Thursday, January 12, 2012

Get Your Brantford Home Sold This Winter!

If my many years of experience working as a Brantford real estate agent have taught me anything, it’s that many people are reluctant to sell their home during the winter months. Between the frigid temperatures and buildup of snow, the last thing people feel like doing is getting their home ready for sale and putting it on the market. Similarly, many home buyers would rather finish out the school year or put off their move until the weather gets a bit nicer. It’s an understandable deterrent, however my experience has taught me that going through a Brantford real estate transaction during the winter can be incredibly beneficial.

As a homeowner who wants to reap the benefits that listing a home in the winter can bring, it’s important to go above and beyond when you prepare your home for sale. While listing your home during the winter can be challenging, it is possible. The strategic tactics listed below will help you get your home sold during what is often known as real estate’s off-season. If you follow these trusty tips, then you’re much more likely to get your Brantford home sold this winter!

1. Set a realistic price. Since the market is slow during the winter, the buyers and sellers who are active during this time are typically very serious about the transaction. In order to get the traffic flowing to your property, you need to make sure that your home is priced correctly. Buyers expect discount prices during the winter months, so in order to avoid lowball offers, you need to price your home accurately at the beginning. The more realistic the price is early-on, the more likely it is that buyers will take you seriously.

2. Make sure all of your photos are snow-free. If you can, have your Brant County real estate agent arrange for pictures to be taken either before it snows or shortly after the first flurry melts. It’s the best way for a buyer to really see what your home looks like when it’s not covered with frozen water!

3. Maximize your home’s curb appeal, despite the snow.
While it’s apparent that you won’t be able to have the pristine landscaping and perfectly manicured garden that you could have in June, the doom and gloom of winter is no excuse to neglect curb appeal. Clear the walkways and driveway of snow and put a clean doormat by your front door. You also need to make sure that all remnants of dead autumn leaves and tree branches are cleared from your yard.

4. Make your home staging seasonal. Despite the dreary weather in the winter, you can still add a comfortable, cheerful tone to your home staging this season! Start by de-cluttering and removing any overly personal touches from your home and put them in off-site storage. This will create the neutral space that will allow homebuyers to imagine themselves and their possessions in your home. From there, rearrange your furniture so that each room is shown at its maximum potential. As a finishing touch, bake a fresh batch of cookies or apple pie before a showing. This will create a warm atmosphere as potential buyers are coming in from the cold weather outside.

5. Enhance your interior lighting. Unfortunately, winter is naturally darker than summer, so you can’t rely on natural lighting to make your home look great when a buyer stops by for a showing. Maximize what natural lighting is available by having all of your windows professionally cleaned. It may also be a good idea to replace lower wattage lightbulbs with 100-watt ones. This way, the artificial light can make your home look a little bit brighter on a particularly dark day. Sure, this will drive up the electric bill a bit, but it’s worth it to showcase your home in the best light possible and sell it faster.

Despite the rough climate and onslaught of laziness that tends to come with the winter season, there are several benefits of listing a home during this time of year! The buyers and sellers on the market are much more serious due to the slowdown in the market, and there is potential to sell your home quickly. If you follow these tips closely, you will find that your Brantford home will sell!

As a Brantford real estate agent, I think it’s important to let my clients know how they can successfully sell their home at any time of year. If you have any questions about what you need to do to list your home right now, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d be happy to answer any of your questions. I hope to hear from you soon!


Wally Dufrat | Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Inc. Brokerage
515 Park Road North | Brantford, ON N3R 7K8
Direct:  (519) 752-5400 & (877) 759-5900 | Cell: (519) 761-7400 | Fax: 519-752-3400

Before You Buy or Sell Your Next Home, Visit My Websites at:
www.BrantofordHomeInfo.com or www.FreeBrantfordHomeInfo.com for FREE Information!
 
 

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