Winter is here, but that’s no reason to stop selling. Tougher conditions could be a motivating factor for some homeowners in wanting to put their home on the market, and once they start browsing some attractive new listings, that’s when you want to catch their eye.
Since you’re selling in a traditional off-season, your approach should be different too. Here are five tips for closing a home sale this winter.
Make sure the house is heated properly
If it’s cold outside, then it should be warm inside. It seems like this goes without saying, but the obvious chores are sometimes the most neglected. Make sure the heating systems in the house are working properly ahead of the home inspection. You can even walk through the house yourself to make absolutely sure it’s temperate throughout.
You and your open house guests will not only be more comfortable in a warm house, but buyers will be more likely to make the deal if they know their new home will be heated properly during the winters they’re living in it.
Beware of ice
The last thing you want is buyers slipping on their way to your open house. In the winter, even if you’ve cleared your driveway and walkway from snow, ice can still cling to the stone; it’s even more dangerous because it’s harder to spot.
Spread salt-based ice melts, which can be bought at most home supply stores. Clearing out ice is an inexpensive investment that could save you and/or your clients from a terrible accident.
Take advantage of the season
Instead of treating the season like it’s an inconvenience, turn it into a marketing asset for your listing. Property listings depend on visual marketing, and winter scenes are great for adding mood and beauty to photos.
If the property has some trees, emphasize their beautiful icy branches in the listing photos. Drape the house in holiday decorations. Stage a photo of a roaring fire inside by a window looking out over a snowy backyard. All of these will catch eyes and give buyers a sense of what their new home is like during the coldest months of the year.
Know what the property is like year-round
You should be able to speak to what the listing is like when it’s not winter too. The season only takes up three months of the year, and buyers will want to know what the house is like the majority of the time. In addition to the winter scenes, you can also include pictures of the house during the other three seasons. If open house visitors want to know what the house is like in spring or summer weather, these images will provide the answer.
Go virtual
The winter weather can interrupt or cancel appointments, and open houses are no exception. Thankfully, there’s a way to bypass this with virtual open houses. You host a session at a specific time and then take the viewers through a guided, virtual tour of the house, documented via extensive photographs and videos. On top of the other benefits this process grants, your potential buyers will appreciate not having to drive in inclement weather.
