Harveys Napier - Napier South

In this blog post, we have put together six top tips for selling your home during the winter months to make sure that you get a hot price while the weather is cold.

1. Ensure your home is warm and cosy

Traditionally spring is the season when there is a burst of activity on the housing market, but with less competition in winter it makes the season a prime opportunity to get your home seen. There are often still just as many buyers on the market but in winter there are fewer houses to pick from.

To make a good first impression, start by making your home cosier. After all, no matter the season, selling a home is all about appealing to people emotions – you want your prospective buyers to fall in love with your property. Make sure it is warm when people come to inspect it.  Turn the heaters on, and if you have a fireplace, make sure you have a fire burning (or turn it on if it is gas).

Add a warm touch to each of your rooms in the way of adding blankets, such as drapping a throw rug over the back of a sofa, or put a coloured duvet cover at the end of the beds to help create a warm and welcoming feel. Another idea is to change your cushion covers to a colour more suited to winter. This can help change the whole feel of a room and make it cosier for your buyers.

2. Clean, clean, clean

No one likes to walk into a messy home, and in winter it can be challenging to keep a home clean if you are bringing muck in on dirty shoes from outside, as well as wet clothes. This makes it even more important to make sure every part of your home is clean.

Make sure all your dirty family gear is hidden away so people inspecting your property cannot see it. And, of course, clear away any fallen leaves and keep your garden tidy, it helps set the right tone.

3. Don’t forget your outdoor space

Just because it is colder outside does not mean you should forget about the great outdoors. Spend some time giving your garden a simple makeover. This could include defining the edge of your flower beds with timber borders or lining them with small shrubs or grasses. You could also add a few larger plants as focal points, but ensure you keep them in proportion to the size of your garden. As a finishing touch, add some flowering plants as it will make your home much more welcoming.

You want to show your buyers how they could use your home’s outdoor space all-year round. How about adding a fire pit or heaters, or even a pizza oven to show how easy it is to entertain. Add some warm winter throws over your outside chairs to help bring colour to the area and make it more appealing. Buyers love more living options, and the outside is an ideal extra space.

4. Light is just as important as heat

If it is cold and grey outside, the last thing a buyer wants is to walk into a home that is full of shadows. Light will be just as important to buyers as the warmth and cosiness of your home during winter. Maximise the daylight in the home, natural light is an incredibly attractive prospect for any house hunter. Keeping the lights on during open homes is also essential in winter.

Shuffling furniture and perhaps even widening windows can give you this effect if you have the time and budget for it. Make sure it is done right with the appropriate glazing or curtains or you might end up dealing with a glare that can put buyers off.

5. Check your timing

By checking weekly auction results, and in particular, the expected number of homes for sale on any given weekend, you can pick the right timing for a quick sale. Winter generally means less supply on the market, which means buyers have to compete more furiously to secure a home.

By doing diligent research and putting your home up for auction on a weekend when there is not much activity, you could funnel many buyers your way, who then have to push further and pay more to outdo the competition – leaving you with a handy bottom line.

6. Emphasis your home’s strengths

When your house is ideal for winter living, especially cosy nights, make sure you show off these strengths. Host your open home during the evening, when people can experience the warmth and comfort of your property first-hand. During the day, it is not as practical to have heaters going and living areas set up for relaxation. Buyers might even think you are wasteful with your power.

Cosy indoor areas, elegant drapes and ornate lighting fixtures can all become highly appealing visual elements of the home when your setting is a cold winter evening. People will be able to instantly imagine themselves relaxing at home. Perhaps they will be willing to part with a little extra to make sure they get your favour.