backyard for summer gatherings? How far away is the Parkway? And so on.
But if you’re showing the house in the winter, that warm fireplace, cozy breakfast nook, or insulated garage space will seem far more inviting than at any other time of year. Take advantage of that. Highlight those features in addition to the summer amenities. It will make the property seem that much more attractive.
Selling your home during the winter can be tough, but it’s far from impossible.
To learn more about how we can help, contact us today!