5 Tips To Help You Sell Your Home Before Christmas
5 Tips To Help You Sell Your Home Before Christmas. Trying to sell your home can be stressful at the best of times, but it is especially so when you’re also racing against time and trying to get moved before Christmas. Although the housing market is influenced by several factors out of your control don’t despair for there are a few things that you can do to help make your home look as appealing to potential buyers as possible. So here are 5 things you can try to help get your home sold before the festive period begins.
Check your curb appeal
68% of potential buyers think that the curb appeal of a home is important, so it’s worth paying some attention to if you’re struggling to sell. In short, the curb appeal of your home is how it looks from the road, what first impression does it make on potential buyers? Here are some areas to consider when checking your curb appeal:
Your garden
Even in the winter, a well-maintained garden is attractive to potential buyers. Make sure that your lawn is short and not overgrown, the driveway is clear from rubbish, and trim back any unruly hedges which can make a property’s garden look smaller.
Your roof
A roof covered in moss or missing roof tiles isn’t an attractive prospect to potential buyers so step outside and take a look to see what kind of message yours is giving off. If your roof looks unloved then consider having a roof cleaned to help make it look new again.
Your outdoor lighting
In the winter months, the nights tend to draw in and we have more dark days which means that people may be visiting your property in low light or total darkness. To make your property more attractive consider installing some outdoor lighting to light the driveway or path to the door.
Your windows
The windows of your house are an important feature and can tell a potential buyer a lot about your home. Replace any windows that are cracked or broken and consider repainting them if they are looking a bit tatty. Also, remember to take into consideration what people see immediately through your windows so consider styling your drapes and curtains so that they look good from the outside.
Make it winter-proof
People searching for homes in the winter are often looking for somewhere in which they can move straight away without the need for lengthy renovations, which means making your home seem winter-proof. Check to make sure your roof is sound and doesn’t have any loose tiles which may cause leaks. And take a look at your windows and see if there are any gaps that could cause drafts, a drafty window can put potential buyers off moving into your property over the winter season. Finally, even if you are no longer living in the property try to turn the heating on to drive away any feelings of dampness when potential buyers walk in.
Cozy it up inside
There’s a reason why shops tend to lay out their goods in beautiful displays, it makes you want to buy them, and your home is no different, so dress it to impress for the winter season. Make your home seem cozy by keeping it warm and light, and add some stylistic candles and winter decorations to make it feel more homely. If you have poor lighting then use visual tricks such as mirrors to make the space seem brighter than it is and doesn’t forget to turn the heating on so your home feels warm and cozy.
Make sure that the price is right
You can do everything under to sun to the inside and outside of your home to make it more attractive to potential buyers but if the price isn’t right you could still lose out on making a sale. Ensure that your house is on the market for a reasonable price and if you are serious about selling before Christmas then consider reducing it slightly if you can afford to, this will set it apart from other houses on the market and could sway buyers who were otherwise holding off until after Christmas.
Set up your solicitor
When the time finally comes and you have an interested party ready to make the sale you don’t want the legal paperwork to be the thing slowing you down, so set up your solicitor in advance by instructing them to have all of the sale documentation ready so that when the call comes they can be ready to go. To guarantee a quick sale you may also want to try and find a buyer who is chain free as they aren’t waiting on the sale of their own home to move into yours.