Practical advice to successfully sell your home

1. Make Sure It's Ready for Warm Living

The spring selling season is traditionally where activity bursts at the seams in the housing market, but the shortfall in winter stock makes it a prime opportunity for you.  

Getting ahead of the spring selling season, when property floods the market can be a good move as there are often still loads of buyers but not many properties.  If you are selling this winter here are some ways to keep the sale price hot when the weather is cold?

Start by making your home cozier, after all 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, if you have a fireplace make sure you have a fire burning (or turn it on if it's gas).

Add a warm touch to each of your rooms by placing a winter coloured throw rug over the back of a sofa, or put coloured doona covers 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 more cozy for your buyers.  

2. Keep Your Home Clean Clean Clean

Spending time making sure every part of your home is clean is important no matter what time of year that you sell, however with the added muck that comes in on dirty shoes and wet clothes in winter, it is even more important.  Keep floors clean and make sure all dirty family gear is hidden away where people inspecting your property can't see it.  And of course, clear away any leaves that have fallen off the trees - a tidy front garden helps set the right tone.

3. Making the Most of the Great Outdoors

Don't forget about the great outdoors. Spend time and give your garden a simple makeover by adding defining borders to your flower beds and adding a focal point. Timber borders are popular, or you can outline your beds with small shrubs or grasses. Add a few larger plants as focal points but keep them in proportion to the size of your garden.  As a finishing touch add some flowering plants to your garden as it will make your home much more welcoming.

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 all year round.  Add some warm winter throws over your outside chairs to help bring colour to the area and to make it more appealing.  Buyers love more living options and the outside is an ideal extra space.

4. Brighten the Corners

Light will be just as important as heat when it comes to selling your home for more in winter. Maximise the daylighting in the home, and you'll also be able to boast that your home's energy bills are enticingly low. Natural light is an incredibly attractive prospect for any house hunter, so having drapes and windows that let the sunshine in across an entire room is a great way to boost appeal.  Keeping lights on at open for inspections is also important 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's done right with the appropriate glazing or curtains though, lest you 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 isn't much activity, you could funnel a lot of buyers your way, who then have to push further and pay more to outdo the competition - leaving you with a handy bottom line.

6. If You've Got It, Flaunt It

When your home is ideal for winter living, especially cozy 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 isn't as practical to have heaters going and living areas set up for relaxation - buyers might even think you're being wasteful with your power.

Cozy 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, and perhaps be willing to part with a little extra to make sure they get your favour. 

Don't let scaremongering about winter selling put you off - people look for a property at all times of the year. Talk to us about how to make your property stand out from the crowd and make yourself a fantastic sale.