About this time of year I like to remind readers why winter can be the best time of year to put their home on the market.
First of all, there is less competition because, frankly, most sellers don’t know that homes sell well year-round. If your agent says you should wait until spring, get an agent who understands this!
Second, buyers continue to get alerts of new listings year-round. You know this yourself if you’ve been looking at listings. Nowadays every serious home buyer has asked their agent to set up an MLS alert matching their search criteria, or done it themselves on Zillow, and these alerts are generated 24/7/365 — even on Christmas morning!
This is a change from years past, when buyers depended on their agent to monitor the market and find listings that matched their buyers’ needs and wants. No more! Buyers do their own searching, even if it’s on Zillow, and call their agent when they want to see a listing which appears to meet their needs and wants.
Third, you won’t be bothered by lookie-loos. Only serious buyers, ready to make an offer, will be asking to see your home in the winter. The buyers who just like looking at other peoples’ homes are less inclined to go out at this time of year.
Fourth, you’ll have your agent’s and mortgage broker’s full attention. With less traffic in the winter, these professionals can give you their undivided attention. Others, including title officers and home inspectors, are also less busy in the winter, which is to your advantage.
Fifth, you can light your fireplace. I love going into a warm, cozy home when it’s cold outside. Unless your home is drafty and cold, this makes for great staging! And if you have a wood-burning fireplace, it’s even better. I love the smell of a wood-burning fireplace, don’t you? Also, put some cider on the stove, with cinnamon sticks in it and have a ladle and cups next to it with freshly baked cookies, and you’ve made my day! Your visitors will feel like they are in their new home!
Sixth, holiday decorations are good staging, too. Most stagers will urge you to depersonalize your home, including removal of crucifixes or other religious symbols, but this is Colorado, and people of all religions enjoy our Christmas holiday decorations. Again, like the fireplace and hot cider, holiday decorations can add a welcoming, homey feeling to your home.
Remember, buyers need to move year round. The concept of selling during the children’s summer vacation may be valid for a limited segment of the population, but even in that case many families move locally, and the MLS allows us to set up searches based on school district or even specific elementary, middle or high school service areas. Other moves are triggered by job changes, health changes or seniors moving to be closer to grandchildren, and these needs arise year-round.
Call any of us at Golden Real Estate — our phone numbers are below — if you’d like a free market analysis of your home or for any other reason.
Jim Smith, Broker/Owner – 303-525-1851
Jim Swanson — 303-929-2727
Carrie Lovingier — 303-907-1278
Kristi Brunel — 303-525-2520
Chuck Brown — 303-885-7855
David Dlugasch — 303-908-4835
Andrew Lesko — 720-710-1000
Carol Milan — 720-982-4941
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