When listing your home during the fall, there are a few things to keep in mind to keep your home looking fresh regardless of the weather outside.
1. As fall weather descends, leaves fall and plants turn in for the winter. We recommend a weekly landscaping tidy-up of the yard and plant beds, removing any dead foliage and raking the ground. In the event of a windstorm, additional yard tidying may be necessary.
2. A clean roof is imperative for making the buyer feel comfortable in the stability of the home. Therefore, it is also recommended that leaves and other debris are regularly cleared off.
3. Since it is getting darker earlier, lighting is even more important. Outdoor lighting can be a great way to enhance the curb appeal of your home. Home improvement stores usually have outdoor lighting on sale or clearance this time of year and a small investment in a hard-wired system can provide quite an impact.
4. Unless you will be setting the stage for each showing, we recommend keeping the lights on throughout the day. Although this may add a few dollars to your electric bill, in our experience this pays off in a quicker sale.
5. Although you may keep more heat in your house by closing blinds, and curtains, resist the urge to do so during the day. Buyers need to feel that a home is open and bright.
6. In order to keep your house smelling fresh and clean, opening the windows once a week on a sunny day can circulate the air. Changing the filters in the furnace or using a carpet freshener may also help although avoid strong-smelling air fresheners as many buyers are sensitive to these strong smells.
7. Resist the urge to turn the thermostat during the day. Adjusting to below 68 degrees can make the home viewing experience uncomfortable which is not conductive to a home sale.
8. If bringing out your winter clothes has your closet looking packed, consider removing some of the bulkier items to provide some breathing room. An overstuffed closet sends the message that it is not big enough to hold a household’s belongings, so you are better to store lesser-used items offsite while the home is listed.
There are many advantages to selling during the fall and winter months – with less inventory buyers are more serious about finding the right home and homes that stand out and look fresh will get attention. If you are considering selling your home, please give the Muljat Group Realtors® a call: 360.354.4242