Top tips for selling your house in winter
January sees a sharp rise in interested buyers, so there is plenty of opportunity to sell your home to the right buyer.
Buyer interest doubles in January, but the season of dark, long, wet nights throws up some unique challenges that you don’t get in London’s lighter months. To achieve the best price for your home, the savviest sellers will be looking to counter any negatives that the season brings. Here are our top tips for selling in Winter:
Crank the heating up
If you’re usually a bit cute around your thermostat, here’s some news set to make your shiver: nobody wants to view a house with their coat on. Make sure your home is nice and toasty well before viewers arrive, so they get a feel of cosy indoor months. They’ll also be reassured that you’ve got a well-functioning boiler.
Ditch the dull colours
You might have seen it in a beautiful house in Home and Country, but step away from the dark grey paint pot. Dark colours tend to suck the already limited light out of the room, so if you’re thinking of redecorating ahead of putting your home on the market, go for lighter neutrals.
No lighty, no likey
With summer sun a distant memory, all homes benefit from well-thought-out lighting decisions. If you have an inordinate amount of spotlights that you refuse to change because it feels like a cruel game of whack-a-mole, now is the time to bite the bullet and replace them. Is there a particularly dark corner of your living room? Think about strategically placed lamps to help show it in... errrm… the best light.
Don’t leaf it to fate
Outdoor spaces tend to look a bit sorry for themselves during the winter months. While it’s probably too wet to mow the lawn, if you’ve yet to rake fallen leaves, now is the time.
Kerb appeal is a bit of a cliche, but, at the risk of cliche-overload, you don’t get a second chance at a first impression. Make sure you wash down the driveway removing any muddy footprints, do a bit of weeding and make the outside look as pleasant as it possibly can in Winter.
Sell the dream
This isn’t particularly seasonal but an evergreen piece of advice for securing a buyer. You’re not just selling bricks and mortar, but the lifestyle that you wanted when you first bought your home. Think about the people that are likely to be viewing the property, and help them to connect the dots.
Let say, for example, you live in a small central London flat suitable for young professionals. Get a pot of coffee on the stove, stick a bit of Bastille on the sound system, and you’ll be flooding the prospective buyer’s senses with an idea of what their life could be, if only they bought your home.
Nested can help you achieve your dream move
Nested is a London-wide estate agent that believes traditional agents don’t do enough to earn your money. We don’t just sell your home for a great price, we also advise and negotiate your purchase so you don't overpay and then manage your chain. All for the price of a high street agent. If you're looking to make your move in 2020, get in touch.