BY: RON BARLAY
Selling your home during the winter months in the GTA can come with some additional challenges. At the same time, though, there are some surprising advantages to putting your home up for sale right now. You may not know that there are some ways to ensure your home is more marketable during the winter months. Here is a list of some of the most important considerations when it comes to selling your home during the winter months in Ontario.
Spring and summer photos work best: If you have a yard or private outdoor space, your home will likely look more inviting to potential buyers if you display some photos of your property that were taken in the spring or summer. The natural sunlight, blooming flowers and green grass shown in these pictures will make your home look more valuable and appealing and will showcase to potential buyers how they can enjoy the better weather at your home.
Add some holiday cheer, but don’t overdo it: If your home is listed around the winter holiday season, you can give it a more inviting feel by adding some decorations. A wreath on the front door, or some lights around the windows will work wonders. Just be sure to not go too overboard with your decorations and remember to remain as neutral as possible.
Landscaping work can be minimal: One of the main advantages to selling your home in the winter is that you likely won’t have to invest as much time and money into your landscaping. Unlike in the spring and summer months, buyers may not be as picky about how your yard looks in the winter. However, it’s important to shovel any snow that has fallen on your walkways and to clean up any other obvious debris that might detract from your home’s appearance.
Winter often attracts different types of buyers: When you put your home up for sale in the winter, you’ll have the advantage of marketing to a different set of buyers. Many homeowners like to wait until the warmer months to list their properties and this creates less inventory in the winter. Given the fact that there are fewer properties for sale in the winter, this will give you the opportunity to attract more potential buyers who are willing to make serious offers quickly. This is the current situation right now in Mississauga. There are fewer homes for sale, so current sellers are feeling more demand.
Keep your home warm: No one likes to walk into a cold and drafty home and you should make sure that the inside of your home is adequately heated when it’s being shown in the winter. If your heating system isn’t up to standard, you may need to invest some money into having it repaired so that it disperses enough warm air throughout each room. The investment that you make into getting your furnace fixed may help you get an offer from a buyer faster.
Contrary to popular belief, this winter is a great time to sell your home. If you choose to list your property during the cold season, you’ll have access to a highly qualified real estate agent who will help you market your home the right way.
