Selling A Home In Winter

16th December 2019 posted in Sellers

While many homeowners prefer to wait until spring before being active in the property market, there is no reason why you cannot sell your home in winter. There is a lot of buyer activity in winter, which means people are looking for a new home.

The General Election has had a positive effect on buyers, and the leading online property portals experience an increase in leads and website visitors in the week between Christmas and New Year. This suggests there is a significant increase in demand for property in winter, but there are challenges to selling your home.

These are not insurmountable challenges, and they can be overcome with focus and more attention, but selling property in winter requires more care and attention. At Hunters Bridgend, we are pleased to say we have assisted many vendors in selling their home in winter, and we can help you too.

First impressions still count in winter

The importance of making a positive first impression is crucial when selling your home. This is as relevant in winter as it is for any other time of year. However, the weather conditions associated with winter makes it harder to create a positive and pleasing environment outside of your home.

Whether you are dealing with snow, torrential rain, puddles or leaves which have fallen from the trees, cleaning your garden area is difficult. Try to do as much as you can, and make safety a priority. You must review your paths, driveways and walkways. Make sure these are clear and safe to walk on. If there is a likelihood of ice, try to grit these areas to ensure they are safe to walk on.

Lighting is crucial

In winter, there is reduced daylight, and this poses a problem when selling your home. You will likely find that fewer viewings take place because the lack of daylight hours makes it harder for potential buyers to view the outside of your property correctly.

If you can be flexible and offer daytime viewings, do so. This will increase the number of viewings which can take place. Also, if you can, add lights to the outside of your property. External lighting provides security, which is always of benefit to homeowners, but it can make it easier for potential buyers to view your home.

You should also consider lighting inside your home. During daylight hours, try to allow as much natural light to enter your property. Make sure nothing blocks light coming in through your windows, and you should try to pull back your curtains.

As for lights around a room, opt for smaller lights in more places than relying on an abundant light in the centre of a room. Opting for lights around the room creates a more comfortable and welcoming atmosphere, which should be enticing to viewers.

If you plan on selling your Bridgend home this winter, contact us, and we can arrange a property valuation for you. We are pleased to say we have assisted many Bridgend vendors in selling their home, and we look forward to helping you.