Planning a spring listing for your home or property? If your goal is to sell your home, you may be surprised to learn that there are many positives when potential purchasers are viewing your home during the winter months. The short lull in interested buyers around the December holidays turns into a mid January movement of seriously motivated buyers. You can achieve profitable results and allot of interest in your listing during the winter. Three distinct advantages include:
- A reduction in competitive listings means you are more likely to get a better offer:
As a trend, most sellers wait until the spring to list their homes, this means less competition for your listing from other sellers. Buyers have fewer options in the winter and If they choose your house, they’ll be more likely to make higher offers in order to make sure they acquire it. Additionally, the low inventory can create increase competition among buyers, which can result in a higher sale price. Any experienced real estate agent will tell you your home won’t sell if it’s not priced correctly. For quality properties, the concentrated demand that comes with a shortage of listings will often drive prices up. - Winter brings serious motivated buyers: Anyone looking at houses during the winter is most likely pre-approved for a mortgage and extremely motivated to buy. The buyers who do book viewings do so because they are serious and cannot wait until spring to purchase a home. These are not browsers, but motivated buyers who want to take advantage of the less competitive market and get their hands on their ideal home. You will also attract buyers who aren’t necessarily restricted by school districts or neighbourhood. That’s because buyers with school-age kids will do their house hunting and moving in the spring and summer months.
- Online listings are where buyers start their search. With online listings being the go to platform for real estate, listings now have the same exposure year round. You can help buyers quickly and accurately assess the condition of your roof and landscaping with summer photos, and by including winter images you are providing the year round perspective that builds confidence in your homes potential. Your listing is your homes portfolio and a well prepared portfolio will always draw more attention. Always arrange the winter photos first starting with exterior and then interior images, and add your spring/summer photos at the end of the collection so your listing doesn’t appear to have been on the market for a very long time.
Furthermore, an overlooked advantage is having a winter ready home. Solid, well insulated construction with proper drainage for water run off both ensure that homes are able to withstand years of harsh elements and frigid temperatures. Show off your easy-to-shovel driveway, fireplace, new roof and furnace, double pane windows, and well-insulated roof and pipes. This is particularly important with older houses as it builds confidence in how your home was constructed, its heating efficiency, and overall potential.
Have a fire going, showcase your hot tub or sauna, highlight the features that will make the buyers life easier to own your home in winter months. Nothing can be as comforting as arriving to a warm home and finding a cozy fire going and the smell of fresh baked bread or cookies in the air. People spend allot of time indoors in winter months and making your home feel like a great space to spend time in can tip the scales in your favour. As always, start with selecting the right realtor who will correctly price your home, help them to create the most detailed online listing. Your realtor should have a strategy for targeted market exposure for your property type. Make sure to emphasize and showcase the “winter ready” elements of your home in your listing and at all viewings. As we come to the end of February, the majority of B.C. will still be under winters white cape for another month or longer. With quick action and a solid plan you can achieve very successful and profitable results by listing now,
before spring arrives.