Tips to Sell Your House during the Winter Months

It may not be the best time of year to sell your house when it's cold, snowy, and dreary outside, but it can be done. Just a few simple steps will help put your house on the top of any buyer's list.

1. Keep pathways clear: If it's snowing outside, shovel a pathway from the driveway to the front door. If the steps are slick, apply sand or a de-icer to prevent guests from falling. Then place a mat inside the front door to keep guests from tracking snow inside the house.
2. Brighten rooms: Open blinds and shutters to let natural light in and turn on all the lights in the house during a showing. It will brighten the home and make it more visible.
3. Turn on the heat: Keep the thermastat just a few degrees warmer than usual, then turn down to normal. This will prevent the heater from turning on while the buyer is present as some units are loud. If you have a gas fireplace, turn it on to make a room feel cozy.
4. Music: Turn on some music...light classical or jazz is always soothing and CDs are better than a radio station.
5. Keep it clean: Wash the windows, clean out the refrigerator, empty trash cans, dust, and vacuum or sweep daily.
6. Share information: Attach printed cards to items and in rooms that provide further information the buyer might miss or may not know. Making an impression is crucial.