What You Need To Do To Sell Your Home In Winter

By Author: D McF
Total Articles: 4
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Winter may not be the busiest time of year for an estate agent in Scotland, but people do still buy and sell houses and move home. There can even be benefits to selling a home in winter! Often the competition is less with fewer properties for sale and we find that you usually only get serious buyers during winter. The people that tend to view houses as a hobby, like to do that on warm, sunny days.

The New Year is usually associated with sales and people organising their summer holidays. Some people, however, start the New Year with a focus on finding a new home.

To make your home stand out on cold winter days, we asked our top estate agents for their tips.

Think Interview! First Impressions Count!

You home needs to be clean, tidy and welcoming on the outside. If the guttering is leaking and there is rubbish hanging out the bin, your potential buyers may just turn around and head home.

If you have outside lights, put them on for a viewing and have some inside lights on too so that your home looks like a place ...
... they want to visit.

Make sure your front door is clean and if required, add a fresh coat of paint. Some winter flowers or shrubs will add to the pleasant feel of an entrance. If the weather is icy or there has been a storm, make sure your path is ice-free and clear of leaves and mud.

When you welcome your potential buyers into your home, ensure it is nice and warm inside with the hall lights on and some internal door open. You want them to feel immediately at home.

Fresh flowers or a candle burning can also add a nice welcoming touch.

Small Touches Can Make a Huge Difference

As with any time of year, have a good clear out before a sale. Remove clutter but dress your home so that the buyers feel the rooms are spacious and comfortable. If you are moving because you need a bigger house, you need to make buyers feel that there is loads of space for all their belongings.

A good tip is once you have prepared your home for a viewing go outside and then enter as if you were going to buy the house and be critical. If a corner looks dark and dingy, add a lamp. Does the house smell nice? Touch up paintwork that has been annoying you for ages but you haven't got round to fixing. Cover the stain on the sofa with a cushion or throw.
We know they aren't buying the sofa but if the house looks clean and fresh and well looked after, they are more likely to buy. This is when sellers remember why they loved their house in the first place.

The most important thing to do in winter is present a warm, cosy home. A cold house will make buyers wonder if it is always cold or if there is a damp problem.

In Edinburgh, you will find that many Estate Agencies are part of a Solicitors firm. This means that you will benefit from the estate agents local knowledge when buying or selling and then their conveyancing solicitor can complete the property transaction.

Duncan is an employment law solicitor at ELP Arbuthnott McClanachan, Solicitors Edinburgh.