Traditionally the real estate market tends to slow a little bit at this time of the year, and many of you who are planning to sell your home think that it is probably not a good time to sell a home. The truth is, any time can be a good time to sell a home.
And in this season where people think there are not a lot of buyers looking for homes – wrong. Buyers in this time of year are more serious, they want to buy a home right now rather than getting into the rush of the spring and the summer market. And if you decide to sell your home in fall; there wouldn’t be a lot of competition as many people will drop out of the market until after the holidays. The fall season can actually be a great time to sell a home.
Certainly there are some cons to selling a home in the fall, but there are also many pros. Here are some tips to increase your home’s marketability when you sell your home in the fall:
Create the Autumn Curb Appeal
Autumn with wonderful changing colors presents a unique opportunity for attractive landscape presentation. Planting autumn flowers like chrysanthemums or mums will be great to improve your home’s curb appeal. They come in many different colors and they can brighten up the front of your house. Plant them in pots and place them on the steps and along the path to your home. If you have a front porch, give it some seasonal sparkle like dressing it up, adding a wreath to your front door.
Your home’s curb appeal is the first thing that buyers will see so if you neglect your home’s exterior look, it may not create a good impression.
Clean Up
Another very important tip for selling a home during the fall is to clean up. Don’t let your trees smother your grass with dead leaves. Keep your lawn clear, no dead leaves or debris. Keep the path to your home’s entrance clear and don’t let overgrown vegetation block the windows. Trim bushes and tree limbs so it will not block natural light streaming inside your home.
Another thing to not forget is cleaning up the gutters. Before selling your home in the fall, make sure you have your gutters cleaned. Sure, buyers cannot see your gutters but remember a gutter clogged with leaves, sticks, and other debris can cause a leaky roof or water damage to your home.
Bring the Autumn Colors Indoors
Make your home feel cozy and inviting. The color of autumn is warm and earthy. Colors like red, orange, yellow can create a warm and cozy feeling. During your open house, fill in vases with flowers like marigolds or sunflower. Put them in your living room, kitchen, or entryway. Invest in throw blankets or pillows in the same shades as your floral arrangements. These will surely add color and warmth to your home, but also remember not to overdo it, keep your decorations clean and minimal.
Warm Up
As soon as the weather gets a little bit cooler, the advantage of selling a home in the fall is that you can actually warm up the inside of your home. Set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature or if you have a gas fireplace, light it when buyers come through. Fill your home with comforting aromas of the season. Light candles with wonderful fragrances. The more you make it wonderful for buyers to stay in your home, the more they can admire your home’s features.
Bring in the Light
Buyers work in the day and look at houses in the early evening. In the fall, when days are shorter, it’s usually dark in the early evening so make sure that all the lights are on in the house. Open blinds or curtains to let the natural light illuminate your home’s interior. Having all of the lights on in your home for showings will make it more inviting.
Truly, there is not really an off season in home selling or home buying. Whether you decide to sell your home in the fall or in spring, there are many other factors that are more important to successfully sell a home than the season – market condition, location, your listing price, and other factors influence the success of a sale. Working with a real estate agent can also help you sell your home successfully. An experienced real estate agent will be up-to-date on the current market conditions, can give you inputs if your home needs improvements or upgrades, help you price your home right, and help you navigate throughout the home selling process. If you decide to sell your home on your own in the fall season, just follow the above tips and these will surely help display the cozy aspects of your home and improve its marketability.
