Thinking of selling your home this winter? It can present a unique opportunity to create a warm and cozy experience to showcase your home’s unique & best features. When most people think of ‘the perfect time to sell’, they typically think of the warmer months, leading them to focus on spring, summer & fall. It is true that the winter market is typically considered a quieter season for real estate. However, there are actually many benefits to listing your home during the winter:

1. There is typically less inventory for buyers to choose from, meaning there is less competition and more opportunity for your home to stand out compared to the competition. 
2. Winter buyers are often very serious.
3. The warm and cozy winter vibe helps buyers visualize their own family in your home. 
4. Festive and well decorated neighborhoods are inviting – picture beautiful pine urns at the entryway, and beautiful holiday lighting. 
5. Year-end job transfers. 
6. End-of-year tax breaks. 

If you are in fact wanting to sell in the next few months, here is a list of tips to ensure smooth sailing throughout the entire sale process! 

Safety is #1

First thing’s first – safety measures on your home’s exterior should take precedence in getting your house ready to sell during the winter months. Ensure walkways and your driveway are well-sealed and salted, in order to avoid any potential hazards during showings. This can help to create a great first impression on the exterior of your home as buyers will see how well maintained your property is. 

Preparing the Exterior of your Home

Speaking of making a good first impression, landscape and curb appeal are still very important factors for showings during the winter months. Before the snow arrives, be sure to do annual maintenance of your front and back yard by properly clearing out dead or overgrown flower beds, fallen leaves, and any other debris. In Southern Ontario, the snow has a tendency of coming and going, so it isn’t necessarily that reliable for hiding everything. Your best bet is to prepare your front and back yard accordingly. 

An Emphasis on Good Lighting!

As soon as Daylight Savings kicks in, it gets darker much earlier. This will reduce the amount of natural light that your home may typically receive, so you will want to take additional measures to ensure that your home is bright and well-lit. Outdoor lighting is extremely helpful, since this is typically the hardest part of the house to see at night. Add extra lights to show off the best exterior features of your home, while also creating an intimate, wintery feel. If you are feeling unsure of how to approach adding additional lighting, connect with a member of our team for more direction on how to showcase your home best.

Have A Well Organized Entryway 

As Canadians, we are well aware that during the winter months, the biggest hub of clutter tends to be at our front entrance ways. Bundling up and being prepared for a variety of weather conditions may be a necessity, but can cause extra clutter from a buyer’s point of view. They, too, will be dressed in heavier winter jackets and boots upon arriving and you will want to ensure that they are able to make their way into your home at ease. To best prepare for showings, remove any additional seasonal clothing and gear into storage.

Keeping Your Home Clean & Staged Well 

On the topic of keeping things clean and clear, keeping your home tidy and well staged is extremely important. A few extra measures will need to take place when you have pets and small kids as they are the biggest contributors to tracking snow, salt, and dirt into the home. To stay on top of cleaning, keep a few go-to cleaning products readily available in a basket i.e Swiffer wet wipes are incredibly helpful! 

One of our talented Associates will be able to make a number of recommendations on how to best prepare your home for sale. Sometimes we will make the recommendation of using our preferred home stager. Stagers are experts at strategically preparing your home to show off its best features and bring it to its highest potential in a short amount of time. They know exactly what buyers are looking for, and will ensure your home looks its best for photos and showings. 

Give Your Furnace A Tune Up

Have your furnace serviced before putting it on the market. By doing so, you can easily show proof that your furnace has a clean bill of health and will be reliable for future buyers. Also – remember to change your furnace filter! It’s not uncommon for a buyer and/or an agent to pop the filter out to see whether or not you’re regularly changing the filter. 

Excellent Marketing

We strongly recommend working with a real estate team with a well-diversified marketing strategy. Preview a real estate agent’s past listings to see the difference for yourself. It is important to hire a team that puts a big emphasis on marketing.  It is very likely that any potential buyers will preview your home online first before booking an in person viewing. Crisp and clear photos with proper lighting and colour will help more people fall in love with your home.

Finding Your Real Estate Professional

Finding an exceptional Realtor to represent the sale of your home is paramount. At The O’Reilly Group, we approach every interaction with the passion, energy, and expertise we’ve built our reputation on. Success in the modern real estate market requires integrity, creativity, and tenacity. Delivering our bespoke services for every client, we pride ourselves on achieving your desired result, with a unique approach that elevates the real estate experience.

Connect with a member of our team today to learn more about our services. We’d love to have a conversation to learn about your goals & to assist in establishing a plan to put you in the strongest position possible. 

Are you thinking of listing your home for sale? Whether you’re ready to act or just have a few questions, we are here for you! Reach out by emailing hello@theoreillygroup.ca or call 905-512-5323 to connect with us today.

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Whether you’re selling or buying the O’Reilly Group is dedicated to elevating your real estate experience.

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