Selling in winter: how to play to the season's strengths to move home in spring

If you want to move home in spring, winter is the time to get it live on the market, but does anyone actually buy at this time of year? Well, yes, they do.

It’s true that activity levels are lower, mainly down to people waiting till spring to put their homes up for sale, but that gives winter sellers a number of unsung advantages.

• Fewer homes on the market means more eyes on yours from the year’s biggest online audience, with daily visits to Rightmove reaching 25 million over the holidays.
• Only the most motivated buyers brave the elements to come out on viewings, which means interest tends to be serious with very few window shoppers.
• You can use the mood and magic of the frosty months to create an atmosphere of seasonal warmth that’s impossible to resist.

So, if you’re planning ahead to move home in spring, this week’s blog has all you need to set the winter stage and secure a sale.

TIME TO COSY UP

Winter viewings are all about making your viewers feel instantly cosy and comfortable so that all they want to do is relax, defrost, and enjoy their visit.

• Keep the heating on low (or invest in a smart thermostat that you can control remotely) for a warm and welcoming temperature, even at short notice.
• Leave a mat for buyers to wipe their feet, a shoe tray for damp or muddy footwear, and some spare hooks for coats, hats and so everyone feels like they’ve just come home.
• If you’ve got an open fire or log burner, light it up for a crackling display if the timing works. Or, if your TV is sat on a low-level surface, stream some flickering flame magic from YouTube.
• Go all soft with fluffy sheepskins and natural wool throws in warming colours, from jewel tones like sapphire blues, emerald greens and ruby reds, to classic ochre and orange.

Finally, get up everyone’s nose, but in a good way! By using naturally scented candles or reed diffusers in seasonal aromas like cedar, spruce, cinnamon, pine or orange, your viewers will be left with fondly fragrant memories.

AMPLIFY THE DAYLIGHT

With shorter days and the sun sitting lower in the sky, winter is the time to help your home stay on the bright side, whether it’s grey and gloomy outside, or crisp and clear.

• As well as cleaning the windows, trim back any overshadowing foliage outdoors, and clear away any large items on indoor ledges to avoid them casting shadows.
• Fling open curtains as wide as you can and roll up blinds to expose as much glass as possible so the light can pour in.
• Check if you can relocate any mirrors to reflect more of the view outside, then polish any metal, glass or ceramic surfaces like tables, vases and lamp bases so they glint and glisten.
• For rooms with small windows and limited natural light, adding a sheen to the walls with satin paint in white or a pale neutral can really lift things up.

These simple tricks can make a real difference and generate surprising amounts of extra light, one of the most important factors on every buyer’s shopping list.

GO WITH THE GLOW

There’s nothing more inviting on a cold winter’s evening than a doorway that glows with a welcoming aura and the promise of a homely and heartening hug.

But it’s not the only way to seduce your buyers with the power of light.

• Inside, swap out cold white bulbs for warm- or soft-tone replacements: they’re often the missing element (pun intended) for elevating a cold-feeling room.
• For any dark or unlit corners, use a floor or table lamp to shine some light that you can take with you when you move.
• Fairy lights in plain, soft white look great in a jar, a glass vase, strung over a mantelpiece, or around a mirror.
• Use timers for outdoor lighting and indoor lamps to come on when the sunlight fades to create a magical winter welcome every day.

It’s extraordinary how lighting can transform the atmosphere and impression of a home, both inside and out. Better still, it all can be done in a single afternoon.

MAKE MAGIC IN THE GARDEN

With soggy leaves covering lawns, perennials snoozing below ground, and bare branches on the trees, gardens are rarely at their best in winter, but that doesn’t mean all is lost.

With a few tricks, you can add pops of colour and cheer to show buyers how delightful your garden can be throughout the year.

• If your garden furniture can withstand the season, dress it with winter-proof textiles like blankets, cushions and outdoor rugs, and string some lighting overhead for a dash of wonderland.
• Regularly sweep or rake up leaves - even if your lawn has given up for the year, your garden will feel more manageable and bigger.
• Treat front gardens to a couple of evergreens like box cones or balls by the front door, or poinsettias on the porch.

And let’s not forget the wildlife - a feeding station encourages visits from birds, and perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to attract a robin red-breast for an enchanting seasonal scene.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS - YES OR NO?

If you love to celebrate Christmas by putting up decorations, the good news is that you don’t have to give them up to sell your home, but there are some things to bear in mind.

• Rather than a massive tree that blocks the window and eclipses the room, consider something smaller for an elegant Christmas corner that gives buyers plenty of space to walk around.
• Multi-coloured lighting and decorations can take the focus away from your home’s rooms and character, so go for some Danish hygge with a focus on natural wood and neutral tones.
• Give your photographs a longer shelf life beyond the festive season by having decorations that you can move out of the way for the photographer’s visit.

In short, Christmas decorations can add a wonderful sense of occasion to your viewings, as long as they give your home the space to shine.

Are you hoping to move home in spring?

Then we’d love to help you make that happen!

Call us on 01722 580059 or drop us a line at info@piccoloproperty.co.uk, and let’s get things started with a chat about your plans.